Q09

What is a fear that you have and how has it limited you? How do you plan on letting it go or overcoming it in the coming year?

Fear of rejection. I deal with it a lot in my livelihood. It's stopping me from some forward movement. I don't have a thin skin but I am sensitive; have to work on not taking it personally.

fear of not being liked by people. I put that before my relationship and it has killed us. I am just not going to give a shit anymore.

I have more or less the same fear I had last year. I have a fear of rejection and of people not liking me, so I withdraw myself from the company of others. Very stupid, but very hard to let go of. I'm trying to become more outgoing, and hopefully having a job with gather a group of friends around me. I'm also very scared of not being able to pay my rent, but hopefully the job should alleviate some of that worry, too.

Fear of not having enough money to support my wife and myself. I need to realize that we have the capacity to sustain a lifestyle that allows us to be self sufficient and still manage to be with our peers and maintain our charitable intentions. So be it!

I made a commitment a long time ago not to let fear run my life any more. Now, if there is a fear I need to let go, I walk toward it relentlessly until it is gone. As a result, I can't think of a fear I need to let go that's still hanging around - because if I were aware of one, I'd be working on it already.

Fear of not being well accepted as the way Iam....So I keep trying to be someone that I'll never get there Trying not to depend on others people opinion

I am afraid of failing and being poor. It has kept me in chains afraid to take chances and in the safest of jobs. It has kept me from reaching my full potential of richness of life. I'm not sure what I can do to overcome this fear. I will keep trying.

Fear of change? Perhaps this has limited me from finding a new job. For awhile it was cutting my hair, but now I have taken that plunge and loved it and it feels more feasible to change other things. I would like to continue to push myself to make changes in my life even if it means facing some uncertainty and instability since it will allow me to grow.

I am so afraid of being abandoned. I'm very insecure about my family, friends, acquaintances, relationship... I suppose I need to find strength within?

Fear of not being good enough... especially when it comes to raising my children. Not knowing enough, doing enough, letting them watch too much TV, eat too much junk food, giving in to them too easily etc. I would like to make it easier to set myself up for success with this (and with other areas of life), and focus on the positive things I am doing for and with them.

Allowing life to fully flow through me - allowing space and then where that will take me? Meditate regularly and trust in the goodness and abundance...

I have a fear of not living up to what my or other people's expectations of me are. It can stop me from doing something, because I feel I won't do it well enough. I'm trying to let it go and realise that not everything has to be done perfectly, or that I have to match what other people are doing.

I fear college and the fact that my childhood will end and that everything I worked so hard for will come out to be good or bad.

I am often afraid of loosing control - fear that has paralyzed me way too much. I am afraid of going back to my cauntry. In 3 weeks I return and will face other fears, and start new challenges. I have learnt a lot in the past year about letting go of the fear and the need to contyrol everything. I will focus more on coping with one issue at the time instead of letting them build up and explote!!

By biggest fear is failure. Thereby inhibiting me from trying. At times I worry how I am may be perceived so much so that I lack faith in my ability. I plan to over this by joining different clubs, making myself meet at least one new person a day, saying at least a comment in each class.

I don't have any idea how to answer this question.

Standing up for myself. I let people walk all over me. Maybe some assertiveness training?

My lifelong fear that I will not figure out where to go and what to do next. I feel paralyzed all the time. I plan to remember I ALWAYS land on my feet. The Universe has always caught me when I've decided to jump or was forced to jump.

I get paralyzed by an irrational fear that I won't be able to do something, typically a hardware job, such as fixing the back steps. I become so paralyzed in fact that I start to think I am not good at anything and therefore I can't even start to try to do anything. Depression. Despair. I intend over the next year to break through this cycle and just give it a go, knowing that even if it doesn't work out I will come up with another solution somehow. Something will come to me. I just need to start.

I have a fear of getting into another relationship and getting hurt. It's limited me because I don't want to let anyone get too close to me. I stay away from building emotional relationships. Keeping them far away is safe. I plan to overcome this fear by keeping an open mind and letting love in slowly or cautiously. It's learning boundaries and not falling in love too quickly.

Fear of bigging big and living big!! Do it anyways!!!! I deserve it and I owe it to the world to show my beauty and joy so they can benefit!

Fear of failing and failing bad. I don't want to be told I didn't make the cut. I don't plan on letting go of it, but I plan on taking more jumps. Maybe next year there will be enough room to loose my hold.

I fear being a disappointment to my family and friends. Until recently this stopped me from following my dreams because my family had a different plan for me. I'm trying to stand up for myself and believe that I can make decisions for myself. Those that love me won't leave me or love me less for following my heart.

My biggest fear is of what people think of me. I am overweight and I fear that makes people see me differently, personally and professionally. I think I sometimes let it hold me back in my career and in making new friends.

I fear that I am not a good teacher and that my students are not progressing the way they could be if they had a different teacher

Running out of money. Not being able to care for my dogs. Losing my home. Let's not escalate further down that spiral of senseless negativity and doom. I will do my best to listen to my heart and work zealously at the endeavors that are right for me, and trust the universe to provide. And THAT is scary!

I have a fear of taking a chance on my dreams because I am afraid that if I persue my dream of going to school and doing something I love then I will not be able to feed my chidren. I will try to save up some money so that I can have my dream and still feed my kids. Aug. of 2012 I want to be enrolled full time in college.

I have a fear of stagnating. I need to reach out more to other people and ideas and do the things that intrigue me.

I fear not really caring enough. I tend to loose interest in important things - sometimes before they are completed.

I'm limited by wanted to take care of everyone, I get too involved in other peoples' projects and don't get to what's important to me. I'm always incredibly busy and don't really even take the time to brush my hair in the morning, let alone find out what's important.

I have too many anxieties about the future, particularly about work. I should have more self-belief. I use my imagination to fear the worst too often.

I have a fear for my health. It limits me in so many ways. I hate that. I work on it everyday and will continue to. Sometimes it works for me. My sister says I "create memories" all the time. This I know comes from my fear. Over the next year, I hope to only use this fear for positive changes

I was taught that loving others more than myself, and choosing others' needs before my own is the fiber of good character. I would like to continue to love others well, but this year, I would like to love myself equally. I have always been afraid of what would happen if I did this - and I think I'm ready to find out.

A fear of bugs has plagued me for as long as I can remember. I often do not open windows for fear that something will come through the screen, so I keep the air conditioning on in warm weather. Fresh air is better, I know. Remembering that my grandparents told me, "What are you afraid of? It's smaller than you are!" helps me when I feel panicked.

That I will be old and alone sooner that I want to be. That I will not have the fortitude and patience to do what I dream. In the coming year I hope to be able to trust in myself and the people around me--to seek out goodness--to follow my instincts and remain strong.

