1- Be kind to yourself.

Practice positive self-talk to boost your confidence. If you constantly tell yourself “I can’t do this,” it’ll be much harder to motivate yourself to go out and try new things. That’s why it’s important to change your negative thoughts into positive, uplifting ones. Tell yourself things like, “I can do this,” “I’m strong,” and “I’m fearless” to give yourself courage and positive energy.

•  Using positive affirmation can help change your perspective on your fears and your abilities. If you believe you can do something, you’ll be much more motivated to try it.

2- Bring a buddy for support.

Having a friend around can ease your discomfort. There's no reason you can't rely on friends or family to help you get out of your comfort zone. For example, if you set a goal to hike somewhere new every weekend, bring a friend along. It'll be more fun to reach the end of the trail with a buddy, and they can make you feel more comfortable navigating the unfamiliar terrain.

• Or, if you’re nervous when it comes to public speaking, practice giving a speech in front of your friends and family first.
• If you have a friend who’s also trying to do things that fall outside of their comfort zone, use this as an opportunity to tackle your challenges together and support one another.

3- Surround yourself with supportive people.

Ask friends and family for encouragement and positivity. Tell your closest friends, family members, or partner what you’re trying to do and why. Chances are they’ll be more than happy to get behind you and cheer you on. Whenever you feel hesitant, just know you have a whole team of people ready to celebrate your accomplishments.

4- Follow in a role model’s footsteps.

Emulating a role model can give you courage and confidence. Good role models can have a powerful effect on how you perceive yourself and the world around you. Think about a person in your life or a famous figure who embodies many of the qualities you desire. For example, choose a role model who’s fearless, outspoken, and honest. If you make an effort to copy their positive actions, it might be a lot easier to step out of your comfort zone.

• Think about your role model’s worldviews and values as well. Are these things that you can relate to? Do you think their outlook can help you take steps out of your comfort zone?

5- Give yourself an ultimatum for motivation.

Come up with consequences if you don’t follow through. If you find yourself hesitating, it may help to put some mechanisms in place that’ll force you to take the plunge. For example, tell yourself that if you don’t practice your speech, you won’t get to watch your favorite show. Coming up with some sort of consequence will help you avoid making excuses and putting off the things that scare you.

• Rather than tangible consequences, it can also be effective to think about the things you might be forfeiting by not taking risks.
• For example, remind yourself that not applying for a new job means you won’t get the pay raise you want or the opportunity to move to a new city.

6- Use the worst-case scenario to rationalize your fears.

Thinking about the worst-case scenario helps you stay realistic. Ask yourself “What’s the worst that could happen?” then think about ways you could deal with those circumstances if they were to happen. Forcing yourself to take a more objective view of your fears can help put them into perspective, and you might find that there’s less to be nervous about than you originally thought.

• Avoid answering your question with unlikely possibilities like, “I could get fired” if you’re thinking about your job. If you find yourself thinking such things, go back and ask yourself how realistic those outcomes are.
• Let's say you want to take a cross-country road trip, but all you can think about is getting stranded if you break down or run out of gas. Prepare by making a plan for this. For example, bring along an extra gas tank and a radio to get in touch with emergency services.