Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Carolyn Hansen: 'If it doesn't challenge you then it won't change you'

Carolyn Hansen
By Carolyn Hansen
Northern Advocate columnist·Northern Advocate·
15 Apr, 2022 05:00 PM6 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌

Subscriber benefit

The ability to gift paywall-free articles is a subscriber only benefit. See more offers by clicking the button below.

Already a subscriber?  Sign in here
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Break free and open yourself to new adventures and challenges because the reality is, "if it doesn't challenge you then it won't change you". Photo / Getty Images
Break free and open yourself to new adventures and challenges because the reality is, "if it doesn't challenge you then it won't change you". Photo / Getty Images

Break free and open yourself to new adventures and challenges because the reality is, "if it doesn't challenge you then it won't change you". Photo / Getty Images




A very wise mentor of mine once told me: "Success lies on the other side of your comfort zone." What does this mean exactly? Let's first explore what defines our "comfort zone."

According to online sources: it is "the level at which one functions with ease and familiarity. A place or situation where one feels safe or at ease without stress".

The best definition is from the Cambridge Dictionary: "a situation in which you feel comfortable and in which your ability and determination are not being tested."

Need I say more? Our comfort zone may offer protection, but it is a stagnant zone of energy where nothing new grows. Therefore, there's no magic. It is the zone of limited focus and automated habits.

How can anyone achieve a high level of success if they stay within their own limited boundaries? How does one achieve success if what they are doing is not pushing them beyond what their current abilities demand of them?

Open up the latest news from Northland

Get daily Northland headlines straight to your inbox.
Please email me competitions, offers and other updates. You can stop these at any time.
By signing up for this newsletter, you agree to NZME’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Success in life is the reward for hard work and dedication to a cause or effort, whether it be physical, mental or even emotional. It is an energy alignment with our highest good and any rewards received are earned, not handed out randomly to those who continue to express at the same level day after day after day.

Rewards of success and personal fulfilment are reserved for those brave souls willing to "take risks" by moving beyond their own fears into uncharted areas of their lives.

Fear is a tyrant of a ruler and the offspring of survival, and those who lack self-confidence and dwell in low self-esteem are easy game for fear to operate in and take hold. It keeps these uninspired individuals locked into their present situations (whatever they be) and feeds them excuse upon excuse about how they will fail if they try anything new. It is the voice of negativity whether listening to ourselves or to others.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Read More

  • Vaughan Gunson: This summer's abundance of kikuyu grass ...
  • Vaughan Gunson: Debate needed on co-governance - NZ ...
  • Vaughan Gunson: All New Zealanders deserve the same ...

Once fear gains ground, life becomes a repetition of the same old thing. We become a hamster on a wheel, going round and round only to end up at the same spot again. The words "I can't" play continually and keep those who entertain such negativity paralysed in this repetitive, demeaning circle. Unfortunately, many, if not most, of the world's population live their lives from this dead-end, unfulfilled pattern of negativity that leads to boredom with life and, eventually, depression.

There is no excitement to living life in this mediocre, uninspired, tethered-to-survival way. Excitement is the result of the new, of living and operating in the "now moment". It's a positive, potent force of energy pushing us towards greater heights, bigger, more- challenging goals, and new adventures. It is the key that opens the door to courage, which in turn opens the door to adventure, passion, self-actualisation and personal fulfilment. All these are attributes of and help define individual success.

Discover more

Carolyn Hansen: Sit right down and write yourself a list

08 Apr 05:00 PM

Joe Bennett: I'm no trypanophobe

08 Apr 05:00 PM

Carolyn Hansen: Focus on flexibility

01 Apr 04:00 PM

Land of nod recharges mind and body

18 Feb 04:00 PM
You can't run and hide from life's challenges.  The only way around them is through them. Photo  / Getty Images
You can't run and hide from life's challenges. The only way around them is through them. Photo / Getty Images

Moving past fear is, without doubt, the most important step towards getting beyond our comfort zone.

Once we tackle the initial blockage of fear, we find ourselves in a new dimension of perception. We begin dealing with life's challenges from a positive perspective rather than a negative one. We open ourselves to acquiring new skills and setting new goals. The words "I can" replace the defeating words "I can't" as we embrace and reach towards our personal visions, dreams and passions. The very same dreams that have been waiting patiently and perceived as unattainable are now clearly within our newly empowered grasp.