I have a huge fear of failure. This fear is linked to so many aspects of my life that I'm surprised I haven't just turned into a ball of anxiety. This fer of failure has stopped me from not only challenging myself academically, but pursuing some important activities to me, and even being social. The more I push myself the more I hope to come to the understanding that "failure" isn't the worst thing. Maybe even that not accomplishing a goal isn't necessarily a failure.

I fear disappointing or embarrassing my very conservative Pastor father and mother with my liberalism. I've started expressing my political and social views more openly in public and that has freed me up a bit, but I need to have a conversation with my parents about my feelings on the matter. I fear messing up our finances. I don't know what to do about that, other than put a lock on the money. It's hard to do b/c I feel like I "deserve" to get to spend what I earn. I need to re-evaluate that relationship. I fear that Jonah will be confused and hurt by the fact that he is adopted. I need to learn to accept that it may be true that he will be confused and hurt, but that I have to teach him so that he knows without a doubt that his family loves and cherishes him.

Secretly, I still fear being inconsequential. Perhaps in a year I'll worry less about what my role means and more about moving forward regardless of what others think.

I worry when physical changes don't happen as quickly as I'd like and then I give up. I really hope I can stay focused on long term goals and ask for help when I need it.

Tie between two fears: 1) letting go of clutter; 2) being proactive on Facebook. In both cases, what's missing is spontaneity! I don't seem to be able to just TAKE ACTION when it becomes instantly visible. Everything in my life has to be "just so" before I can even begin. Naturally, that means that I tend to procrastinate.... and unfortunately, I put some things off beyond the point to which they are even possible.

I am afraid of being left out and left alone. I am afraid I won't belong or be loved. I would like to let this go by accepting the little girl who feels so alone, and loving her, and others, well.

I am very fearful of one of my children or grandchildren getting hurt. It has made me over cautious when they are over playing. My daughters tell me I have to lighten up and accept the fact that accidents happen. I don't know if I can overcome that, but I know I have to try.

My fear at the moment is ending up childless, or ending up with child and alone. I am attempting to let go of this now and realise that there is no need to panic at agte 24 as there are many childbearing years in front of me!

Fear of being rejected by a partner because of being overweight and occasional lying, exaggerating. I have to realize that I'm enough as I am. My biggest fear is that I won't be able to climb out of debt and that working hard won't solve it. Fear that our business will fail and I will be responsible.

Whoa, um, there have been several of which I've recently become aware. I'll try to explain: I've been afraid of making "wrong" decisions, when it comes to major life stuff. I'm not afraid of taking risks. But I'm afraid of making commitments. I've hesitated in moving because I'm afraid of not liking the new place. I'm afraid of investing time into job-searching in any particular field because I'm afraid that whatever I find there really won't ultimately draw me, or satisfy me. This year though, I found a place that really felt like "home;" on the very first day that I was settling in there, something told me, "You are where you're supposed to be." I have no idea what the future has in store for me if I go there -- but I've decided I'm going to make it happen, relocate to that city, and give it a chance. Because what's most important is that I *know* from experience that I have been, and can be, happy there. So I'll enjoy that while it lasts. If it lasts a long time, great. If it lasts just for a year or so, that's still good, and I'll simply worry about seeking out the next great place whenever I realize it's time to move once again; if I give it a chance and spend any time living there at all, it will at least have made me happy for a little while. And as for job-searching, I'll keep searching, but it's okay if I don't know precisely what I want; I'll commit to a location, and I'll continue exploring careers in that location. Sometimes, when you don't yet feel like you have the clarity you desire, its okay to choose *one* goal to commit to. You can let the energy of that pursuit carry you while you remain open to broader possibilities in other areas of your life. For instance, if you know where you want to live but not what you want to do, then go live where you want to live, and you'll figure out what makes you happy while you're there. Alternatively, if you know what you want to do but not where you want to be, just pursue that career, and let it take you where it will; when you find the perfect place, you'll feel it. Don't fret over not having all the answers; just run with the answers you already have. Remain actively committed to your own life, honor the dreams you discover along the way, and eventually, everything will fall into place. I've also been afraid of writing. I write raw, authentic memoir. Since everybody's life has involved some pain and mine has been no exception, I've been worried about what will happen if I allow myself to write openly about the painful experiences that have allowed me to grow and how I have been able to arrive at a happier place. But I've realized that speaking my truth and helping other people to understand their own hearts is infinitely more important than my fears. I have no intentions of harming anyone with my writing -- so I'll just write. I can look back over it later and revise what needs to be revised, but I won't let my fears stifle my willingness to share my story. You can't be so afraid of the outcome that you never even begin. So, to the extent that I can do my journey justice, I begin. I've also been afraid of allowing myself to love, romantically. I guess, because my past relationships didn't have happy endings, I've blamed myself for this, criticized myself by saying that I have bad judgment in love. But no. I will never again tell myself that I'm stupid for loving anyone. I've learned and grown so much that I fully trust in my own ability to recognize healthy dynamics and cultivate healthy relationships, so I'm done running from love when I feel it or suppressing the feeling when it surfaces. I already know what sort of love I want in my life. That said, my intention is not to look for love, per se; my intention is simply to recognize it when it's there, and, rather than letting the realization that I've found it terrify me, I will embrace the blessing, and I will wholeheartedly give love a chance to lead me somewhere happy.

I'm afraid of physically getting hurt, and it makes me not try things that I actually think would be really cool. I hope to learn to swim better by next year so that I can just jump into a pool and have fun. I'd like to learn to rollerblade without picturing myself snapping an ankle or a wrist. I want to have more fun and be less scared.

My greatest fear is how I'm going to 1) support myself and my boyfriend, 2) pay off my loans/debt and 3) make it in China. This fear is rooted in the fact that right now, I'm stuck in China indefinitely, and have no idea how to get out. Because of inequality for lgbt bi-national couples, I cannot simply marry my boyfriend to sponsor him in the US. So instead I have to plan my next few years (or decades?) in China. We are both somewhat unhappy with our jobs and our lives right now. I fear I won't be able to find a solution.

My fear is that I will get myself stuck in a routine. I never want to lose the spark that makes me keep wanting things, wanting to move on and experience new things. I never want to lose this. I hope to overcome it by trying to save to leave again (always thinking about leaving!) while still enjoying the time I've got right now.

Fear of opening up and trusting other people...losing control. I think I will be forced to let it go a little bit this year because I will literally not be able to function if I don't let others help me a little bit.

my panic attacks it affects my life in every way not sure on how I go about over coming it...

fear of not being able to be creative or devoted enough to finish my phd. i plan to just focus and make it happen by: devoting time to thinking through difficult problems or barriers, asking for help and advice, taking breaks, and believing in myself.

