When did you last try something new? Something that challenged you? Unfortunately, our daily lives often revolve around familiar routines — we do what’s comfortable. However, too much comfort is not good for us. IMAGE: Pixabay

Stepping outside your comfort zone has many positive effects—not to mention, it also makes life more interesting and exciting. In our blog post, “Eat. Sleep. Crisis,” we examined the “comfort crisis” theory. In short, it’s about how modern life makes us more dissatisfied, stressed, and less resilient in the long run. Venturing into new areas is the key to preventing this.

But where should you start? To give you some inspiration, I’ve compiled four sustainability-inspired ideas that will help you step outside your comfort zone and make the world a (slightly) better place.

Four sustainability-inspired ideas for stepping outside your comfort zone

1) Volunteer work

Volunteering can take many forms: from food rescue and distribution to helping out at an animal shelter, tutoring, and much more. It connects you with people and experiences you might never have encountered otherwise, while also strengthening your local community and, above all, making a positive difference in others’ lives.

2) Get politically active — for example, by supporting environmental protection

Getting involved in politics can seem intimidating at first. However, it doesn’t mean that you have to speak at demonstrations or join a political party. There are many other ways you can get involved: local climate groups, petitions, citizens’ initiatives, and environmental organizations, to name a few. You’re sure to find inspiration in this Utopia article! Here, too, you’ll meet new people, discover new ideas, face new challenges, and have the opportunity to make a difference.

3) Plogging

If the two ideas I mentioned above seem like too big of a commitment, I’d like to introduce you to my favorite quirky sport: plogging. It’s a combination of picking up trash and jogging. Sounds silly, right? But it’s a lot of fun, especially when done in a group, and it offers a chance to do something good for the world and your body. Read this article to learn more.

4) Upcycling workshops, a vegetable garden, sewing classes, and more

Really, anything you can imagine. Learning something completely new is one of the best ways to push yourself out of your comfort zone—especially if you take a class, where you can strike up conversations with new people right away. Even better if you combine it with sustainable skills like upcycling, sewing, or starting your own vegetable garden.

 P.S.: By the way, do you know where it’s especially easy to step out of your comfort zone? On vacation. You’ll find plenty of inspiration right here on our blog—how about water sports, for example?

Any other ideas? Feel free to share them in the comments!