Expand Your Bubble
1.5 min
Expand Your Bubble
Broaden your social interactions beyond your usual circles.
As we get older, our networks tend to get smaller due to life changes, moves, and more. All of this is compounded by the fact that it’s comfortable to stick with what we know. The problem with this is exactly that: being comfortable can limit our perspectives and close us off to opportunities.Scientifically speaking, pushing out of your comfort zone primes your brain for learning and adaptation (while staying in place tends to have the opposite effect). An experiment conducted by Massi, Donahue, and Lee backs this up.Today, we’re going to talk about expanding your bubble (even when you may not want to).Leaving Your Comfort ZoneExpanding your bubble isn’t necessarily about making lasting connections, though it can be. The goal here is to disrupt your routine, break out of your shell, and challenge yourself to meet someone new.
- Identify somewhere you can expand your bubble outside of your usual social circle. Whether it’s attending a new group or meetup tailored to a specific interest, or making an effort to gather with friends of friends who you don’t know that well, think of one gap you can fill in your social needs.
- Once you’ve identified an opportunity, the biggest step is showing up. This can be anxiety-inducing for some of us—consider bringing a friend if you’re nervous to try out a new group alone. Remember to be yourself when interacting with new groups or communities.
- Try to repeat this practice with at least five different groups or communities, and observe if you get more comfortable over time.
- If any communities do speak to you, try to stay engaged with them. Even though this exercise is about stepping in to your confidence, it’s meaningful when you find a group that you click with.
- Reflect on your connections and experience through a journaling practice. Journaling is an incredible way to capture your feelings in the moment and preserve them to look back on.