We can’t grow if we always stay in our comfort zones. But most of us don’t move out into the unknown voluntarily. That’s why it’s good when we’re pushed out. Claire might still be in her old firm, which she later described to me as “deadly and debilitating,” and she might still be married to the same guy, whom she described as “small-minded and self-absorbed,” if the universe hadn’t had the good sense to pull the rug out from under her. Jolts like that are hard to take — insecurity is not what we were brought up to value or expect — yet they can come along at any moment. And our choices are to hunker down, wrap ourselves in what we already know, and wait for things to go back to the way they were, or step into the unknown with all flags flying, to grow, adapt, and flourish. It doesn’t have to be that hard. It can even be fun.

Of course, you may not be between jobs or marriages like Claire. But whatever little moments of insecurity life throws your way are opportunities to find joy in the unknown. At the end of this column are a couple of exercises Claire and I created to help her do just that. Start with the circle on the next page. Then, as a warm-up, create a list of experiences you’ve considered but never tried — and actually try them. After that, you’ll be in the right mind-set to take an even bigger leap and explore possibilities you hadn’t considered before. It’s OK if you’re feeling a little insecure, a little unsure of what’s next. This is exactly the right time to let go of the handrails and step into the unknown.

Here’s Claire’s warm-up list. See how it worked for her, then print out the PDF on page four to create your own. Use it now — or keep it for the next time you find yourself thrashing about in the “in between.”

Try new, exotic foods. Every week or two, go to a different restaurant that serves ethnic food or uses exotic ingredients that are foreign to you. Catch yourself when you’re about to say, “But I don’t like curry!” Try it anyway. Claire fell in love with Thai food and began using lemongrass in her own cooking.

Listen to new music. Buy some CDs or download music you’ve never heard or liked before, from Gregorian chants to salsa to rap. Claire took a class in African drumming with her daughter. At first she felt awkward, but her daughter encouraged her. They had a ball.

Try a new sport. The idea is not to win the triathlon but to put yourself out there, to feel the discomfort of learning something new — and to do it anyway. Claire bought a bike and joined a group of cyclists in her neighborhood (people she had never met before), and they now bike together every Saturday morning.

Develop a “student mentality.” Your objective is to learn. See yourself going from coveting security to embracing insecurity and thriving on adventure.

A friend said to Claire shortly after she had been fired, “You should start your own company.” Her response was “You’ve got to be joking. I’m so not an entrepreneur.” Today she has her own business, specializing in providing investment services and financial counseling to women in transition, and says she finds it “hugely rewarding.” She bikes to her office. She’s dating a man she met at a Thai take-out place. She describes him as “really funny, an absolute delight.” And, she says, he gets a huge kick out of her drumming.