Sometimes I get tired of all the self-help books out there advising me to "just go for it" in one way or another. After a while they collectively start sounding like a lot of blah, blah blah that I've heard before.
But occasionally I read a book that really makes a difference, that actually helps me.
Jacqueline Wales' The Fearless Factor is an unusually powerful and useful book.
Although some of the information is familiar, of course, it's not the same old stuff mainly because the author infuses it with her own story. The authentic sharing of her own experiences (and that of other real women), her own terrors, struggles, and insights into how she broke through and and is creating the life of her dreams of is very powerful stuff.
The first sections of the book examine the nature of fear and our responses to it. Jacqueline gently, but firmly, guides the reader to a place where excuses and blame hold no sway. Then, she offers a wealth of concrete suggestions for slowly but surely learning to live with confidence and integrity while moving toward the life you truly desire.
I particularly enjoyed the quotes that are sprinkled throughout the book, a mix of the familiar and the new. And I also found the Fearless Meditations useful: for example, "I breathe in trust. I breathe out expansion of self."I also liked the Tales From the Trail pages at the end of each chapter.
Here real women talk about their experiences and struggles with the issues raised in the chapter. But most of all, I loved the straight talk and practical advice this book offers.
Reading The Fearless Factor has another bonus. You will learn a great deal about Jacqueline Wales, whose early life story is rather harrowing. You will learn how she pulled herself up from a very deep abyss and quite courageously fought past a slew of obstacles to emerge as the confident, successful woman she is now in her fifties.
I hope you will read this book, and I'd love to hear your thoughts and insights as you learn to live fearlessly.
NOTE: It is not currently available at Amazon, but you can find information about purchasing it and special offers at The Fearless Factor.
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