Opening The Door To Your Dreamنموونە

THE COMFORT ZONE

One of the preeminent barriers toward living out your dream is a door that only you can unlock. It could be a small door, large door, wooden door, glass door – really, it can be any kind of door that you imagine. Everyone’s doors will look different from each other’s. But one thing will be in common: Everyone’s doors will be locked. And, unfortunately, the vast majority of people will never insert the Dream Key into the lock in order to open up their door to their destiny. 

Rather, many (if not most) people will look at their door and pray that their door will somehow supernaturally disappear. Or, perhaps even open all on its own. They may try getting it to open by speaking words like some fantastical illusion they saw in a movie growing up. Or they may search out a way to go around the door altogether, climb over the wall/rooftop or dig under the ground in order to get to the other side. But, try as they may – and try as YOU may … you simply cannot get to the other side of the door without going through the door. 

The door is the only path to your dream and will remain locked until you insert the Dream Key.

What’s worse, though, is that the longer you stand in front of the door, the larger the door seems to grow. All of a sudden you are standing in front of a looming, intimidating, towering closed door where even the thought of putting your key into the lock proves to become overwhelmingly difficult. Your imagination may take you in all sorts of directions as you start to envision vicious beasts on the other side of the door. You begin to dread what could happen if you were to dare open it up. 

Descriptions such as “uncertainty,” “fear,” “worry,” “anxiety” hover over your heart like an oversized umbrella on a cloudy day. You have begun to develop what psychologists often call “vain imaginations” or “limiting beliefs” – these are ideas and concepts people use to justify “not” doing something they once felt they should. Eventually, you become convinced that your dream just might be impossible, after all. 

What were you thinking?!?

Why did you ever dream up such an improbable dream?

Surely you must have been dreaming (no pun intended).

But, truth be told, your dream is only impossible because you are standing before a closed door while holding a key which YOU refuse to use. Why do you refuse to use it? The same reason why so many people refuse to use theirs. 

Because you are afraid.

Yet God tells us in His Word that perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Which is why when you align your thoughts and heart under Him, you will discover the courage you need to move out of your comfort zone and pursue your dream.

Sometimes the start to your dream begins with practicing what it means to break out of your comfort zone in safer areas where you do feel secure.

Personal Reflection: List three ways that are personal to you (your personality, mindsets, habits, etc.) that you can practice breaking out of your “comfort zone.” These do not need to be things directly related to your dream. It is good to practice breaking out of your comfort zone in smaller ways because it builds your confidence to do so in larger ways (as when it does relate to your dream.)  

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After you’ve listed three ways that are personal to you, read through and choose a few more ways to practice breaking out of your comfort zone over the next few days. Here are some samples:

1.  Change the type of music you listen to.

2.  Choose a different route to work.

3.  Sleep on the other side of the bed.

4.  Eat something you wouldn’t normally eat.

5.  Go a day without texting or talking or browsing on your smartphone.

6.  Sit in a new location (in a familiar place such as the lunchroom, church or even your own family room). 

7.  Pick up an athletic activity you don’t normally do & start it (running, biking, jump-roping).

8.  Watch a video online in a different language.

9.  Change up your daily routine.

10.  Use the opposite hand to do things like brushing your teeth.