FAILURE. I'm going to punch it RIGHT IN THE EYE SOCKETS until it shows its face less and less.

I fear getting overwhelmed by the simple challenges of life. Our society has gotten much faster, louder, more intense in almost every measurable way. I hope to take a step back and breathe. Take on challenges in smaller chunks spread over time when I can... hopefully giving me more energy and focus when challenges come that must be handled immediately and/or cannot be partitioned out.

Fear of hurting other people's feeling. not allowing myself little "me, me, me" time. Fear not measuring up with my sister. Fear of letting my family down.

I have a fear of trusting people. It's hard, because the more I learn and experience, the more I feel it's well-founded. But I guess the point is to get past that, and to find that point beyond "trust" and "don't-trust" where I have the strength to keep my heart open.

I have a deep fear of rejection and abandonment. In a messed up way, it's manifested itself in an awful nature. I've become almost addicted to pushing people away before they can reject me. I've done it to my boyfriend consistently and I know that if I don't stop this behaviour then he will eventually reject me and I will be alone. I'm going to slowly but surely learn how to become a happier, contented individual who doesn't push people away as a pre-emptive attack. I'm working on it.

Fear of having no money in the future so I'm sticking to the 8-6 working world and giving it all my energy instead of giving my energy to the things I really want to do. I don't know how to overcome it, that scares me a LOT.

I have concerns but not fear of anything that I can think of...

Fear of being alone. I am not usually able to be myself. Hold back when perhaps I don't want to nor should I.

I'm afraid of worrying so much that I forget to live-- I want to learn calming techniques like meditation and mindfulness. I want to stop worrying about not being able to retire. I'm pretty sure I'm won't alone. For me, the things I fear most are often the things that come to pass. So far I've been able to get through the moment or accept the situation. I want to work through my fear by doing the things that scare me; every fear I overcome, empowers me.

Fear of being lonely/ not having enough friends / being loved enough. It's stopped me developing friendships because I think poeple will just get bored of me. To let it go, I'm going to appreciate the friends I do have and try and accept that they love me for whatever reasons, and that other people could / will like me for me. It's easy to say, but hard to accept.

fear of change or failure. it stops me taking risks and narrows my world. fear of compromise, it stops me appreciating what i have. fear of bad things happening to my children, it stops me feeling free with them. i want to let all these go. by being brave, talking through things and making time to embrace the things that are really important to me.

One major fear is what I guess I can describe as fear of failure. When I have to get something done or am in charge of something, I often worry about everything related to it: whether I have enough time to get everything done, whether I did it right, whether people are going to respond or show up, whether other logistical things are going to work out. I am just afraid of so many things going wrong or me forgetting/overlooking something. Most of it is related to how I will look when/if it goes wrong or isn't perfect. Things always manage to work out but I can never seem to be reassured by that. There is always this sub-fear that, what if THIS time is the time it doesn't work out. I am not sure how I can let this go or overcome it, other than just take a leap of faith and know that if it does not go well, that the world won't end, someone might think a little less of me, but that I will always have another chance somehow and I can dust myself off and try again. Who knows, maybe experiencing a failure or too would also help.

The social anxiety always gets slot one, but the general fear of failure is also unhelpful. I'm planning a short vacation, and fear it will be a disaster, I won't see everything I should, it'll be weird going alone... But there's no law that says I need to do everything in one trip, and one of my favorite vacations included a whole lot of lounging in a comfy hotel room, so it's booked.

I fear my own body. Last night I went to an exotic dance class just to see if I could do it. Looking at myself in a full length mirror was treacherous. I know that I'm not fat or ugly but that feeling is always there. I fear having to show someone my body (even fully clothed) in bright light. I fear being rejected. I fear being made fun of the same way I was made fun of in high school. I fear that I can't get over this feeling. No amount of time at the gym, and I spend plenty of that, takes this feeling away. I plan on letting go of it by focusing less on how men perceive me and more how I perceive myself. Hence the exotic dance class. Hence the rock climbing. Hence the stepping back from the dating scene.

Fear of rejection. Whether it's for a job interview, in a new relationship, or really any other situation involving a time when someone could reject me... The weird thing is, I know that I will be okay no matter what happens, but it doesn't stop the feelings of anxiety. Trying to remember that everything happens for a reason.

A fear I have that has limited me is with my business. I plan to continue to move forward with the help of my guidance and asking for help when I need it from those that love me.

I fear giving enough time/energy to tasks that matter the most.

I fear I will die before the smallest grandchild is grown up. Since I am raising them and they have no one else, this is very real. I am working seriously on my health as my only method of overcoming a large part of this fear. But I lost my Dad when i was 6 and I know there are no guarentees. So I am also trying to find people who will be there for the kids. I have set up a trust. But planning for them is not the same as them having someone in their corner. So the fear is still there...I dont know how to let it go.

I fear failure. I'm afraid to try because I don't want to fall harder than I already have. But I have to put my trust in my abilities and my faith in G-d.

I have this weird fear of showing up places without being invited. I guess that's a good habit to have but sometimes I get told well just show up! But I can't. I think people will think, oh why is she here? Silly huh?

I have a fear of not achieving or being found wanting to excel. I am letting go of those fears and just jumping in the water... it is not yet a habit...but I am working on it presently.

My big fear this year has been that I won't achieve my goals. I've never dealt with depression before, but that fear has really affected me. Most days, I can push through, but there have been a few where all I've wanted to do was stay on the couch and mope. I plan to overcome it in the following ways: 1) Continue working to achieve the goal. 2) Repeat the mantra "Things will happen when they're supposed to" and actually believe it!

My fear of not being good at my job. I'm going to continue working, get opinions, be honest with myself, and have confidence. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't excel in a male-dominated industry!

The fear that people don't like me. It can be any people from my best friends to people who I hardley know. This effcts me daily because I don't fully trust many people and I get hurt really easily because I don't think they like me. I get sensative to things my friends unintentianally because I think they dont want to spend time with me when really they maybe didnt have time, or thought I would come anyways. This year I need to put some more trust in myself and find ways to realize that the people around me do truly care. It is something I only see when I have my head on strait like right now but I need to be able to see it all the time.

