Celeste Fernandez Of Mindfull Presence On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone to Grow Both Personally and Professionally
An Interview With Maria Angelova
Get clarity on which of those uncomfortable things are important for your goals.
It feels most comfortable to stick with what we are familiar with. But anyone who has achieved great success will tell you that true growth comes from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. What are some ways that influential people have pushed themselves out of their comfort zone to grow both personally and professionally? As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Celeste Fernandez.
Celeste Fernandez is a trained Insight Life Coach and certified Grief Recovery Method Specialist. As the Founder of Mindfull Presence, a safe space for driven individuals, she focuses on guiding her clients to feel more connected to the world and find their life’s passion with confidence by eliminating the chains of trauma and grief. She combines learned skills of empathy, understanding, and communication to help others grow to their fullest potential through her signature process.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
As the oldest of 3 kids with immigrant parents, I was taught from 4 years old that I would be my siblings’ second parent. I was expected to set an example for my siblings, look after & protect them, make sure they were eating at meal times, cleaning up after them, etc. At four years old, that’s a lot to take in, especially knowing that you’re going to be a “kid” for less than a year from that point on.
From that young age, I learned that I couldn’t just be like other kids. I had to act the way I thought adults should act — to set good examples for my siblings. I was definitely out of my comfort zone when I learned how to cook, clean, and help my siblings with their homework. Regardless, I wouldn’t change any of that for the world. I learned to rely on myself and to figure things out first before asking for help. I became independent and felt like I matured in some ways faster than most kids my age.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
The biggest life lesson quote that I would say impacted the most is, “Don’t fall in love, Darling. RISE in love.” I resonated with that so much because I felt so alone in almost every aspect of my life. Every time I was around family or made any friends, I did what I thought they wanted me to do to feel less alone. I was traveling or spending time and money to make them feel better and continue to “accept” me.
When I first heard the quote, I realized that I really was falling. I fell over every part of myself to help these individuals grow while putting myself down. When I realized that I could RISE in love instead, it opened my eyes. I realized I could grow in each relationship I had and at the same time, grow as a person individually even if it felt uncomfortable to do so in the first place.
Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
I remember moving across the country to start a new life. I was driving around, completely feeling lost (in both the literal and metaphorical sense) and I decided to take a breath. I pulled into a gas station and decided to check my social media account. I saw a notification of a new podcast called Just a Tip podcast by Megan Batoon. I thought, “I already feel empty, what else is there for me to lose?”
I tuned in and immediately felt like I wasn’t alone. That feeling of relating to someone who is in a completely different world from the one you live in, whether that be geographically or mentally, made a huge difference to my mental state. I was not alone. And if that person found themselves growing and stretching in ways that were uncomfortable but positive the same as I was, then that light at the end of the tunnel that everyone talks about, that’s not so hard to reach anymore.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition so that all of us are on the same page. What does “getting outside of your comfort zone” mean?
Getting outside of your comfort zone means to step out of the boundaries of what we find familiar and comfortable. Getting outside of your comfort zone may make you feel uncomfortable or anxious because you are pushing yourself to grow and learn new skills. This can ultimately lead to personal development and self-improvement. A few examples of getting outside of your comfort zone include taking on a new task or responsibility at work, trying out a new hobby, or even facing your fears.
Can you help articulate a few reasons why it is important to get out of your comfort zone?
We take the necessary steps to get out of our comfort zone in order to grow, learn, and develop ourselves further. When we choose to stay in our comfort zone, we limit ourselves to what we already know and what we are comfortable with. This prevents us from reaching our full potential and exploring new opportunities.
By getting out of our comfort zone, we start to overcome our fears and begin to develop confidence. As we push ourselves past the discomfort and anxiety, we build our resilience and a sense of accomplishment. This in turn grows our confidence and self-esteem.
On top of all of that, we develop new skills and knowledge that can be valuable in both our personal and professional life. By challenging ourselves and trying new things, we expand our horizons and create a broader perspective. This in turn enhances our problem solving skills and our creativity.
