Staying in a comfort zone that we’ve outgrown allows for the comfort of safety (aka knowing what to expect), but it doesn’t allow room for further growth and expansion. We eventually reach a point when our comfort zone keeps us stagnant. It begins to feel limiting and restricting. The inauthenticity of living there seeps into our being and it starts to drain us rather than support us. It starts to feel tired and monotonous like we are stunting our growth and momentum in the world. It no longer brings us a sense of comfort.
We will know when we have outgrown our comfort zone because our desire to wander out of our current zone becomes our focal point. As we outgrow old ways of being, behaviors, and mindsets, we naturally outgrow our comfort zone too. A strong indication that we have outgrown our zone is that it will start to feel inauthentic to who and where we are now. It will feel like we are blocking ourselves from moving in the direction of our desired destination. We will know when it’s time to venture out of our comfort zone because our perspective shifts from that of comfort and safety to that of exploration.
The beauty of comfort zones is that they provide a safe space for us to grow into who we are becoming, yet we will continuously outgrow them. It gifts us with the gentleness we need to grow at our own pace and in our timing. Our comfort zones serve as a sort of incubator that nourishes us while we flourish into our next state of being, our next stage of growth, our next full potential.
Astrologically, this is what Cancer season gifts us. Cancer is symbolized by the crab. And like a crab, we eventually outgrow our shell. The shell represents our comfort zone. A temporary home for us to grow and expand. We are nourished there and in the care, tenderness and security of that nourishing home, we grow. And through that nourishment, we gain strength and become equipped to navigate the environment around us. Once we outgrow the protection of that shell, we step outside of it and make our way to a bigger shell. One that’s supportive of where we are going and who we are in this moment, which leads us to the next season and journey we’re about to embark on, Leo season
Leo season is about stepping out on the stage and sharing our gifts, our creative self-expression, and light. And it’s in the comfort of our inner home/shell/zone, Cancer season, that we find the courage to step into this next stage of life and express ourselves from this new and authentic space where we lead with courage, heart, and purpose like Leo.