Feel the Fear

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway

by Susan Jeffers, PhD, 1987

Just finished reviewing this book again, and the concepts she describes never go out of date. Jeffers initial premise is that lack of TRUST in MYSELF stops me from getting what I want. Knowing that is empowering, because then I can choose to KNOW that whatever happens, I can handle it! This allows me to take risks to move my life forward in powerful and unexpected ways.

Much of the trick of moving from PAIN to POWER is taking ACTION. When I challenge myself to move beyond my comfort zone and call the person who intimidates me, or I ask for something I've been afraid to ask for, I am on my way. Jeffers urges us to take a risk every day, something that will expand our comfort zone, even to the extent that we visualize ourselves doing it as we plan for it. Each risk we take builds self-worth and expands our comfort zone.

As we move across the continuum into a more powerful place, as we refuse to let life victimize us, we must also take RESPONSIBILITY for our reactions to what happens to us. Blame must leave our consciousness, blame of others and ourselves. We must be aware that we always have CHOICES in every situation, and none of them are right or wrong. From every choice we can learn despite the outcome.

The author urges us to live always from a position of ABUNDANCE. One way to do that is to focus on giving to others as much as we can. For example, we need to keep a journal of all we have to be grateful for. Acknowledge the people in our lives by calling them to tell them we are thinking of them. Over and over again, she urges us to write to the people in our lives to let them know how much they have contributed to us (http://www.mlmquicknotes.com/). We will find our resentments and frustrations diminish, and our GRATITUDE increase as we give others the praise and acknowledgement all of us crave.

The bottom line is that we can say YES to the universe, and give from a place of love, rather than of expectation. More will come back to us than we can ever imagine.