In a nutshell, we create an empowering catalyst for personal growth and achievement for better success and life fulfillment.
Is it possible to grow without leaving your comfort zone? Can you explain what you mean?
I wouldn’t say that it is impossible to grow without leaving our comfort zone, but it is very limited. Growth is better achieved through new and different experiences. That can include experiences that are comfortable, but the growth potential may not be as great as when you step outside of your comfort zone.
When you choose to remain within your comfort zone, you end up limiting yourself to what you already know and are comfortable with. You can improve upon those skills and experiences, but eventually you hit a plateau. When you step out of your comfort zone, you expose yourself to significant growth and development.
Can you share some anecdotes from your personal experience? Can you share a story about a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone and how it helped you grow? How does it feel to take those first difficult steps?
A few years ago, I was tired of my job in hospitality. The money was decent, but I felt like I was living a life of rinse and repeat. So I decided to try something new. I ended up getting a job in sales without any experience.
The first day of training, we were brought out to meet a few clients and observed how conversations were made, body language was conducted, and then how to speak to a large audience. I was shaking with nerves. I’m a very introverted person and always felt so nervous speaking in front of more than 3 people at a time.
When the third day of training came, our mentor turned to my colleague and me then said, “You guys ready to try this out?” I automatically thought, ‘I’m not ready for this!’ I looked at my colleague and saw the same thought show up on his face. I gave myself a deep breath and said to myself, ‘You have to do this anyway, why prolong the inevitable?’
I looked at our mentor and said, “I can start the conversation, but don’t feel ready to completely lead it. Will that be enough for now?” That day, even with my heart pounding and my palms sweating, I did something I had never done before and spoke to multiple clients about our services. Then spoke to an audience of over 20 people without being told that I would be doing so.
Today, I look back on those experiences and remember that, if I hadn’t done those things, I wouldn’t be able to hold myself in an intentional conversation the way I do now. I have learned to become more adaptable in different situations and to still hold myself with confidence even if I don’t feel ready to do so. I still feel the shakiness, the unease, and the anxiety. My heart still pounds and my hands still sweat when I know I’m about to do something I’ve never done before. Now I take it as, these are the signs I’m about to learn something new!
Remember: there is no such thing as failure, only feedback.
Here is the central question of our discussion. What are your “five ways to push past your comfort zone, to grow both personally and professionally”?
- Know where you are comfortable and where you aren’t.
Being aware of your comfort zone helps you identify where you might need to challenge yourself to grow and develop new skills and experiences. This awareness allows you to prioritize your time and energy on activities that align with your values and bring you closer to your goals.
Going back to my story, I knew I was comfortable with keeping to myself and never having to speak in front of a crowd. Being aware of that, I knew that if I wanted to break away from the monotony of working jobs that were unfulfilling, I knew I needed to find the confidence within myself to speak intentionally and hold myself with grace.
- Understand why certain things make you uncomfortable.
Understanding the why behind the situations that make you uncomfortable help you identify and address the true causes of your discomfort. When we understand why, we gain insight into our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. That way, we can develop ways to manage them and ultimately lead a more fulfilling and authentic life.
A great example of this is if you find yourself anxious when working with a particular person, you can try to identify the source of the anxiety. If you don’t investigate the underlying reasons for your anxiety, you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed and your work or tasks could suffer as a result. Once you identify the issue, you can work towards resolving it, either by better communication, seeking mediation, or developing strategies to manage your anxiety or discomfort.
- Get clarity on which of those uncomfortable things are important for your goals.
Being able to get clarity helps you prioritize your efforts and resources towards achieving what matters most to you. Not all uncomfortable situations are equally important or relevant to your growth and goals, so by pinpointing which ones are, you can focus your attention and energy on the things that will have the most significant impact on you.
