Becoming a Better Self: Experiencing the 31 Day Comfort Zone Challenge

31 Day Comfort Zone Challenge is a weekly look at a project embarked upon by Shaanxi born illustrator Jacqueline Liu as a way to try new things, and to discover herself and her potential.

At the end of September, I set a challenge for myself to do one new thing each day and then write about the experience.

This small project was like a game: Each day, I'd commit to accomplishing one of many tasks including attempts to break out of my comfort zone, spiritual exploration, or even something I’d previously considered completely meaningless. The overarching theme, however, was “new,” and whatever new perspectives that emerged from the experience.

Now, with October quickly receding into the past, every single experience – long or short, difficult or simple – is still vivid in my mind. I have made a list of some of the things I tried each day to share with you, dear reader, in hopes you might want to try this exercise too.

Day 1: One-minute hug with my parents

As absurd as it might sound, my first "new thing to do" was to give both my parents a long hug. We are not a very touchy family, and we hardly ever communicate our emotions – at least not in a healthy way.

I've always felt uncomfortable with any physical connection between my parents and me, and yet I have no problem hugging a stranger with all my heart. I thought it was time to break that illusionary barrier. And if I was to have 31 days of new experiences, what better way to start than by hugging someone I've known my entire life, yet haven't authentically hugged in a long while.

Surprisingly, the hugs were not at all weird, forced, or uncomfortable. In fact, they turned out to be a warm, natural, and quiet experience.

Day 2: Calligraphy and the Scripture of Clarity and Tranquility

This was my first time trying calligraphy. It was also my first time reading the Scripture of Clarity and Tranquility (清静经 Qing Jing Jing), a Daoist text written between the 700s and 800s.

I found I’d often tense up when writing with a brush, either because I was holding my breath or crossing my legs. As soon as I realized it, I’d refocus my breathing and the tip of the brush while relaxing the body – not a very easy balance to find!

Nevertheless, my thoughts were focused on each character and each part of the character, nothing else. In the beginning, I considered turning on a podcast, but quickly realized I didn't need that, as any vocal sounds would distract from what I was doing.

Day 3: Meditating with my parents

It's hard to maintain a meditation or yoga routine when I'm at my parents' house, so I thought I might as well invite them to join me. Much to my surprise, they were rather cooperative. I found a guided meditation audio file in Chinese, turned it on, and the three of us meditated with our eyes closed.

Within three minutes, I heard my dad snoring, and he went on sleeping until the end of the session. He was able to sleep while sitting steadily for 20 minutes, which was quite something. This proved less pleasant for my mom, however, as she was trying really hard to hold back her laughter for the duration so that she wouldn’t disturb me.

Day 4: Writing down 30 things I love about myself

This one turned out to be not so easy! I got stuck at seven, then again at 12... When I got to the halfway point, I had no idea how I could possibly fill the other half of the paper.

What's more, finishing the whole list took almost an hour. It was a good hour, though – one filled with contemplation as I took a deep look at every aspect of myself, giving myself encouragement and love along the way.

I was proud to actually have written down 30 points. The process had made me more certain and clear about who I am and who I want to be, and what the roots and leaves on the tree of my life look like.

Day 5: HIIT and yoga practice outside

I was with a group of people on a big terrace, surrounded by mountains, trees, and fresh chilly air. Even though I’m not all that into hard-hitting exercises and sports, the HIIT workout allowed me to feel grounded in my own body as I often tend to drift away during other types of fitness routines.

During the yoga session, there was one posture that required us to stretch our arms. As I gazed up at the cloudy sky and mountains all around me, I began to feel incredibly small, insignificant, and enormously grateful for being able to experience life through a human body.

I suddenly understood what Sadhguru meant when he said yoga is “not about being superhuman, this is about realizing why being human is super.” That gratefulness followed me for the rest of the day.

Stay tuned for the rest of Jacqueline Liu's 31 day challenge recap in the coming weeks. Would you give something like this a try? Have you tried a challenge like this in the past? Let us know in the comments!

READ: Mind Right Stories: Lian's Homecoming Through Silent Yoga

Images: Jacqueline Liu