IT HAS been a tough 18-19 months for all us with this global pandemic. There's absolutely no doubt about this. It's been difficult at so many different levels.
The way we congregate, manage our families, and run our work-life have all shifted.
Much of this change has been forced on to us. When change is forced on to us, our natural instinct is to be cautious, and perhaps inevitably be fearful of how we conduct life.
However, with almost two years of practice, many of us have found our peace and may have now fallen into what we all like to refer to as the "new norm". I realise that so many people I train and coach in my leadership coaching sessions have found a new comfort zone.
But isn't the most significant learning, for each one us in these past dire pandemic months, the ultimately reality that we cannot and must now lull ourselves into a false sense of security and think everything will be alright?
In this new way of life that we have created for ourselves, there is a danger that create another "comfort zone" and disregard the base emotion of "fear" that at the end of the day, prompts us to take action.
Fear is not a bad emotion to have, if you know how to handle it, and make it a useful partner and guide.
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone" said American author, Neale Donald Walsch.
Experts say that being in the comfort zone is a psychological state where things feel familiar to you. You are at ease and in control of your environment, and you have low levels of worry and stress.
Most people remain in their comfort zone because it is an anxiety-neutral position. And given our current circumstances, this is quite an attractive zone for us to remain in.
But, it not safe, is it?
Things still remain fluid. If this virus can cause a global meltdown, there surely is a possibility that something else could easily happen, which precipitates another shutdown, at any time in the future.
You must be willing to step outside your comfort zone if you want to be ready and not caught off-guard.
So, make fear a useful partner, right away.
Any positive change in life starts with proactive exploration. It's only by exploring that you will make discoveries about yourself; your abilities; your capacity to adapt; and your commitment to completion.
In his book, "The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari", Robin Sharma, wrote "…as you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once the unknown and frightening becomes your new normal…"
This seems to be right "mantra" for our post-pandemic life.
In my career as a business owner, whenever I start a project, I know that I have had to manage the fear that comes with starting something new. I have internalised the knowledge that failure in a new venture could derail all other parts of my life that I have painstakingly built over decades.
The unfamiliar can be spectacularly terrifying, especially if you have much to lose.
But I know that I just have to break out of my comfort zone. And each time, when I have successfully done this, I have become proficient at handling all the problems that once seemed insurmountable.
In uncertain times like these, many challenges come to the fore.
My own life is an example of this.
In these challenging 2 years, I've had health issues emerge unexpectedly; I have had to deal with financial difficulties in managing my businesses; I have faced strains in some of my close personal relationships with the people I care for most; and certain people I trusted and depended on most, mysteriously changed and turned on me terribly.
With the benefit of hindsight, I realise that things like this happen when there is pressure on everyone. I am sure that you too, have faced similar experiences recently.
But I quickly decided to accept, and process the anxiety that came with these challenges. I knew that if I let fear grip me, I'd spend an excessive amount of time second guessing my own ability to manage the trials and tribulations.
So, each time a problem emerged, I "allowed" myself the luxury of worrying about it for a maximum of 24 hours. In that time, I'd fret, agonise and possibly even freak out a bit but only for a day.
Then, I'd force myself to stop wallowing in this state of emotional angst, and turn the situation into a learning lesson.
I would start by asking myself, "What am I learning about me and about the situation? And how can I use this, in my personal and professional life to continue to grow?"
This seminal question turned every situation into an opportunity for personal development. It might sound clichéd, but this was the only way I managed to turn things around for myself.
By adopting a growth mindset. I made fear a partner, and forced myself out of my comfort zone.
You need to do the same!
Shankar R. Santhiram is managing consultant and executive leadership coach at EQTD Consulting. He is also the author of the national bestseller "So, You Want To Get Promoted?
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times
