1. EachPod

1313: The Known Zone: You’re Not Actually Comfortable

Author
Elizabeth Benton
Published
Sat 14 Jun 2025
Episode Link
http://sites.libsyn.com/61354/1313-the-known-zone-youre-not-actually-comfortable

We love to call it a comfort zone, but let’s be honest — if you were truly comfortable, you wouldn’t be emailing me, considering a change, or listening to this podcast. What we call the “comfort zone” is almost never comfortable. It’s just known. Predictable. Familiar. And that’s a trap.

In this episode, I’m walking you through a powerful coaching conversation I had with someone on the fence about making a change. She thought she was afraid to leave her comfort zone… but what she was really bumping up against was the exposure of wanting more.

We’re getting into:

  • Why what we label as comfort is often just familiarity

  • The real reason you might be afraid to change (and what you’re already missing out on)

  • How your current fear might just be a red triangle in the storybook Zoom — you’re too close to it to see what it really is

And most importantly, I’m sharing three practical ways to get out of the known zone and into forward momentum:

  1. Make small changes — simple disruptions to your routines build pattern-breaking momentum

  2. Create strategic disappointment — practice saying “no” in low-stakes moments so the harder ones don’t knock you down

  3. Choose intentional vulnerability — share the thing you’d rather not share; say the thing you usually skip over

This isn’t about overhauling your life. It’s about doing one thing differently — and letting it open the door to change.

💡 Mentioned in this episode: 💬 Let’s keep the conversation going:

Tag me on Instagram @elizabethbenton and share one small discomfort you’re choosing today. I want to hear it.

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