I suppose my main fear is that I will be rejected by people and I think it stems from being badly bullied as a child by both adults and children. It stops me from doing so many things, the list is endless. What comes to mind right away is that it stops me from going to shul, it stops me from joining the photography club, it stops me from seeing my extended family, and it stops me from being who I am and doing what I feel I should sometimes. Sometimes I just want to give my husband a hug and I know he will want me to, but I don't because I worry he will reject me. I know intellectually that he won't, but the feeling won't go away. I don't know how to overcome it. Maybe just do the things I am scared of and see if what I am scared of is really true? Maybe focus more on how other people are feeling and where they're at instead of myself? But if it is true (and I suppose it's bound to be for some people because not everyone will like me), how will I handle it? I am not sure if this is something that I can overcome in the next year, or ever. As soon as I feel disapproval from someone then I become full of self doubt, and I fear that it means no-one really likes me, they're all just making fun of me behind my back or spend time with me for some other reason. Now I sound like a paranoid nutcase. Shit.

fear of how people will view me, and my faith if I talk about it. That I will put them off, instead of the other way around. It means i'm not as open as I would like to be. This year I am going to be more open, and if I put people off it's their problem not mine

I have a fear of traveling and doing certain things alone. In the recent past, I have transformed my attitude from fear to one of curiousity and faith. I have definitely put myself in new situations, but while doing so, I have been acutely aware of being alone during the process. On the other hand, I love being alone. I like to travel alone. I like the anonymity of flying, spending hours in airports, on planes, in transitions, knowing that I don't have to relate to or speak to anyone. It's definitely an escape. But, sometimes it feels like I am avoiding something. When I travel alone, I am often a little bit anxious. The uncertainty of the outcome or the unfamiliarity of the place to which I am going can make me uneasy. This summer, I traveled to Alaska to join a kayaking and meditation retreat. One of my first thoughts was "Will I feel a part of the community?" My plan for the coming year is to continue to do the things I want to do, regardless of my having no one to share them with. I will try to not see myself as alone or lonely but as someone who knows what she wants to do and what she likes and that, in and of itself, makes me stronger and more present in my own life.

Fear of committing to a relationship, to a city, to a life trajectory. I'm scared that if I commit, I will miss out on other, possibility better, opportunities. I have this little adventurous girl inside me who likes to know she can pick up and move on when the moment strikes. Yet - there's another little girl inside me, hidden a lot further down, who is really shy and scared to say this, but actually craves stability, ever-deepening love and a rooted community. She just doesn't have much of a voice yet. This year, I will try to listen to this shy little girl a lot more. I will remind her that I am listening and that all three of us ladies need to work together to find a path that honors all of us, not just a path that takes care of the muscley care-free adventurer. I will notice what is around me a lot more, appreciate the friendships in my life, the colleagues in my life, the love in my life, the city I am in, and stop thinking before I judge, analyze, question. Just be grateful and notice. I also have a fear that I will one day regret not spending more time with my family. This year I will try to visit family more often and be more relaxed and patient during family trips.

I've always been afraid of failing. I've taken a huge leap this year by starting back to college full time and working full time. It's been a bit of an adjustment for me, but I know that I'm going to be much better off by just doing it. I'm tired of letting my fear of failure hold me back. I'm going to try to cut loose and let go and just do the things I want to do.

My biggest fear is the power of my self delusion: I’m very good at convincing and reassuring myself of my own self worth. It limits me by allowing me to soften the blows of my failures, foibles, and everyday inconsistencies. I hope to counter it by allowing myself to disappoint and frustrate myself—and thereby my girlfriend, family, friends, coworkers—and not seem like such an emotionless robot all the time.

I'm scared of getting fat again and it's stopping me from enjoying food. Everytime I eat I feel guilty.

I have a fear of not being capable...of not making the right choices. So instead I wallow in the fear and don't take any risks. I am beginning to meditate and realizing that the fears don't necessarily disappear but ...I just have to jump in and live my life and not hide. If you're not in it you can't win it.

Fear of rejection has made me accept jobs that are not the best fit for me. It has made me be silent when I should speak out. I have not learned to be myself with confidence because of this fear, actually limiting my own circle of friends. I will continue to be aware and let it go. The great irony is that, when I feel confident in my own skin, I am more gentle and strong... not angry and mean.

Fear of failure. I plan to overcome it by facing my fear and getting past it.

Fear of becoming stagnant in life. I continue to look for new hobbies and possibly what I should do careerwise. I often wonder though how I'll know if the step I'm taking is correct and if it is not, will I be able to fall back on something.

I am afraid that I won't find anyone new. I don't exactly have any plans to remedy this, instead of trying my best to be friendly and good for the majority of the time.

Knock on wood three times - I don't really have any fears...at the moment.

I am afraid that I will be disappointed yet again by trusting someone, so I try to go alone by myself. Yet I know intellectually that it is impossible to succeed by myself in anything I do. I hope to be able to risk failure on a personal as well as professional level this year.

The fear that, in relationships, I'll have my heart broken again is very real. When I feel emotions grow for someone, I tend to run. I'm working to battle that instinct. This relationship is important to me and I'm ready to fight for it.

Fear of failure ... if I could just learn to let go, and realize "this too shall pass," I think I'd make more progress- especially at work. Receiving no feedback is incredibly frustrating to me, and always leads me to think the worst. In the next year, I'd like to be able to trust in my skills and abilities more, even as I am learning more and more each day.

I fear the unknown. After working hard in a career spanning 20 plus years, I am looking at retirement in the next 5 years with a mix of delighted anticipation and fear over all the unknown things I will face. I will try to give up the urge i have to control and make thoughtful plans but also just live in the moment and let things unfold!

fear of failure. I am sometimes afraid to try, because i fear not being successful. I have to give myself a break, and remember that just having tried is the success.

Developing Alzheimer's. Thinking about death is on my mind.

I'm afraid if I reach for a new career, my past will doom me to fail.

Fear of extreme poverty, of abandonment are possibly the two most compelling fears. I have noticed that certain fears cause me to go into defense mode, sometimes so much that I might cause the thing I am afraid of happening, to happen! I love Pema Chodron's advice: Let things fall apart, let the world come as it is. She has a lot of wise sayings regarding working with fear and I turn to her when I feel very lost.

That I am not good enough to be a doctor. I am very nervous about my schoolwork, and in turn I don't do well in my classes. I plan on having a positive outlook on my classes, and show myself that I am good enough. If you put your mind to something, there is no reason why it should not happen.

My greatest fear is that of losing my mind, a genuine threat because I have bipolar disorder. Instead of limiting me though, it has inspired me to fight harder and be more persistent than I might have otherwise been. I think this fear has actually helped me! Another fear that I have that DOES hold me back is my fear of not being in control of my life and able to care for those who depend on me. I have become more and more aware of how this fear affects me in the past year, and in the next year, I plan to put more faith in God, and in the fact that even when they aren't as I would have them, things work out.

I have a fear of speaking my mind at work, to let my bosses know the level of dysfunction going on. The decisions that have been made lately are ridiculous and not thought through. They are often knee-jerk reactions to situations that could have been avoided in the first place. I plan to bring up my concerns, if not with my direct supervisor, then with other colleagues who may be in a position to help make a difference.

