Last year, I did something courageous: I joined a pottery class. At first glance, it may sound silly—why would anyone fear pottery? Well, I did. As an overachieving, perfectionist, control-freak introvert, the thought of attending a group class to learn a skill I was bound to struggle with in the beginning was terrifying. And, yet, I did it. For years, I'd toyed with the idea but always found excuses to hold back. Finally, I made the leap—and I loved it. (You can read about exactly why in my earlier piece.)

That's why when it came time to choose my word for 2025, I knew it had to be courage. It had led to so many wonderful things for me last year, and I wanted to keep that momentum going. But, of course, courage is not always easy. Fear often sneaks in, threatening to paralyze us.

Fear has a way of taking the reins, steering us toward pain, helplessness, and stagnation. On the other hand, courage opens doors to power, choice, excitement, and action—that's where we want to be! This doesn't mean that the fear disappears; rather, courage is the act of moving forward in spite of it. And the more you face your fears, the lighter, freer, and stronger you'll feel.

So, whatever it is that's holding you back, here are 10 tips to help you face fear with confidence:

References

Jeffers, S., 2007. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway. 20th Anniversary ed. London: Vermilion.

Russo-Netzer, P., & Cohen, G. L. (2022). ‘If you’re uncomfortable, go outside your comfort zone’: A novel behavioral ‘stretch’ intervention supports the well-being of unhappy people. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 18(3), 394–410. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2022.2036794

Woolley, K., & Fishbach, A. (2022). Motivating Personal Growth by Seeking Discomfort. Psychological Science, 33(4), 510–523. https://doi.org/10.1177/09567976211044685

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