If your life seems to be on hold, it's time to take a hard look at what you are paying attention to. Are you paralysed in your own safe bubble, your own personal comfort zone of protection?

If so, it's time to break free and open yourself to new adventures and challenges because the reality is, "if it doesn't challenge you then it won't change you"!

That scared feeling that emerges when you try something new is proof you are embarking on a journey and moving past your comfort zone to explore new and exciting things. It is a rush of energy that is both powerful and empowering to those who take the risk.

Life has never been about remaining stationary or stagnant. If it was, we'd still be living in caves. Every success or great discovery in life has been and will continue to be preceded by someone who pushed past their own protective barriers and comfort zone by bravely moving into previously uncharted territory.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

You can't run and hide from life's challenges.
The only way around them is through them. Embrace your challenges, move towards your dreams, go after your passions and visions as they tickle you to greater heights. Face them with courage, unyielding motivation and invigorating excitement as you reach beyond your present known parameters and watch as your life bursts into new dimensions of reality without limits!

Every action we take outside our comfort zone boosts our self-esteem to greater heights and expands our self-confidence, supplying us with the zest to achieve the next one. It is the never-empty pot of gold at the end of the rainbow patiently awaiting our focused attention and determination.
Our rewards will be great as added abundance, exciting new beliefs and adventures, personal fulfilment and dynamic achievement fill the void that fear previously held us bound to.

In the end we enjoy a high level of success in our own lives as we lay the groundwork and become bright guideposts for others to follow suit.

Carolyn Hansen is co-owner Anytime Fitness

Subscriber benefit

The ability to gift paywall-free articles is a subscriber only benefit. See more offers by clicking the button below.

Already a subscriber?  Sign in here
Save

    Share this article

    Reminder, this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Dargaville water crisis: Businesses face losses and residents raise health concerns

31 May 12:09 AM
Northern Advocate

'No services': Whangārei pensioners facing $7000-a-year bill protest rising rates

30 May 05:00 PM
Northern Advocate

On The Up: Bold plan for Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe aims to restore toheroa to Ninety Mile Beach

30 May 05:00 PM

Explore the hidden gems of NSW

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Recommended for you
Watch: 'Sorry Labour, Act remains your worst nightmare' - new Deputy PM's message
New Zealand

Watch: 'Sorry Labour, Act remains your worst nightmare' - new Deputy PM's message

31 May 11:21 PM
'Effective rejection': Hamas counters ceasefire terms with new demands
World

'Effective rejection': Hamas counters ceasefire terms with new demands

31 May 11:04 PM
'Full-circle moment': Wallace Sititi on All Blacks rise and giving back
Lifestyle

'Full-circle moment': Wallace Sititi on All Blacks rise and giving back

31 May 11:00 PM
King's Birthday gift: Four Lotto players scoop $30k apiece
Bay of Plenty Times

King's Birthday gift: Four Lotto players scoop $30k apiece

31 May 10:43 PM
 Desperate Housewives star dies, aged 71
Entertainment

Desperate Housewives star dies, aged 71

31 May 10:23 PM

Latest from Northern Advocate

Dargaville water crisis: Businesses face losses and residents raise health concerns

Dargaville water crisis: Businesses face losses and residents raise health concerns

31 May 12:09 AM

Repair work will take time as Dargaville's 5000 residents asked to stop using water.

On The Up: Bold plan for Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe aims to restore toheroa to Ninety Mile Beach

On The Up: Bold plan for Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe aims to restore toheroa to Ninety Mile Beach

30 May 05:00 PM
'No services': Whangārei pensioners facing $7000-a-year bill protest rising rates

'No services': Whangārei pensioners facing $7000-a-year bill protest rising rates

30 May 05:00 PM
Opinion: Budget boosts for disability sector but gaps remain

Opinion: Budget boosts for disability sector but gaps remain

30 May 05:00 PM
‘No regrets’ for Rotorua Retiree
sponsored

‘No regrets’ for Rotorua Retiree

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • What the Actual
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven CarGuide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP
search by queryly Advanced Search