For example, if networking events are crucial for you and your business, you can work on improving your networking skills or you can seek out opportunities to practice networking in a safe and supportive environment. You avoid wasting time and energy on things that won’t contribute to your success. This way, you stay motivated and make progress towards your goals more efficiently.
- Understand why you need to do the things that make you uncomfortable.
By gaining insight into the reasons behind the need to engage in uncomfortable activities, you can find the motivation to persevere through the discomfort and remain focused on the long-term benefits. This can help you maintain a high level of communément towards achieving your goals and foster a growth mindset. By doing so, you enable yourself to approach challenges with greater self-confidence and resilience.
For instance, consider weight loss as an example. The discomfort and challenge of exercising and eating a healthy diet to achieve this goal can be overwhelming. However, if you understand the reasons behind these behaviors, such as reducing your risk for chronic diseases or improving your energy levels, it can help you stay dedicated to making these changes.
- Put it into action.
Putting your understanding into action is critical to achieve real growth and change towards your goals. You allow yourself to test your assumptions, gain practical experience, and build momentum towards success.
If you understand the importance of networking, for example, but you never attend networking events or make an effort to connect with others, you’re unlikely to see any real benefits. However, if you understand the importance of networking and you begin attending events and building relationships, you begin to see the positive impact that networking can have on you and your work.
From your experience or perspective, what are some of the common barriers that keep someone from pushing out of their comfort zone?
From my personal experiences or observations, some of the most common barriers are the fear of failure and uncertainty. We often see failure as the end of the road of an experience or situation so that uncertainty prevents us from taking risks and trying new things. We often have to remember that failure is just feedback from that experience and we can always try again with different approaches or perspectives.
Sometimes we lack confidence in ourselves or lack the support we need in order to push ourselves out of our comfort zone. When we don’t believe in ourselves, or doubt our abilities, it becomes difficult to take on new challenges. When we lack the support we need, we feel alone or isolated in our efforts to try anything new.
There is a well-known quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt that says, “Do something that scares you every day”. What exactly does this mean to you? Is there inherent value in doing something that pushes you out of your comfort zone, even if it does not relate to personal or professional growth? For example, if one is uncomfortable about walking alone at night should they purposely push themselves to do it often for the sake of going beyond their comfort zone? Can you please explain what you mean?
This is such a beautiful quote. To me, it means that when we step out of our comfort zone, we can learn, grow, and experience new and exciting situations in life that help better ourselves. It’s a reminder to encourage ourselves to face our fears and overcome them.
There can definitely be inherent value in doing something that pushes us out of our comfort zone even if it doesn’t relate to our growth. We build our resilience, adaptability, and our courage which could all be beneficial to different aspects of our lives.
The example of walking alone at night should be considered, however. It depends on the situation and the environment. Making smart decisions is still much more important than pushing yourself to do something for the sake of stepping out of your comfort zone. In this instance, physical safety might be the sacrifice you’re making to step out of your comfort zone. Your physical safety should always be more important than making risky decisions of stepping out of your comfort zone.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
If I had the power to bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, it would be helping people become better communicators. I’ve observed that the reason why there are so many misunderstandings is, violence, and loss of trust in the world is because the majority of us lack the skills to communicate how we feel or what we think and end up lashing out through physical means.
Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!
I would love to have lunch with either Emma Watson or Simon Sinek.
Having lunch with Emma Watson would be an honor because of her accomplishments as an actress, activist, and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. She used her platform to advocate for gender equality, education, and sustainability. She’s so incredibly brilliant. Being able to converse with an amazing role model who is also so articulate would be beyond enlightening.
It would also be such an honor to lunch with Simon Sinek. He is an incredible inspiration for helping people such as myself find my motivation and purpose. I’ve long looked up to him for his expertise in leadership and motivation. I’ve grown so much because of his books and his speeches.
How can our readers follow you online?
Readers can find me on my website Mindfull Presence and social media pages: Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook.
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.
Celeste Fernandez Of Mindfull Presence On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone to Grow Both… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.