Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway (Paperback, 2006)

Feel the Fear…and Do It Anyway – Susan Jeffers

Fear holds many people back from the lives they want. Fear of change, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of making decisions and fear of being alone can keep us stuck in jobs, relationships and habits that no longer serve us. In Feel the Fear…and Do It Anyway, psychologist and author Susan Jeffers offers a practical and encouraging approach to moving forward in spite of fear.

Jeffers’s central insight is that fear will never go away as long as we continue to grow, because stepping into the unknown always feels uncomfortable. Instead of waiting for fear to disappear, she suggests that we accept it as a normal part of life and act anyway. At the root of most fears, she argues, is a single underlying fear: the belief that we will not be able to handle whatever happens. Building trust in our ability to handle life is therefore the key.

The book offers tools for changing negative self-talk into positive, empowering language, moving from a position of pain and helplessness to one of power and choice, making decisions without fearing a wrong choice, taking responsibility for our experiences without blaming ourselves, and learning to say yes to life. Jeffers also discusses how fear affects relationships and how to build a sense of purpose.

Written in a warm, accessible style with exercises and examples, Feel the Fear…and Do It Anyway has become a classic of self-help and has helped many readers find the courage to make changes.

It is a motivational guide and not a substitute for professional help for anxiety disorders.