Feel the Fear…and Do It Anyway
“What if you knew you could handle anything that came your way, what would you possibly have to fear? The answer is: NOTHING!”
Isn’t that a profound, simple, truth? This is the key message of the classic self-help book, Feel the Fear… And Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers, a book worth reading.
Start with a list of what you’re afraid of. Snakes, skunks, or spiders? Illness for yourself or a loved one? Losing money in the stock market? Children making poor choices? Whatever you put on your list, consider adding this phrase to your fears: “I can handle….”.
I can handle snakes, skunks and spiders.
I can handle illness.
I can handle losing money in the stock market.
I can handle children making poor choices.
I can handle whatever comes in my life…
As you write the new sentences, you may feel a little shaky and ask yourself, “Can I really handle anything?” And the answer is a resounding, “YES!” because you’ve already handled many difficult situations in your past and inside you is a strength that you can rely on for future challenges. You may just need a little help in believing in yourself.
Jeffers’ book is filled with exercises to build confidence that you can handle anything. You don’t have to read the book straight through, but rather pick the chapters that appeal to you as she writes about different situations where our fears arise. Always read with a pen in hand so you can personalize the book with your thoughts and experiences. This is a kind of reference book that you come back to often when you need a boost of confidence.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
“Not only am I going to experience fear whenever I’m on unfamiliar territory, but so is everyone else.”
“The knowledge that you can handle anything that comes your way is the key to allowing yourself to take healthy, life-affirming risks.”
“Security is not having things, it’s handling things.”
Summary
I remember seeing this question on a paperweight many years ago: What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail? My first thought was that I would write a book, but I was too afraid of taking that risk and instead spent my time on a very busy career. Well, I’m ready to write that book because of the lessons in courage I’ve learned this past year – many of which are outlined in the book. Furthermore, that courage has reinforced my belief that I can handle anything that comes my way.
A quote that I have posted on my desk is by Harry Browne: When you know that you’re capable of dealing with whatever comes, you have the only security the world has to offer. Building your courage muscle, strengthening your belief in yourself, honing skills to handle anything – these are crucial life skills right now that will help us “handle” all the challenges around us. This book is a great resource to help you do this important work – it’s the kind of book I’m going to write!