Stretching The Comfort Zone ‘Til You Feel It

Last Updated On: 21 September 2025

We have to keep stretching our comfort zone don’t we, or we basically crumble.  And as creatives that’s a big thing for you… but are you selective?  What I mean is are you only willing to stretch in the areas where others say they wouldn’t or are you seriously testing yourself?

Back in 2007 I went to one of those mindset weekends, that proliferated at the time, where various people got on stage and sold their vision of how. I came away with a programmes or two, that I did nothing with.

However, the one that really stood out, and I was incredibly drawn to was a trip to the Antarctic.

I’d never dreamed of going there, I didn’t know much about it, but having worked in travel (and about to leave) for almost a decade where I’d taken advantage of some amazing work trips far and wide, including these (and my own trek around New Zealand):

• China
• Malaysia
• South Africa
• Kenya
• The Maldives
• Dubai

This Personal Development trip on what had been a working ship that cut through ice like butter, presented an opportunity like no other, and I was sold. I’m sure you can relate?

You know you have to go for it whether it’s; an outfit, shoes, a ground-breaking gadget, state-of-the-art jewellery, a new car, tickets for an event, or that bonkers trip of a lifetime. Mine combined a stunning landscape, an intrepid adventure and the biggest physical challenge I’d ever set myself.

I was in total consumer mode!

Regardless of the how, the why and the where I had to make it happen, and I did, and it’s far easier once you make a decision. I took the trip in March 2008, with an amazing group of people where a strong bond was created:

• We camped out on ice (two consecutive nights)
• We ice climbed, alright I attempted to, funny story for another time
• We kayaked in one of the most peaceful environments on the planet
• And we survived a tumultuous journey through Drake’s Passage

Afterwards I schlepped around Patagonia, through Argentina and Chile where one of the highlights was being privy to some fabulous street tango around the cafe’s in the Boca district of Buenos Aires. A tad touristy, but delicious all the same…

But why is it that we’ll go the distance, pardon the pun, in order to experience outer stimulation?

Our beliefs have an incredible hold over us, they determine how we live. But ACE (Advanced Clearing Energetics – stems from META-Medicine)is one of the best approaches I’ve come across for changing deep-seated, working-against us in every-which-way beliefs that no longer serve.

It’s quick, efficient, effective, and does not dredge over the past

I love helping people get untangled because it allows you to make a level of change that depending on your current challenges (and who doesn’t have those) offers an umbrella method that means all the strands in contention are worked on simultaneously, in an orderly fashion.

It might be that you’ve got unwanted patterns of behaviour around relationships getting in the way of stepping up your game, or similarly you might have health symptoms playing into what stops you, such as:

• a sudden illness
• a chronic health condition involving long-term medication
• a surgery
• an injury that just won’t heal
• long term pain
• erratic behaviours that come and go
• weight loss when it’s been an ongoing problem for years, then it’s no longer about lifestyle choices, and needs unraveling

If you’ve got anything going on that is hampering your quality of life then you already know they take their toll! Even more so as you age, because you’re probably noticing that your body won’t let you dismiss stress so easily. This doesn’t mean that aging is as problematic as some would have you believe, otherwise it would affect everyone, in the same way.

Yet it doesn’t, some people remain healthy and fit into a ripe old age, so what are they doing differently?

You only have to ask a sprightly octogenarian what their secret is and invariably it’s the same answer, which you’ve probably guessed:

Keeping active!

It’s important, and it’s easy to start believing that a busy life is the same thing, but it’s not. In fact keeping busy can simply be a strategy for not dealing with an underlying issue, right? But keeping active and having a social life keeps you on your toes, creatively, mentally and emotionally. But looking after yourself is key.

The importance of keeping up

As you age it’s even more important to keep on top of health issues, because the body becomes less efficient at processing what’s necessary, i.e. unresolved stress, which needs your attention and is vital in terms of ironing out your emotional health.

I know, I just used the dreaded phase (especially for us Brits – oops) Emotional Health but seriously if you ignore it, it will arrive out of nowhere and bite you on the bum.

The good news is that this is not a lengthy process, in fact you aren’t required to delve too deeply into your story.

Getting you from A-Z is more dependent on what you’ve got going on combined with how much you want to feel differently.

This gets you further along the process of what needs changing more quickly, because stuck emotional stress turns into illness symptoms, and that’s what you want to avoid if you can. This isn’t just preventative, i.e. if you already have physical, mental, emotional, behavioural, or compulsive symptoms you can get free of those too.

What did Antarctica do for me?

In summary, I went to the Antarctic, it was bonkersly beautiful, and somehow we got through Drakes Passage, not a pun btw as the water was incredibly fierce, to the point where a person broke her arm as she lost hold and went from one side of the ship to the other, where needless to say it ruined her trip.

Of course if I’d had ACE at my disposal back then I’d have been asking her some pertinent questions around what she was not letting go of in her life, and more besides to guide her to what had psychologically created her injury. It may be challenging to get your head around but, it works.

As you can see from the image above, the landscape was incredibly still, and quiet, and I shared the adventure with some incredible people on their own sojourn. Having mostly travelled with the holiday company I’d worked at, it was a learning, but having trekked around both islands in New Zealand had broken my fall to some extent.

I wrote extensive notes while away, which likely lit the fire that found me blogging here around my practice, that as mentioned elsewhere has recently turned into a book for performers and creatives all about being in relationship with you, others and lovers… Life Is Not A Dress Rehearsal…

MAKING IT HAPPEN MONDAYS.. What are you going to make happen this week? What makes you nervous, what will stretch your creative or personal comfort zone? What stops you, what are you holding onto that you need to let go of or vice versa? Let me know in the comments below…

PS: I’d love to support you in getting rid of what’s not floating-your-boat, so that you can learn how to change what works against you and start tapping into your full potential.

Step up to the mark

Are you feeling ready to ditch the emotional roller-coaster, because this approach brings about a significant and noticeable difference?

Now click through on the button below and arrange a 20-min chat to put an end to the run of what’s no longer working in your favour.

Book your Lights! Camera! Action! session here