I have a fear that I will have an affair. I really shouldn't worry about it b/c i have limited opportunity to make it happen. I want to solve it by falling back in love with my wife.

I fear losing control of myself, and my surroundings. I can overcome it by doing my best and then letting go, can't control everything!

Money. Not enough of it. I'm overdrawn at the bank almost every week. I hate it. It's this huge weight on my back and I feel like it will never end. I'm constantly trying to figure out where and how I can get money. If I could...no let me rephrase that... WHEN I pay off my debt, I will be so much more relaxed about life. Plus it's my secret, so I have to cover it up constantly. I HAVE TO PAY IT OFF. What happens if my car breaks down? I don't want to live in an apartment all my life, I'd love to own a home.

Definitely losing Brian and keeping him. I think I have mostly overcome it, using the mantra, "if you love someone, set him free." I conquered my fear of going home every day using Kendall's technique of sinking into my fear and experiencing it. So here is how I deal with fear now: I will not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing......Only I will remain. -Frank Herbert

My greatest fear is not being able to financially take care of my family. I was self-employed for 28 yrs and acheived success. I held by future in my own hands. I have been an employee the past 2 1/2 yrs. I want to transition back to either full self-employment in my current business or self-employment in another business so I control my own destiny.

The fear of not being accepted; the fear that I'm boring, or that I'm boring others. As long as I fear that, it'll happen. If I can't accept myself, no one will. Fuck inhibitions. I'll do what I want to do, and disregard what others will think. ... within reason.

I fear that I'm never going to make the positive changes in my habits that I desire. This causes me to give up on even trying. I will try to take it one day at a time. I'll try to remind myself that even small changes will get me on the right path. It won't happen overnight.

I am afraid of rejection. I find this has limited a lot of things I do- I'm afraid to reach out to people or even call someone on the phone. Sometimes I don't get to know potentially really awesome people because I'm not comfortable making the first move to get to know them. I'm going to try to just suck it up and deal with it- that's all you really can do for a problem like this. Confront it and hopefully if I put aside my fears enough times, I can just ignore them.

I have a fear of not being able to have a baby. Three losses have hit us pretty hard. I plan to keep myself healthy, lose some weight, and become more active to see if that can help.

I have a fear of not advancing in my career. I feel stuck where I am. I also fear not earning enough money to pay for my kids' educations. I hope to resolve both fears with a promotion soon.

I fear about getting lost when I'm driving in unfamiliar areas. It get s me up tight.

The one limiting fear that I have found I have is the idea that the time has passed; that it is too late in life to start something new. Do I really want to take on this new path at this time. I am committed to move past this feeling and to work toward the goals I have set.

Fear of escaping the 9 to 5 job and ending up broke and jobless and not having the money to pay for college. I plan to pay off as much debt as I can during the coming year, so that needing money is not such a big issue and I would really like to start temping, but not sure if I will be brave enough while I am still paying for the course, it depends on how much work gets in the way of college (or whether they finally snap at my seeing how far I can push the boundaries at work - two solid days of job searching doesn't seem to have produced any results yet!). But in a way being sacked would force the leap on me, so maybe it would be a good thing, I don't know.

I am terrified of making phone calls. This has prevented me from calling my own children and grandchildren, limited my social interaction with friends and caused my partner to have to make important business calls or schedule medical appointments for me. It makes me feel like an idiot and I am going to try as hard as I can to overcome this and desensitize myself to it this year.

I always have a "fear" of disappointing people...so I will either not start a project until I have almost no time to do it or I take forever to do it. I feel almost frozen in my tracks to start. I have started almost 2 years ago in trying to overcome this fear. I participate in Community theater and so since I am cast most often in the ensemble part of the cast others rely on me to do my part...and I have to step up or the show won't be good. Since so many rely on me doing my part I have had to let go of many of my fears. It has been liberating to say the least. Now I have to move my new found confidence into other areas of my life. Each year I am able to be less and less stressed about disappointing someone. Even my husband has remarked to me about how I am saying "no" more often and am stronger. I asked him if it was a bad thing and he said that he liked it better. I have also been able to stand up to someone when they were making some really bigotted comments and last year that would NOT have happened.

My fear of environmental degradation and global warming is pervasive and getting worse, and unfortunately is not unjustified, especially considering the political situation. But I don't see any options for individual action so it tears me apart inside and I kind of obsess about it in the background all the time. Completely unproductive. I keep look for sources of optimism on this issue but haven't found them and haven't found a way to let it go and "don't worry be happy." I'm afraid that letting go of the worry and obsession somehow sanctions what's happening.

Always wanting to be thinner

Fear of my business failing. Spending less time doing useless things, like Facebook, dazing out at stupid things on the Web. Putting that energy into making the business grow.

I fear that the directions I have taken professionally may not workout. I keep trrying to overcome it by prayer, reflection, and focusing on the positive.

My sometimes lack of self confidence - especially when it comes to my career, and my fear of failure. I need to keep my portfolio up to date and set myself up for success!

If the book I'm writing becomes known and discussed, I will be in the public eye and probably interviewed a lot, a condition that I know well as I have interviewed hundreds of people over a 35 year journalism career. I am not comfortable being interviewed, but I know the way to do it well is simply let my enthusiasm and caring attitude prevail and stay calm. Easier said than done. But it comes with the territory . . . . .

My fear of eating and getting fat. I will do all against it and don't obey any longer a fear that makes my life terrible. I want to become beautiful and healthy and I want to reach this aim in the coming year. I don't want to fail. Not after all I've gone thru.

My fear has been the fear of rejection in introducing myself, online or otherwise, to men. I'm beginning to overcome it much like you teach a dog not to jump up on people...you get them around so many people that there are way too many people to greet, and their brains just have to relax around it all! Or here's another analogy...when you are sending slides of your work as an artist out, sending a couple of slides to one place and waiting only to be rejected feels like, well, rejection. If you send slides to 50 places, you begin to let go of the personal rejection part of each gallery and begin to groove with the process. And that is me with meeting men. Plus, here's another thought... although I often think of ME as being rejected, it's a two-way street. The men I've met so far are not my pick either! But at some point, I will meet someone and we will definitely click.

i fear not being able to find love. while i am happy by myself i would very much liie to have a loving partner. i am not sure how to overcome it. perhaps changing my perspective. maybe the answer is to look at it not from a fear point of view but maybe a "hope to" point of view. and then if i can find a loving partner to not lose myself in the life they want to live but to speak up and get compromise so that we are living a shared life rather than me just tagging along.

Fear has not been a problem for me.

