March 3rd 2020. It feels like there’s a lot of talk around ‘comfort zones’ at the moment, not least why we need to escape them once in a while.  

Over the years in our world of adventure travel there was a lot of discussion around the idea of comfort zones and danger. A motivating factor for many adventure seekers we worked with between 2013 and 2017 was about adventure travel as an opportunity to face risk and danger. It really was the primary motivation for a lot of people looking to get out of their comfort zones!

But fast forward to the last couple of years and attitudes are changing particularly as conversations evolve on ideas around time spent in nature and positive mental health.

Indeed, according to James Levelle who we interview in this blog it’s the comfort zones themselves that are dangerous!

For many of our adventure seekers these days the link between adventure and wellness is real. Their search is on for experiences that will satisfy intrinsic needs that daily life might be failing to fulfil or because they’re looking to super-charge the positive benefits they feel when they meet them. 

These intrinsic needs include things like awareness of self, sense of control, self-efficacy, skill development, career status, friendship. They of course also include challenge & risk taking.

But it seems it’s not just our experience that supports this shift from seeking danger to personal growth.

Studies on what motivates people planning to engage in adventure trips include the opportunity to have a “life-changing experience” and enjoy “personal growth and challenge” as well as getting “back to nature”.

Travellers are seeking a sense of “accomplishment and achievement” and a feeling “gratitude and mindfulness.”

In short, they’re looking for transformation and expanded horizons. The face of adventure is less defined by danger it seems. 

And so what does this mean when we talk about comfort zones? 

We caught up with three amazing friends from our community who share a common love of the ocean to ask them how pushing their own comfort zones has shaped their lives.

James Levelle – “He’s a nice bloke…however he is mad.” The Times once reported of him so we thought he’d have a thing or two to say about comfort zones. 

James is an adventurer and award winning filmmaker who’s crazy for stories that explore how amazing the natural world is… and how amazing we humans can be too.

In 2019 James undertook a 7000 mile odyssey across Europe, the Atlantic Ocean and South America.

The challenge?

​Travel across two continents and one ocean… fossil fuel free.

The purpose?

Get a grip on climate change – its impact now, what the future holds & what we can do about it. He documented the dreams and demands of young people he meets along the way and made their voices heard at the People’s Climate Conference in Chile.

Another World Adventures helped James solve the challenge of getting across the Atlantic Ocean without flying by  arranging for him and his team to join a 100+ year old tall ship to sail. 

We caught up with James and asked him to describe “comfort zones” in one word.

He said “Dangerous”.

“Comfort zones are dangerous because you’re not trying new things, you’re not learning, so you’re not growing which means that you’re not moving forward in your life. If you want to break out of that rut you need to enter uncharted territory which is exciting but also scary because it’s full of risk and uncertainty.

Now that uncharted territory can be mental, it can be emotional and it can be physical, however, if you want the whole scha-bang in one punchy package, try sailing across an ocean!

You’ll definitely learn new skills but what’s even more valuable, thousands of miles from land and totally disconnected from the noise and distraction of modern life you’ll learn about yourself.” James Levelle

Tori Howse is the co-founder of Another World Adventures and has clocked up many miles of exceptional experiences on her personal adventures.

We caught up with Tori and asked her to describe “comfort zones” in a few words.

Tori said “Comfort zones are … familiar, routine, low risk, easy, happy places…that can also be a bit boring :-)”

It’s said that getting out of your comfort zone can help you acquire new skills and find purpose. Have you experienced this? What happened?

“I took a big step out of my comfort zone when I decided to join a tall ship crossing the Atlantic Ocean back in 2011. I’d only done a bit of sailing and didn’t really know what to expect, but the prospect of spending a month at sea was equally exciting and scary and offered the chance to break away from the day to day and get a new perspective.

During that month on board the tall ship I struggled to get to grip with a ton of new skills from helming the ship to setting the sails and tying knots, I met people from all over the world, worked day and night shifts in all weathers, and (enjoyed??!) a much-needed digital detox – there is no wifi in the middle of the ocean! It was that perfect mix of challenging and exhilarating and at times slightly terrifying.

I proved to myself that I could learn new things and I explored a different, more adventurous side of myself.

My transatlantic crossing proved a transformative experience as on board I met my friend and future business partner Larissa Clark, with whom I went on to form Another World Adventures. I don’t think I would have had the confidence to start my own business without the lessons and experiences I got from leaping out of my comfort zone and into the Atlantic Ocean.” Tori Howse

Emily Penn is a skipper and ocean advocate dedicated to studying environmental challenges in the most remote parts of our planet. In October 2019 Emily’s organisation eXXpedition embarked on a two year global circumnavigation involving 300 amazing women to study and find solutions for the ocean plastic issue.

We asked Emily to describe ‘comfort zones’ in a few words. She said … “made to be escaped from!”

“When instead of taking a job as an architect (what I had trained for) I detoured to a little island in Tonga, in the South Pacific.

I didn’t know anyone there, didn’t speak the language and the village didn’t even have a guest house – I was in my hammock on the beach! – but quickly got connected to my surroundings and started tackling the huge problem of plastic pollution… it was such a transformative experience that it changed my whole career!” Emily Penn

If you’re thinking about testing the boundaries of your comfort zone with a trip and would like some advice to help you on your journey get in touch, we’d love to help.

Image Credits: James Levelle, Emily Penn, eXXpedition, Nomad Nmeumonics, Emmanuel Lubezki