We all face internal fears: giving a speech in front of a large crowd, asking our boss for a raise, skydiving, etc. What if things don’t turn out our way? This fear can sometimes be beneficial, in that it encourages caution when caution is due. But it also limits us to what we can accomplish since it makes us afraid to challenge ourselves.

So, in this post we’re going to talk about our comfort zone. Here are five steps you can use to push those self-created boundaries of what you think is possible.

1.Do small activities to challenge yourself. Hug a stranger, volunteer to host an event, lie down in a public place. Doing activities that make you uncomfortable will allow you to start getting comfortable with the uncomfortable.

2. Keep a list of growth goals. I keep a list of growth goals close by and try to read it every morning. Reading it early in the day motivates me to take these steps throughout the day.

3. Get information. Fear usually comes from the unknown. Educating yourself about the skill or activity you are pursuing by talking to people who have done the same thing or simply reading articles online, will give you confidence and make you less fearful.

4. Have a plan. After educating yourself, create a step-by-step plan on how you are going to push yourself and get out of your comfort zone. Having benchmarks is very beneficial and it allows you to set realistic goals for yourself.

5. Remain positive. Life is hard. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, things aren’t meant to be. The trick is to not let anything prevent you from giving your all and blasting pass the point of comfort.