Overcoming fear requires regularly challenging yourself. As you’ve learned so far, your brain is primed to resist change. It’s in your deepest instincts to try to maintain the status quo and stick with what you already know in life. Logically, you surely understand that there’s no growth in remaining still. Moving forward is what brings you bigger and better things.

Therefore, you know it’s worth it to work through your negative feelings surrounding change and to push past the fear. In order to best do that, I recommend getting in the habit of challenging yourself daily. If you push yourself in small ways every day, it will get easier and easier with time. You’ll soon be sailing through events that might throw you for a loop. You might even learn to welcome change. It’s possible. 

One of the most successful and powerful ways to overcome fear and deal with change is to take some action on a regular basis. Inertia is the state of doing nothing or remaining unchanged. It tends to be a go-to for many people because it’s easy. Our natural inclination is to avoid loss, remember? Inertia is especially dangerous for those who are going through intense periods of adversity or who may be prone to depression. It’s a dangerous place to be because inertia is incredibly powerful. Digging yourself out of that hole can be next to impossible. 

That’s why baby steps are so important right now. Even the little action you can take today can help you to build the momentum necessary to break free of inertia and avoid getting stuck. Let’s look at the importance of daily challenges and how they will always help you to reach your goals. 

The Importance of Challenges

Challenge is a necessary component of personal growth. Sure, it may be tempting to say you don’t need growth and that you’re fine just as you are. Logically, however, you know that’s not really the case. Change is inevitable. We’ve been through this already. So let’s put a positive spin on things and look at the benefits of challenging yourself. 

Challenging yourself in some ways on the regular will help you learn to embrace the unknown. You’ll push past yourself in tiny bite-size ways instead of being thrown unwillingly into giant changes that are beyond your control. As with anything, the more exposure you get to pushing your personal boundaries, the more comfortable it will become. 

Let’s face it. Challenging yourself also leads to leaving unhappiness or bad circumstances behind. You can’t escape turmoil or dissatisfaction without at least inching out of your comfort zone. When you strive to do one daily activity that stretches your abilities, you’ll be taking one small step closer to becoming happier. 

You’ll open your mind when you accept regular challenges. With each unfamiliar experience, you’ll be exposing yourself to different situations. Such circumstances will inevitably require alternative skill sets than what you’re accustomed to using. This is a fantastic benefit. As you expose yourself to these things, you’ll become even more adaptable. You’ll also be more capable and find that your confidence grows tremendously. 

All of these things combine to keep your momentum building and growing. You’ll soon realize that your motivation is revved up. You’re ready to face each new day and open to receiving the opportunities that come with it. You’ll develop a more optimistic mindset, as well. 

You’ll also develop self-reliance. While it’s good to admit when you need help and can be beneficial to do so, it’s also incredibly empowering to learn that you can accomplish a lot more than you may have once realized. As you tackle new challenges daily, you’ll learn that there’s not a lot you can’t do when you put your mind to it. 

Finally, as the adage says, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Challenging yourself every single day will show you just how strong you are. This strength can take you far in life and makes future challenges seem less daunting. 

Ways to Challenge Yourself Daily

The ways you choose to challenge yourself each day should be unique and personal to you. Remember that goals should be relevant and meaningful. Try to come up with ways to push your limits that will improve your current circumstances or help you to move toward something that really matters to you. 

With that being said I’d like to present you with some general ideas to help you brainstorm ways to expand your boundaries each day and push you toward bettering yourself. Getting started with any of these actions will help you to gain the momentum you need to start challenging yourself more freely. 

• Talk to someone new or outside of your usual circle today
• Try a new activity or sign up for a class you’ve always wanted to learn
• Offer to help someone on a project or in some way that benefits them
• Join a group of some sort, whether it be career, community or leisure related
• Risk rejection by asking someone to join you in an activity or for a favor
• Start writing or journaling to help you brainstorm new ways to challenge yourself
• Take an honest look at your finances and try to cut back realistically in order to invest more wisely
• Compliment someone genuinely by telling them something you sincerely admire about them
• Read a news story from the opposite political spectrum to yours or an article on something you wouldn’t normally find of interest
• Unplug by turning off your phone and ignoring social media for at least half of your day
• Engage in some small form of exercise if you’re ordinarily a sedentary person
• Make a small contribution to a charity of your choice
• Do an activity all by yourself, such as going to the movies or dining at a restaurant
• Attend a seminar related to your career or hobby
• Find time to travel someplace new to you, even if it’s just one town over
• Ask for honest feedback from a colleague, a superior or a friend
• Pick one activity that scares you and sign up to do it, like sky diving or learning to swim
• Learn CPR if you don’t know it, as this skill can save a life 
• Write down your five biggest assets and your five biggest flaws
• Take a picture of something meaningful each day for a week
• Try a new recipe each day for a week
• Take a different route to work today
• Skip the alcohol, coffee, cigarettes or another vice for one whole week
• Take the stairs
• Park far from your building
• Try to avoid complaining or swearing for at least one day.

This is a pretty comprehensive list. It should help you to begin to expand your comfort zone daily. As I mentioned, though, it’s important to choose activities that are meaningful to you. You’re not really stretching yourself if you’re only following someone else’s suggestions. The ways you choose to challenge yourself every day should be ones that impact your life in the greatest manner. 

Finally, one more suggestion I have for you is to reflect every day on the ways in which you’re pushing yourself. Taking time to assess these activities will ensure that you’re not choosing ones that are too simple. Ask yourself questions such as what challenges you faced that particular day, how you did you handle them, what was successful, in what ways could you have improved, how did you feel about those things and what things may you have backed away from because they were too intimidating? Then use that information to find ways to do better tomorrow. This is an activity that should become part of your routine each evening. 

Speaking of routines, know that each time you expand your boundaries and try something hard, you’re forming a routine of challenging yourself. We all know that routines soon become instinctive. Imagine that, before long, you might just kick that fear to the curb.

Please share your thoughts and ideas directly in the comments. You never know how your words will connect with others that visit my site. Remember, being a business owner doesn’t mean you have to do it alone:)