I do get depressed when ill health overwhelms me (I have M E) After a prolonged episode I begin to fear I will always be ill and therefore not fulfil my roles as Supermum and Supergran and not finish the novel I'm writing. When it's bad I worry a bit about what my future will be. Don't want to be dependant on anyone. Care homes sound bloody awful and as a vegan, feminist,leftie will there be anyone to talk to?

The fear of starting something. I am afraid of starting because that way I haven't failed yet. I have a paralyzing fear of starting anything that is really debilitating. If I don't just start, plunge in, eyes closed, I won't start at all. That's a bad thing. I am trying to live up to the quote "You start at the beginning, work until you are done, and then you stop" to get me through.

I fear that something will always come up to prevent us from paying off our major debt. We have paid off our mortgage and have reduced our equity loan a lot, but a few months ago we get a tax audit and I no longer have the documentation to show our deductions. Therefore, we are going to have a large addition to our equity loan that we will need to pay off. I plan to do my best to trust that nothing else will come up, work to not have some big bill come up to the extent I can, and continue to pay as much as we prudently can on our equity loan each month. It takes so long and the endpoint seems to keep moving. I am doing my best noty to let it stop or limit us though.

I fear confrontation on all fronts. It's the biggest downer of my entire life and I get it directly from my mother. If I could overcome that I'd be dancing... Another related fear I have is leaving my healthcare job to work full-time as a singer and Art director. I really feel like I'm abandoning safety, security, maturity and for something that's underfunded, insecure and immature. It's NOT the reality. That is just major, major artists oppression. But even knowing that still doesn't help. I will have to confront my boss if I want to leave healthcare. And if/when I do, I need to do so gracefully so that I don't burn any bridges.

I fear being seen as a fraud or a failure, especially for over-reaching and not doing what I said I would do. I need to just getting on with the job. The proof is in what I do, not in what they think. It's up to me.

Fear of making the wrong choice. It's time to let go and do the things that I want to do, and deal with the consequences, be they positive or negative, afterwards.

My biggest fear is being imperfect. Which is nuts because I am imperfect in millions of ways, millions of times a day. Which means I experience my fear a lot. It's not paralyzing, but it's not constructive. It's so deep in my wiring. I wish I knew how to unravel those wires. I should keep working on it, though I don't know how.

I have a huge fear of people judging me/not having friends. It limits me from being my whole self around school friends. BBYO friends are great because they accept me for me, but school friends literally tell me that they're judging me and it makes me so nervous. I will overcome it by not settling for friends that don't accept me, even if that means having to find new friends.

I am terrifed of not being well liked and it affects how I intereact with people. I wish I could let it go and just focus on myself and my famiyl but its ahrd because it is always nagging at the back of my brain.

My family's response to my wedding/marriage. Plan to overcome it gradually after the wedding...maybe we will all go on vacation together and things will be good? g-d only knows!

I have no idea why, but I have always had the unreasonable fear that I might lose an arm. I know it's strange but I have taught myself to be ambidexterous. My fear has had no limitation on my activities, it has done just the opposite. I don't need to let it go, it has worked well for me. I have also learned that sometimes your fears are not worth fearing.

Fear of not overcoming my own sloth and lack of resolve. I seem to have no willpower, so I consistently let myself down. I hope to see myself not as a victim of my own bad habits, but rather as the mover of my own life, the author of successes, the achiever of my dreams.

Fear of not being as competent as someone else -- fear of not being the very best at everything I try to do. Continue to build my sense of self around what I am great at, and not expect to be great at everything (I treat other people this way, why not treat myself this way?)

Fear is something that really does bind and inhibit me. I'm afraid of failure and of success. More than that though, I'm afraid of letting people down. Almost every decision I made is based on some fear. I'm not sure how I can let go of it, but I think I can overcome it by being aware of where it's holding me back and not letting it do that. I need to focus on the fact that I choose to be ruled by the fear and I can choose to tell it to f*** off.

I am afraid someone will see the me in the mirror. The one I see when I look threw the lens of self perception, and I do not want anyone to know her.

I have a fear of throwing up; it doesn't really limit me much, but it does make traveling hard because I get nervous while flying and being nervous makes my stomach hurt, which makes me really nervous. I will try and continue calming myself down in these situations, and I will try and continue to travel and relax.

Fear of not being creative enough and not being able to show my visions. Fear to ask for what I want for my own needs as a human. I am already working on both. I try to push myself harder to be more creative but also realize when it's okay to just take a break and start fresh when I'm ready. I asked for a vacation even though it made me super nervous...and I got it!

Fear of not being successful. Fear of not knowing what I want to achieve in life...I need to evaluate what i feel passionate about and pursue it. Steve Jobs said it best - you have to pursue "have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become"

For the most part, I feel pretty fearless. I guess I'm afraid of working without a salary-- but it's not a crippling fear, it's just a rational tendency to be cautious. I'm going to continue growing my business with the intention of being able to work independently someday. I don't even have a timeframe on that. Ha-- that prompted me to look up my eligibility date for retirement if I stay at the state. 12/31/2032. Now *that* is scary. 21 more years of state service? I don't think I can pull it off.

Fear of leaving this world without giving family what they should have -- hasn't limited me enough, actually! -- will finally go through old boxes this spring, separating important from un-, making the material legacy/burden manageable... and will keep focusing, ever more sharply, on the ethical/relational legacy...

I am so, so afraid of failure. This year, I've had some failures, and I've survived - but I think I still really live in fear of failing. And that has meant that I don't take risks that could mean I succeed beyond my expectations. I think this is especially true when it comes to work. I don't like what I'm doing, I'm bored, I want to create something of my own. But I'm afraid to even explore it. This year, I hope that I can learn to trust myself just a little bit - and maybe take some risks and try out some new things to get me closer to what I want to be doing for work in my life. I also would like to fail more and succeed more - so that I can keep learning from both.

Fear that I now am too old to start anew. I am going to try to kick it and dive into the deep end and see if I still float.

I have a fear of inadequacy. I can let it go or overcome it by finding ways to accept my humanity; to accept that I am not perfect; to accept that I'm supposed to fail and to learn from mistakes.

I am an educated 34-year old woman. My biggest fear is that I will spend my life alone - not meeting someone who will be a complimentary partner, and never having children. I am learning to let go, to accept being in the moment and not focus too much energy into the future. Right now, I'm actually happily single, which I think contributes some anxiety to my fear. But, being happy is good, and I'm staying focused on being happy, on doing things for myself that allow for happiness.

One of my main fears lately is that I am geographically limited to certain places based on my highly specialized career. That prevents me from considering a lot of seemingly great options in terms of choosing a place to live.

I am afraid of not having health insurance coverage that I can afford. My husband who should have retired already keeps working so I can be covered, he can use Medicare. My job does not offer health benefits and I won't qualify for Medicare for another 5 years. Being 60 the job market is not really open for me. This fear has not limited me but may in the future.

