Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, by Susan Jeffers

One word summary for the book-  Jump! This book should come with a pair of sneakers. Susan’s a great cheerleader who’s simple and clear message exposes the truth –  Everyone secretly feels fear and we all have the same options – face them or let the paralyze us.  Susan points out you might as well just trust life and EITHER decision will provide a learning adventure.   I loved being reminded that ALL folks feel fear- even Hollywood’s famous and brightest stars.  It is because they learned to face their silent fears that many of them succeeded so well and now get paid the big bucks.  Saying “YES” to fear and decisions is just a part of everyone’s natural growth. The following are just a few ideas Susan gives for traction as we get ready to jump:

• Don’t worry about it – regardless of any outcome “you’ll handle it”, “it’s no big deal”.
• You only have different outcomes- as you make decisions and face a fear.  You have to trust where life wants to take you. Each decision is only setting you up for a different set up experiences and circumstances in your life – that’s all.
• When you take control of the negative “chatterbox” in your head, you regain power and control in your life.
• When you understand that your Higher Self is there to help you, you have no reason to doubt yourself, or worry about “right or wrong.”

Susan reminds us to stop thinking of life as a game that has predetermined “right choices’ that we need to make in order to be successful.  This personally hit close to home with me as I gave up a free college education to go thru life on a different path. Was it right or wrong, Yes. In other words, as Susan points out, the choices I made only gave me a different path, that’s all. No regrets and no mistakes, just a different fluidity with different lessons to learn, but it still made for a great interesting life. This book is an easy quick read and no one is needed in the room to discuss it at all.  In fact, it’s the kind you want to read and start living just to start surprising yourself and others around you. If you’r feeling afraid, backed in a corner, unsure of which direction to go, Susan’s easy to read style readily offers some light quick advise to help you move forward in your life to new experiences. I believe Susan may have been the motivation behind Van Halen’s song- “Jump!”