Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

During Covid-19, I change a lot and comes to think about myself. I want to become a better person which I hope so by watching motivational talks. Today, I have a powerful motivational speech for all of you and I want to share my beautiful story that I realized helped me a lot to become a better person and develop new skills. I once read: If you want to achieve your goals and dreams in life, you need to wake up and go beyond your comfort zone. We all have a zone of comfort, which consists of a consistent set of beliefs and behaviours that we’ve grown accustomed to. According to Alan Henry, the editor in chief of Life hacker, “Your comfort zone is neither a good or bad thing. It's a natural state that most people trend towards.” When we live in a comfort zone, we feel safe, but the problem with this place is that nothing ever grows here. Life becomes predictable. If you don’t go beyond your comfort zone, you will never be able to become the person that you aspire to be. Growth and comfort do not co-exist.

It’s time to wake up and go beyond your comfort zone. In the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, “Do one thing every day that scares you.” What would you do if you weren’t afraid? At one point in my life, I was stuck in my comfort zone. I always knew that the life that I desired was possible, but I didn’t take action. I was distracted, I was a dabbler, and I was fearful. In order to find some clarity, I decided to write a letter to my future self about my goals, dreams, and aspirations. In that letter, I asked myself that I want to be a pro in sewing my own clothes.

Inspired by that motivational speech, I just realized that something big happened that changed my life. Here is my very sad yet meaningful experience I would share for all of you. After my SPM, I decided to go to a sewing class near my house as I was not good at anything about sewing; totally zero. My enthusiasm started to burst and I was eager because my sewing teacher asked me to buy all the equipment for sewing. So for tomorrow's session, I came to class with a broad smile, everything looked fine and the teacher was pretty also. So, I started to sew with the sewing machine for the first time. My teacher gave me one piece of cloth for me and I started. I told her that I don't know anything, so she gave me all the instructions and I just followed it. The way she gave instructions was like I don't deserve to sew. My hands and legs start shaking and trembling because I was very scared and nervous and I feel lost at everything. I never felt like this even in school. Then, I nodded as I could do it, so she just continued teaching other people at the other table. I kept asking her for the techniques and she sighed to me. I was like a bothersome to her because everyone in that class can sew except me. So, she told me that you are the only one that doesn't know anything about sewing, but why do you want to learn? I just said to fill my leisure time and that question hit me a lot.

I did it all myself, about 30 minutes handling with the cloth, I surrendered. My heart started to feel the pain (I want to scream loudly to say that I am not capable to do it all, Oh Allah, please help me, I want to go back home, I want to quit, I don’t want to be taught by this teacher, she is so bad and ignored me like I am a pro, I don't want to go to this class again, I regret everything, mom!!help me) ...how I wish the clock could stop running because I wanted to escape for a second as my house is just 10 steps away.

I kept asking her how to sew this cloth without the cloth getting stuck, but she kept sighed to me again and told me: that thing you also don't know??? At that time, I realized that people can be up or down and now I felt it on my shoulder. I was offended. My heart kept crying inside and was going to burst out. I ache so much (even my voice is crying) and I think she knows. I felt very embarrassed as I am the stupid one there while everyone was looking at me. I continued holding my cloth to show her again, but I kept it because I was too scared and too restless to ask her. Fortunately, the clock showed around 5 already, so I packed my stuffs faster without looking at her face. My face had gotten red already and was going to be bad. I shook hands with her and in my heart (that was going to be my last time seeing you, with an ache and regret). After I thanked my teacher, my heart was falling down to the road and guessing what I was crying like a disaster … I hate that class so much with my full heart. I ran to my house and told my mother I really would quit already and she saw me crying out loud...my mom said why were you being like this, yesterday you were so eager to enter and register this class, but within time you wanted to quit? Are you not sorry for me buying all kinds of stuff for you to sew???? You could not be like this, you have to be strong, do not be easily distracted by your teacher, you were a newbie and of course you don't know anything. You have to be patient learning all those things. Practise makes perfect.

Those words that changed my life. It really opened me up to do what was necessary in order to change my life. Sometimes you need to look in the mirror and have an honest conversation with yourself. Unfortunately, a lot of people tell themselves stories about why they can’t do something, and these negative beliefs keep them stuck in a cycle of despair. Someone once said that, “The naked truth is always better than the best-dressed lie.” If you want to change your life, you need to get real with yourself. The truth will set you free. If you want to have more, you need to become more, which is why you need to put yourself in challenging circumstances and get out of your comfort zone. There is no better way to conquer your fears. To this day, I am constantly pushing my limits and engaging in actions that allow me to grow. In the words of Eddie Harris Jr., “The sooner that you step away from your comfort zone, the sooner you will realize that it really wasn’t all that comfortable.” Everything that you want in life is on the other side of fear. It's time to wake up and go beyond your comfort zone.

That night, I was determined and brainwashed myself to get stronger, never put blame on others. I said to myself that you will never be the best if you don't try. The next day, I went to the class with the effort of learning with heart, never feeling down or stressed and kept on doing without fail. I set those in my mind when I went to that class. Yes, learning is not easy. That's why it needs perseverance and patience to get all the experiences. I was really grateful that the day I challenged myself is the day that I become a pro in sewing. I was able to sew ‘baju kurung’, blouse, skirt and trousers. I thanked my teacher and accepted all her words with my whole heart. Sometimes I feel very happy as I can escape from my comfort zone and be able to learn and experience sewing the clothes. I don't know what will happen to myself if I don't try to correct my mistakes on that day. At least now, I am able to sew my own ‘baju kurung’ during MCO. I sew clothes for my nephew and niece too. It was really joyful to entertain myself during the lockdown period. Lastly, I learnt to join a business promoting chiffon voile scarf. I was really grateful that 10 pieces got sold in a week.

An important lesson that I learned in my past is to never ever give up: Always persevere. If you fall down, then get back up and try again. It doesn’t matter if it is the first time, or the millionth time, you must always get back up again. Regardless of what challenges you face, you have to keep pushing forward. Life isn’t going to slow down for you, so you have to work to keep up. Each time you get up, that is more character, more strength you have developed. It is always important to set goals for yourself. Never stop reaching for the stars. Sometimes tomorrow is about learning from yesterday. It works on me, so I would encourage all of you to think twice if you are going to give up now. Never think that you are useless but use that opportunity to boost you up and find something that you enjoy to do.