Fear of not making an impact in my life. I am doing what I want to do. The energy that comes from choosing to do what I do best drives my impact. I want to worry less about making that impact and let it come naturally.

My current battle is with the fear that my body won't allow my soul to fulfill all the dreams and plans I still have for "us". My plan to overcome this fear is to continue what I have been doing since January, spending time every week exercising in the rehab gym and at home. As I am increasingly able to walk, I plan to shop and cook more so I can return to the healthier diet I was practicing before my knee failed me last summer.

It would appear that I fear intimacy- giving in to this has isolated me un-necessarily. Dogged determination to overcome it, think about it and look at it from every angle and keep focused on it.

Fear that the axe will fall finally since I have been getting away with all this radical behaviour all my life...but it won't coz I am right and Fear of recurrence - will just keep on with my health things and anyway i do not care about the result only the process Just have to relax and let it go on

I have many fears. I fear that I am getting sick, I fear that I will disappoint, fear of failure. It limited the chances I was taking. I have been working on getting over these fears and know that I have made progress. I have seen my success and have been able to tackle large undertakings, at work and in my personal life. I will continue to make strides.

i am afraid to fly, and it has condemned me to a lifetime on trains and boats. At this point, I don't feel like getting rid of my fear. I get around to where I need to go, and airplanes destroy the environment in many ways. My ability to be with my family when I want to would be greatly enhanced by being able to fly, but I'm not ready, or willing, to get rid of my fear.

Fear of not being strong and together all the time...I've been trying to let it go for 54 years. The struggle continues.

Biggest and most recurring fear of the last few years is that I will always be alone, will die alone, and never find real love again. Sounds corny but approaching 50 makes things like that seem even more important than they were before. I am not (totally) despondent, and still believe that I could make someone extremely happy and glad to have found someone like me, but that person has so far been elusive. It hasn't really limited me, but has made me do something I swore I wouldn't do again: focus more intently on work. I'm finally in a job where work/life balance is achievable, but with nobody to share the "life" side of that equation, work is getting more energy than I told myself it would, since that was one of the big reasons that caused my family to split apart to begin with. (But not the only one.) What am I going to do about it? At the risk of enacting the popular definition of insanity - repeating the same behavior and expecting different results - I'm going to cintinue to do things that I love, like going to a couple of shows a month, catching some plays and art exhibits and readings and the like, and hope as a by-product of those experiences to meet someone of like mind and inclinations.

Fear of confrontation. It limits me by making me timid and unable to stand up for myself. I have no plans for sorting it out. Wish I did.

People finding out I am HIV+ and having them start to respond negatively to me. I am planning on being more open with my disclosure and if people cannot accept it then they weren't really a friend or they are someone who I do not need in my life.

My biggest fear is of something happening to someone in my family. Every time I put my baby in the car, I say, "I could get into a deadly accident today" to remind myself to drive carefully. G-d forbid something happened that hurt my child. It's such a morbid fear, and I don't know how to overcome it. I don't know if I *should* overcome it -- worrying about it feels like preventing it, though that may be irrational.

Fear of : doing things without the advice of others • lifting something heavy • injury from the taking of physical risks • hurting others by succeeding • becoming lost in creative work and not meeting the needs of others • growing old without seeing yearnings manifest as creations • snakes • being alone in the woods • not finding a way to unite soul purpose with planetary renewal • being happy | not being happy Letting go : 1) identify fear 2) through breath, patience, acceptance, wherever there is holding, allow release. Committing to continue this work this year.

I have fear to fail in love things. Maybe I'm single because of that. I wanna take risks and even if I fail, even if I am rejected. I wanna say in the right time what I feel to her.

The fear of rejection has haunted me for awhile now. It has hindered my self-confidence and prevented me from dating. I hope that with the self-confidence I got from the Daily, I can overcome this fear.

My main fear is not being able to find somewhere to live that I can afford. I'm going to continue to work as much as I can within the means I have to find a place in the coming month.

One fear? Gosh, there are so many. Personal fears are all about losing the people I love. They have limited me my whole life -- but not in the usual way. Mostly, I have no problems giving my heart to the people I love. I don't often hold back because of fears that I will lose them. But it has always limited me in other ways -- causing anxieties and fears which in turn cause everything from loss of sleep to obsessive compulsive behaviors. Medication has helped. But I know it will never go away completely. It's part of who I am. Professional fears -- well, they're many, since I haven't supported myself since before I had children. Fear of failure is big there. Fears that I have been my own boss for so long that if I have to work for someone else, I'll be really bad at it and/or angry and miserable. And fear that I've lost my work ethic. I used to be the hardest worker on the block. Now I struggle to get things done. So the professional fears are the ones I can work on and the ones I need to work on. Putting my book out there has been a great start. Already inuring myself in advance of likely rejections. (Though in my heart I believe/hope that someone will see the value of what I've done.) And working on the work ethic every day. If I don't get something done during the day, I make myself stay at my desk until I do. Helpful but not there yet.

I fear not being considered completely good enough for my boyfriend whom I hope to marry in the eyes of his family because of my religious upbringing. I hope they learn to accept me for who I am and that I can do the same.

My biggest fear is that I will lose what I have worked so hard to regain. I work hard on getting on with my life. Sometimes this works and other not so much. Mostly I plan to enjoy my life as much as possible.

I'm sitting here thinking about this question...and I can't say there's anything I fear. I refuse to do anymore ropes courses, but that's not about fear (good sense, I would say :) ). I have made friends with fear and invite her to pull up a chair and have tea with me. I am not afraid of fear or of failing. I am more afraid of the regret of not trying.

I don't think I have much to fear; that's mostly good luck on my part, as far as not fearing lack of food or shelter or people or a job. I could or maybe should be afraid about my parents' future, but in fact I'm not. I don't think I've ever been much afraid of dying: when I was young of course it was just unthinkable, and now that it isn't unthinkable it doesn't seem like something to worry about. When I think about it, the right way to keep it that way seems to be enjoying the days and the people around me. So far that's usually easy. More good luck! The things that are possible that would terrify and devastate me are mostly about my wife and children. But that's like death when I was young: easy to regard as unthinkable.

My finances and credit have been in question and practically destroyed by my future ex-husband. I'm hoping to remedy that over the next year with patience, attention and frugality. I'm letting go of the anxiety and near hatred I have towards my ex for being so apathetic towards our financial security. Forgiving has been difficult and I'm hoping that the next year brings me peace, peace-of-mind and financial stability.

