I am not the world’s most confident person, far from it. When I was at school, I was really shy and would blush every time someone spoke to me. I hated presentations because it would mean all eyes were on me and my mouth would go dry. As I’ve grown older, I’ve mastered the art of not blushing when people speak to me BUT I still don’t really enjoy making presentations or being thrust into the spotlight. I’d love to feel more confident. At work and at home. So I borrowed Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway from my work pal Andrea.
Who Wrote It?
Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway is written by a lady called Susan Jeffers. Susan was one of the leading self-help authors in the world (well, according to her Amazon author profile at least) and she has written a couple of books about confidence. But I believe Feel The Fear was her first and best-selling.
Susan was American (sadly she died in 2012), so her books are written in that well-known exuberant American style. For a straight-laced Brit, it can be a bit cringe in parts, but stick with it, because the underlying message is a good one.
Who Is It For?
The book is billed for being for anyone who wants to overcome fear that they are experiencing. This could be something specific, like a fear of public speaking, or something more general.
I am afraid of a few things, notably needles and looking stupid. I tend to avoid the two. I would not recommend the book for a fear like my needle phobia, because that is waaaaayy too specific. But if you want help addressing a more general fear, then this is the book for you.
What Is Actually In There?
I read the book from cover to cover because I am a bit of a nerd like that, but is is written so that you can drop in and out if you’d prefer. Different chapters address slightly different approaches to letting go of fear, but the concepts build on each other, so I would recommend reading it through at least once to get an understanding of the basic principles.
The book itself talks you through what fear is, how it has an important role to play in our lives and then how you can harness it and make it work for you, rather than being its victim. Jeffers encourages you to take responsibility for your life and I found this section really empowering. Part of tackling your fear is understanding that it is a choice. And we have complete power over our choices.
“When you see yourself as your own worst enemy this is a blessing rather than depressing for it means that as you create your misery, you too create your own happiness.”
It is all within our control! And that thought is strangely liberating. I no longer feel at the whim of the universe or some other force. I am in control of my life and my destiny. Yup, destiny.
This is where it can get a little bit… I don’t know how you’d say it… out there? Regardless of whether you believe in some kind of higher deity or not, there is a theme running through the book that talks about everything happening just as it should be. Whether that is fate, God, Gaia or whoever.
But don’t let that put you off. The book is full of little tips and tricks to make you feel more confident. And that is the limit to where you take it if that’s all you want.
Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway!
“Take a risk a day. It expands your comfort zone and as you do, you become more powerful and empowered. You can’t ever go back either, you just keep getting better at doing that thing you were once afraid of.”
Would You Recommend It?
Yes, I would. I can see myself coming back to it time and again to read when I need a boost. It gave me some good, solid principles to remind myself of whenever I’m feeling a bit low and it has helped to tackle my indecision. Important in the run up to the wedding, I can tell you!
What Else Should I Read?
Next on my reading list are a couple of other Susan Jeffers books:
Have you read Feel The Fear or are you going to now? What did you think?
♥ JH
We sound so similar – I’m exactly the same! I definitely want to read this, must add it to my reading list! 🙂 xxx
Sarah / Sarah Smiles