Over the summer, I worked at the public library in my town. During work one day, I turned to my coworker and asked her if she had been reading anything good lately as an idle attempt at small talk. When she first introduced Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway to me, I wan’t impressed. The words “non-fiction” passed through her lips and I had to try not to shudder. I’ve always been one to shy away from non-fiction, preferring action-packed YA dystopian romance novels to a lecture on nature or history. However, as she started to describe the book to me, my initial opinion of it shifted. She told me that the book was “eye-opening,” and she credited it to changing her life philosophy and making her think that happiness is very attainable. The title itself was gripping and also sums up one of the author’s main points. Life isn’t about avoiding fear, it’s about learning how to turn your fear into empowerment.
Even after hearing such an endorsing review of the book, I was a little skeptical. Like I said before, I don’t read many non-fiction books, and I felt dreadfully out of my comfort zone. What pushed me to read it was the ongoing conversation that I was having (and continue to have) with my best friend about what kind of people we are and how we should live our lives. I had never really thought much about my outlook on life and how I dealt with certain situations before talking about this with him. I determined that reading Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway would be the perfect opportunity to reflect on my frame of mind and to learn strategies for self-improvement.
Photo from Amazon.
I was so inspired that I checked the book out of the library that day and started reading it. Almost immediately, I was impressed by the honest way in which Jeffers discussed her life. We don’t often openly talk about our fears, indecision, and anger, but these are things which Jeffers refuses to ignore. Her outlook is one of insistent positivity. She roots her argument in the fact that there are no right or wrong decisions in life, only decisions that will lead you in different directions. She repeats the mantra, “I’ll handle it!” as a response to any situation in which you doubt your ability to succeed. Jeffers asserts that the only way to become a more powerful version of yourself is to throw out negativity and instead embrace an optimistic attitude.
Jeffers’s strategies for being your best self are essential to creating a more meaningful life for yourself. Everyone has difficult times in their life. By learning how to deal with our personal struggles, we can create happier lives for ourselves. Jeffers’s course of action for conquering fear requires courage, but if we have this courage, we can become more creative, liberated and positive people.
Susan Jeffers’s bestselling book, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, was originally published in 1987, but its relevance and popularity has not diminished. As someone who read this book for the first time just this past summer, I can personally attest to the fact that this book will completely revolutionize your outlook on life and make you feel better and like a more optimistic version of yourself.
Interested in reading Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway? You can get your copy on Amazon today!