NottsLit review of Out of Your Comfort Zone by Emma Mardlin
Nottingham resident Emma Mardlin is a clinical therapist and
a founding partner in West Bridgford’s The Pinnacle Practice. Dr Mardlin specialises
in improving the lives of those plagued by intense fears, phobias, life limitations,
and anxiety. Two years ago, I read her first book, Mind Body Diabetes. I was impressed with how different techniques –
psychological, physical, emotional, exercise, diet – were combined with
traditional and radical theories to help improve or reverse diabetes. With her
latest publication, Out of Your Comfort
Zone, the author turns her attention to fear.
The book is about ‘breaking boundaries for a life beyond limits’, and shows how courage can triumph over fear. It begins with a 'zone' test
which aims to improve self-awareness and highlight what could be holding you
back. From here there is practical advice on how to build up resistance and ‘dare
to be different’. It’s about a changing mindset and it mixes well known ideas
(do something every day that scares you) with new theories. These are set on a
hook of seven principles which focus on the mind, establishing a greater awareness
of the role our internal reality plays on our experiences. We may be born with
only two fears (falling and loud noises) but those are soon joined by many
more. In Out of Your Comfort Zone, Dr Mardlin
examines how we might reassess expectations, to change how we feel fear.
Different types of fears are described with a look at how
they affect the brain and body. There are certain fears that the book seems
particularly suitable for tacking, such as the fear of change, fear of the
unknown and fear of failure. There's some dietary advice but most the of the focus is on our adopting of resilience-building, anxiety-busting techniques. These hang on the fact that it is the mind that determines if things are experienced as
scary or exciting. Perhaps Ronan Keating was right, ‘life is a rollercoaster’, and it’s up to use
to decide if it’s a frightening or fun one. With this step-by-step guide, Dr Mardlin
helps us make that choice.
After all those fears, limitations and 'hold backs' have been
revealed (and released), the book takes the reader on a journey of
self-discovery to explore and align with their 'deep core blue print', everything
they really want from life, how they want to live it and the kind
of person they aspire to be.
The book's finale involves an exploration of the fascinating quantum world. At this stage Dr Mardlin recommends that the zone test is retaken, to see the progression that's been made, and if there are any areas that might need revisiting.
The book's finale involves an exploration of the fascinating quantum world. At this stage Dr Mardlin recommends that the zone test is retaken, to see the progression that's been made, and if there are any areas that might need revisiting.
The book also includes some interesting case studies of
Dr Mardlin's practice clients who have made those small changes to step outside
their comfort zone - despite harrowing challenges such as being sectioned for
anxiety - and now live a fruitful life medication free.
You can take the zone test for free, to see your current
comfort zone personality. You'll receive your results automatically, safely and
confidentially (online) at www.outofyourcomfortzone.uk
