Most people choose to embrace comfort and loathe anything that may cause discomfort. Yet being uncomfortable is our friend because discomfort leads to limitless opportunities for growth beyond our wildest dreams.

The life of a human being mostly consists of routines. We wake up in the morning, snooze our alarm a couple of times, think about whether we really need that job or can we stay asleep, eventually go to work, sit in the office for eight hours, come back home, eat lunch, talk with our friends and family, go to bed, and do it all over again tomorrow.

Meanwhile, there is a bucket list inside one of the drawers, collecting dust and waiting for some better days. The question is will the better days come on their own or is it up to us to make them? t

It’s up to us to make time for that adventure, otherwise, life will pass us by without us even noticing. In the blink of an eye, we could realize that we missed so many opportunities to get out of our comfort zones and create memorable moments which will keep a smile on our face forever.

Comfort is nice, but it’s holding you back

No one can argue that sitting in a cozy armchair, wrapped inside a soft blanket, and binge-watching your favorite Netflix program in a familiar environment sounds like a perfect way to spend your day and to spend every day, as a matter of fact.

However, embracing comfort as a way of life can hold you back in a number of ways. It can make you settle for things you don’t want. It can discourage you from fighting for your dreams. It can make your career path passive and dull.

The more time you spend living like this, the less you’ll be willing to change things.

Discomfort creates go-getters

Many successful people have only become that by breaking out of their comfort zone. If you have ever read a book or watched a movie about a famous scientist, novelist, musician, or similar, you must have noticed how their origin was often modest. Sometimes they needed to move from their small town and make it big in an unwelcoming city.

When you surpass the obstacles of the unknown, you become prepared for everything that lies ahead, because no worthwhile aspiration can be achieved without giving up the security of the known.

Embracing discomfort changes your perspective on life

Your boss is causing you troubles. Your boyfriend doesn’t do the dishes. Your mother is constantly nagging about when you are getting married. All of these problems seem huge to you right now, but are they really?

I was going through a similar situation when something snapped in my mind and made me think that the world is so much bigger than the microscopic planet called my life. This happened when I decided I needed the time to get away.

Traveling unfamiliar areas with nothing but enthusiasm and my backpack, I’ve met so many people, and seen so many marvelous places, that I realized my problems are actually just the tiny joys of normal life.

The lessons taught outside your “safe place” stay with you forever

Be honest, what do you remember of from the times of sitting in a classroom and listening to your teacher? Now, what do you remember of from your first travel or first time when you moved into another city?

The things you learn by experience and throwing yourself out there, are those that stick with you for the rest of your life.

For example, here are some things I’ve picked up on my travel adventures throughout the years that I’ll forever have carved in my mind.

• Always be prepared and when you don’t know something, ask for help: It’s how it usually goes. You are so sure of something or ashamed to ask for advice. You think things are easy, but when you face them, you know that they are not. That can be something as simple as training a physical skill (if you are going hiking, learning how to stay safe while climbing is crucial), or something more complicated as getting to know a culture before you travel so you don’t experience a cultural shock.
• Meeting new people helps you grow as a person: Of all the things you see and do on an adventure, the one that stays the most present in your life is the memory of all the people you have met. Those once strangers are now a part of your life. They have influenced you and changed you in ways you are yet to comprehend.
• You can always make time for yourself: In modern life, the time has become such a terrifying concept. It keeps escaping us and defeating us. Adventurism teaches you that you are the ruler of your own time, and even when your work doesn’t allow you to take a month off and fly to Peru, Hawaii or Europe, you can always take the afternoon to test your limits and try something new.

Wherever it takes you, adventure’s ultimate destination is happiness

Neuroscientists proved that new experiences can shape new pathways in the brain, which means that when you travel, you are rewiring your brain. This brings increased creativity and improved mental health.

Travel deepens the relationships between people and helps you create new connections. It creates satisfaction unparalleled with anything else. It creates mostly good memories because the bad ones are left behind.

All these benefits, when combined result in a happier you.

Some people live in a constant state of fear of what the future brings. Other feel perfectly fine where they are. And while there’s nothing wrong with being content with your life, we, as a species, are born to move, progress, and change.

To be honest, leaving your comfort zone can be the scariest thing you’ll ever do, but it can also be the most beautiful one. The choice is up to you.