Question: do you feel like you push yourself out of your comfort zone on a pretty regular basis? No, seriously! One of the most rewarding things we can do in life is stretch and expand the boundaries we live within. When we do, we’re rewarded with super amazing things, like exponential personal growth, thriving relationships, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, and more.
We’ve talked about rituals a lot before - how powerful they can be for creating shifts in your life that are important to your spiritual development and development as, well, a human in general. The power of rituals comes in their sacred steps that build on each other and culminate to create a climax that is designed to change your life.
Rituals for getting yourself out of your comfort zone are no different than the rituals we’ve shared with you before: take what you resonate with, and leave the rest. If you’re brand new to incorporating rituals into your practice, choose one of the more basic ones that requires less items and really dig into it. Practice it several times and allow its power to soak into your life before moving onto a more complicated one with more items. If you’re experienced working with rituals - we see you! Grab instructions for one of the more complex ones!
Either way, gather your supplies and get ready to push those boundaries, because as they say: a ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are made for.
The Spark Ritual. This ritual is a powerful beginner’s ritual that sparks the courage to expand beyond your comfort zone and push for more in your life. Ready to ask for that promotion? Have a date coming up and some nerves to go with it? This ritual is perfect for you!
- You will need:
- a candle (preferably black)
- a crystal (Tiger’s Eye is perfect for this ritual)
- Step 1: Sit in a quiet place with your items in front of you, light your candle, and close your eyes.
- Step 2: Take three deep breaths, focusing on grounding yourself.
- Step 3: Place your Tiger’s Eye, a stone of inner strength and courage, in your right hand and visualize a sparkler in your mind’s eye.
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Step 4: Recite the following words:I recognize the courage deep within me,Burning like a spark,
Ready for my heart and soul
To follow the path that is marked. - Step 5: Breathe and hold the sparkler in your vision, drawing in emotions of courage, strength, and bravery. Blow out your candle and carry your Tiger’s Eye with you to keep its energy surrounding you.
Boundary Expansion Ritual. Ready to push the envelope? We’ve got just the thing for you - the Boundary Expansion Ritual! This ritual requires a few more items than the last but should mostly be things you have around your home, making it fairly simple and easy to implement.
- You will need:
- Thyme, fresh or dried
- 3 candles, any color
- Lavender oil
- a crystal, preferably Rose Quartz
- Step 1: Place the three candles in a triangle shape and place your crystal in the middle of them.
- Step 2: Carefully anoint the candles with the lavender oil and light them.
- Step 3: Place your thyme (fresh or dried) around the base of the candles.
- Step 4: Drop some lavender oil on each of your wrists and get into a meditation position with your hands palms up, resting on your knees. Close your eyes.
- Step 5: Close your eyes and think about pushing your boundaries outside of your comfort zone - allow the very first thing that comes to mind to linger. A difficult hike you’ve always wanted to try, a conversation you’d like to have with your partner, volunteering at a food bank. Let whatever surfaces linger and visualize yourself doing it.
- Step 6: Spend as much time in this quiet place as feels right to you, breathing deep and creating a detailed visualization.
- Step 7: Open your eyes, hold your hands in the warmth over the flames, and recite the following:
My comfort zone is not where I live.
Stepping beyond, I expand my wildest dreams.
I live fulfilled by the brave steps I take.
I am courageous.
I am loved.
I am bold. - Step 8: Allow the candles to safely burn out on their own.
The Ladder Ritual. The Ladder Ritual is a longstanding ritual used to draw yourself closer and closer to your goals, whether they include pushing your boundaries to finally start that business you’ve been dreaming about or crossing your comfort zone threshold to put a budget into place when you’ve always been afraid to look at money.
The Ladder Ritual is an ongoing ritual that you continue for a long period of time, so if you choose to begin this ritual, be aware that it requires more commitment than the others, but the return is extremely powerful!
- You will need:
- a rope or piece of thick string, a piece of string works well if you plan to perform this ritual for 2 weeks or longer
- a white candle
- Step 1: Light your candle with your goal in mind, allowing yourself to feel the emotions that come up when you imagine yourself in the presence with your goal already complete.
- Step 2: When you feel like you’re in the energy of your goal, tie a knot at the very bottom of your string.
- Step 3: This knot represents the first rung of your ladder bringing you closer and closer to your goals.
- Step 4: Blow out your candle and immediately do one single thing, a small step, toward your goal. This can be looking to see if the domain name for your business is available, creating a spreadsheet you will eventually turn into a budget, or anything else that brings you “one rung” closer to your goal.
- Step 5: Come back to your candle and rope or string and tie a new knot/rung on your ladder each day or night for a set amount of time, many people choose either two or four weeks.
*Note: A four week run of the Ladder Ritual is extra powerful if you’re able to start it on a new moon and continue it throughout the lunar cycle!
Which one of these rituals speaks to you to help gently guide you out of your comfort zone and into a place of pushing boundaries and making changes? Life is about being brave and adventurous, being able to look back and say, I’m glad I did that, instead of, I wish I’d done that. So choose your ritual and use it to harness the power you need to bravely step out of your circle - you never know what you’ll find! Share your journey with us at @SmudgeWellness, we’re supporting you!
