15 Ways You Need to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

As a high school coach, I have always emphasized the need for my athletes to get out of their comfort zones. Whether it is a ball handling drill, a lift in the weight room, or giving a talk to younger players, encouraging them to be the best they can be, they need to push themselves to do things that aren’t comfortable.

To be the best dads we can be, it’s important for us to get out of our comfort zones too. Over the years, my insecurities, anxiety, or lack of time have often kept me from entering into uncomfortable situations. However, I have never regretted the times that I have, and you won’t either. Here are 15 ideas for how to get out of your comfort zone.

1. Talk to parents of other kids on the same team/in the same grade.

We may feel shy or awkward talking to other parents. But we will spend a lot of time around them over the years, so it will be good to get to know them, and we might be pleasantly surprised with how much we enjoy it.

2. Show affection to your kids, physically and verbally.

I had a very loving family as I grew up, but we rarely expressed it. Don’t be afraid to show your kids how much you love them. Knowing that they have a safe and loving family will help build their self-confidence and help them recognize healthy and unhealthy relationships in the future.

3. Record a TikTok with your son or daughter.

Want to know how to get out of your comfort zone? Say yes when your kid asks you to do the latest TikTok trend with him or her. This can help us to understand how their technology works, let them know we are willing to take part in their interests, and can create a digital memory of having fun together.

4. Attend your kid’s parent/teacher conference.

We often let the moms take care of these, but participating can be a great way to truly understand how our children are doing in school academically and socially.

5. Help coach your kid’s youth sports team.

Even if we don’t know much about the sport, we can help our kids and their teammates learn about cooperation, leadership, communication and other valuable traits.

6. Attend your daughter’s doctor appointment.

This can be very uncomfortable, especially as our daughters get older. However, it helps us to understand what they are dealing with and might help them to be willing to come to us when they have issues.

7. Say “yes” to a request.

As dads, we often get asked to do things like volunteering at our kids’ school or at our church. It’s much easier to simply say no, but saying yes can be an easy way to become more involved.

8. Be a chaperone for a school field trip.

Taking a day off of work to supervise kids may not sound fun, but it can be a great bonding experience and a good way to get to know our kids’ friends.

9. Take your daughter to get her hair cut.

Know how to get out of your comfort zone? Take your girls to the salon. This is another chance to understand our daughters and one of their common life experiences.

10. Ask your child for advice or an opinion.

We tend to want our kids to think we have all the answers, but asking them for help can help grow their self confidence.

11. Play a video game with your child.

We might have to dance, shoot zombies, or build an empire, and if you’re like me, you’ll probably lose miserably, but spending a little time in your kids’ world can really pay off.

12. Watch some of their favorite movies.

Because of my kids, I’ve watched countless movies that I never would have considered watching otherwise. Now I understand many of their pop-culture references, and I am able to sing along with countless movie songs on their playlists.

13. Talk about your experiences.

It often feels uncomfortable to talk about our childhood experiences, but knowing that we went through some of the same things they are going through can help our credibility when they ask us for advice.

14. Have “the talk” with your child.

I’ll be honest—my wife still makes fun of me for the approach I took when having “the talk” with my son, who has always been very active in 4H and FFA. Since he already has some understanding of reproduction in farm animals, I approached it from that angle. It certainly taught him that he can talk to me about any topic!

15. Start praying with your kids on a daily basis.

We love to show our kids how to do things like throw a ball, drive a car, and fix things around the house. What skill could be more important for us to teach than how to express our faith?

Sound off: When was a time you learned how to get out of your comfort zone and had a positive result?