Comfort Zone

Every era has its own catch phrase. Comfort zone is the 'open sesame' term for the first two decades, or so, of this century, nay, the new millennium. Not that it was never used earlier. The craze for its regular usage increased post the millennial year though. 

That may be because the millennial change itself pushed the mankind out of its comfort zone. First it was the Y2K scare. Soon the new millennium was to see its own "great depression" moment. The worst was the 'vision 2020' turning in to s nightmare, what with the corona virus. The unhappy narrative continues with natural disasters this year.

Given multiple such cataclysmic occurences, we have been repeatedly pushed out of our 'comfort zones' in the last twenty two years. That should explain the prevalence of the term, may be.

Now that the LPG mode has come to stay even in the so-called post-LPG period, every action has its reaction in a cascading fashion. No longer, for example, can you be  born, brought up, n buried in the same borough, unlike the pre-LPG period. Nursery onwards, we start getting pushed out of our neighborhood. No comfort zone thereafter!

Given such a lack, the yen for it, may be. We always pine for what is not, as Shelley prophesised almost two centuries ago. What exactly is this comfort zone, anyways? May be, a set of habits that give us a sense of security in an uncertain world?

Comfort zones are both necessary, and unnecessary. Let me give you an example. At home, we are tenderly taken utmost care of  by our most loving parents. That caring cocoon is yanked, and rudely roughed up, when we stay in a hostel for further studies, may be. We are properly pushed out of our comfort zone every which way. 

As the basic core values are strong, we for sure manage to stay afloat adroitly despite the roaring, in the spate, stream of changes. This complete change of context toughens us, without making us rough or coarse in the process. The thin skin is so bruised so often that there emerges a protective crust cooping carefully the inner core. We remain in the comfort zone thus, while getting pushed out of it.

In brief, at every stage of our lives, we require both, being in the comfort zone, and being pushed out of it to emerge better and stronger. Long live, and leave, comfort zones!

Pratima@ "Do one thing every day that scares you," wrote Eleanor Roosevelt. Indeed! Coz what does not confront you, does not change you for the better!