Written by Federica Salvi

Such a simple question and yet, sometimes, it's so tricky to answer.

When I look back at my previous career, there were years where I was really happy and proud of my work. I worked in a great team in a multinational & multicultural environment. I loved my colleagues. Over time, some of these colleagues became true friends, and they still are. In my role, I had the opportunity to meet new people every month and collaborate closely. I loved that. Our office was pretty cool and we could enjoy all sorts of benefits. I was learning new skills, getting challenged (hello public speaking🙈 ), and expanding what I thought was possible for me.

At some point, all these things became pretty normal. I was in a very relaxed place and it was also convenient.

Still happy? Starting to settle?

Slowly things changed. It took a while to realize that something was missing. My role became easy, I was getting (very) comfortable and I was not learning anything new. I rarely challenged myself and I let time pass by. I was still doing everything I was supposed to and performing well but the spark was gone. Definitely settling now.

We've all heard about that thing called "comfort zone." One of its definitions is "a situation in which you feel comfortable and you do not have to do anything new or difficult." On paper, it might sound great - for a while. Despite the name, that zone can also become extremely uncomfortable. You look around and ask yourself whether this is it. And you start feeling stuck in a situation that used to be quite nice but now it's not anymore.

What now? I was clueless about what was next for me. Suddenly so much time had gone by and I could not see a way forward. I did not know where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do - for a pretty long time. Until I decided that enough was enough. I was so tired of my own BS stories that I finally signed up for a course - and from there everything changed (more on that in another article).

The journey from fulfillment at work to settling and eventually to stuckness was gradual and not linear.

Recognizing that we may have fallen asleep in our comfort zone is a crucial first step. It takes honesty to realize that something is missing and that we have now a need for change and growth. It takes courage to act on that need, but it's worth it.

My invitation? Don't settle for the comfort zone if you are not enjoying its benefits because the comfort is illusory. If you sense a deep desire for newness, change, and growth, don't dismiss it.