Fear having a small crowd at my funeral. My kids will have to paper the house with their friends to make Kaufman open the overflow wing. Stay alive and hope that I make another comeback. Sexual performance. Finally over any perfomance anxiety. So what? So now its not an anxiety , but a reality. Viagra, I guess. How the mighty has fallen

There are many, but I think the big one limiting me right now is fear of rejection. This translates into having a tough time selling myself, because I hate being sold to so much and I'm having trouble finding that happy medium of promoting myself without coming off as annoying. If I'm going to succeed and be able to leave my day job, I'm just going to have to work hard at getting over it!

Fear of rejection is a big one. I think in the past it has made me insecure or feel like everyone is out to get more or that people won't like me. I think I need to work on my self-esteem and spend more time with other people.

Fear of being average frightens me. how will i change the world or an have impact if i am not so special?

Living the rest of my life alone, without the touch of another. What will be will be. I'm here for a reason, I just don't know what it is yet.

I am afraid of escalators and how it has limited me due to the fact whenever I go out to a public place that has one, I can't get on one because my anxiety kicks in, and I'm afraid of falling down. I plan on overcoming it in the coming year by having faith that nothing bad is going to happen and I'll be fine.

My fear is speaking to large audiences. I have had trouble speaking in front of my whole camp and I really hope that I overcome it so I can be grade rep this year. I need to practice.

Wow, on any other day I would probably have a huge list, but today.....I don't. Today, even though it is wet and gloomy and cold I'm feeling really confident. Even the fear of the unknown isn't even bothering me today.

I ahve a big fear of not being good enough, of failure and mostly of failing others. I care too much what people think. I am constantly letting it go and will continue to do so. Kundalini yoga is a big help and the Release Technique.

I think my biggest fear is dying while my children are so young. To help myself settle this fear, I work towards being the best parent I can be each day. Not one of us is promised a tomorrow. I try to teach my children to live in such a way that are always growing, learning, loving, and respecting. I try to be a unique mom that they will always remember as fun, fair, loving, nurturing, and mostly... a large part of themselves.

I think my biggest fear is that of settling. Either for a job, or a partner, or a life that isn't what I really want, what I think I deserve. This limits me because it often keeps me from appreciating things, or even giving things enough time to actually be appreciated. I run from the feeling that I might be settling, and that limits my options. I'm trying to find middle ground. I'm trying to both leave situations before I've wasted too much of my time and myself, but also not leave before I can truly comprehend them.

I am afraid of making the wrong decision of what to do with my life. It's a great fear of choosing a path and not knowing what I am losing out on. Hopefully this coming year I will be brave enough to trust my heart and to leap knowing whatever decision I make is the right one. Fear of sitting still. I am always running around. I need to realize that it's OK to slow down every once and a while. I am doing this by taking a meditation class and seeing what it means to stop. I also am often afraid to speak my mind. It something I started intensely working on this year and I hope I can keep it up.

I don't know what you call it, but I tend to procrastinate and am not as bold as I should be on many situations. Too passive. For the first part, need to keep on top of things, take care of them right away, not let things slide. Or, write down a plan on when to get it done and stick to it. Second part has to do with trust in Hashem and letting my ego get in the way. Result: not getting as much accomplished as I could have.

I'm too often obsessed with the health and happiness of Jared, our disabled son who lives with us. When we go away I think he misses us, and he can't tell us what's wrong when he's sick.

I'm not scared of many things but I think it's true that I have these underlying fears. One is a complex web of things about my body - its weight and its unfixable poor health and its inevitable decline - and one is the thought of losing my boyfriend, although this ebbs and wanes depending on how happy he is, how happy we are and how happy I am. I think the biggest fear I have is that I'm wasting my life. I'm time wasting, getting nowhere in the career I want and kind of flailing. I need to let go of this fear of failure because the only thing stopping me succeeding is my effort. I need to try harder, work harder and keep on keeping on. I can do this. I can make a success out of my life and out of my career. I need to just let it go and believe in myself.

I am desperately afraid of failure which also means that I'm afraid of taking risks which probably reflects a fear or aversion to change over all. I have no clue how I will conquer this or let it go but I imagine a good deal of faith and trust will be involved.

I fear that my feelings for one woman will stop me from ever falling totally in love with anyone else. I plan on starting to date. Like, actually do it.

I fear being financially irresponsible: not saving enough, spending too much on housing, and being unable to meet purchasing goals in years to come. More bicycles, a car, and homes are on the horizon.

A fear that limits me is the fear of being alone. I worry incessantly about my wife and my mother dying. They are the 2 most important people on earth to me. I don't know how I will move forward without them and I know I will have to eventually (at least without my mom). I plan on accepting death as part of life. I plan on accepting the idea of death as a non-permanent situation. I am trying to adopt a spiritual understanding that life continues after we leave our physical shell here.

I have recently begun to fear death, which is something that I never expected. It has limited me by creating the same thought in regards to other things. Flying in planes, driving long distances, always thinking I left the stove on, etc. These are all inter-related. I hope to continue to overcome this fear by further exploring my religion. Having a deeper understanding of our life stages has helped me become more comfortable in my life. I am also considering going to a hypnotist. While I'm not sure that I completely trust the whole idea, I'll take anything that might help! I've also noticed that my sleep patterns have a deep effect on my mental state. Therefore, I have a goal to get enough sleep each night to prepare me to live a fully, lively life.

I'm anxious about my phd defence. I know I will pass, but I want to do really well. And I'm fearful of trying to get a job, or getting the right job, in this economy. I want our next step to be the right one as far as where we move. But at the same time I know these are all wonderful opportunities and good things. And that I need to 'let go and let God'.

Probably my biggest fear is not knowing what to do with my life - especially not knowing what to do with all the passion I possess. I am dedicating more time to meditation and to get in touch with my spiritual side to address this issue.

I fear appearing foolish, awkward, unskilled, alone to acquaintances who observe me. I know my friends will love me regardless, and who cares about the strangers, but for some reason, the thought of being disparaged by other people in town prevents me from trying things, going places, etc. I know they don't really care, they've got their own things to worry about. I will force myself ignore my qualms and step out and try new things.

I have a fear of meeting and talking to people my own age and hopefully by being at college for the next two years it will help me overcome it :)

Fear of moving out of my house and from paradise. I have been limited in not enjoying the adventure of life. I plan to stay present in each moment and look for opportunities to say Yes! I also realize it's all paradise. I will take paradise with me.

I have a fear of not wanting to come back New Delhi or to India. My academic lifestyle embodies my personality and I am not brave enough to find a similar one in India. But my twin brother and mother are looking out for themselves here, together. I need to be okay with moving back here. I don't know how to fix this. Maybe I should just sit tight and see how things go. I also have a fear of rejection even though I have had quite a few of them.

I fear dying alone. I fear dying with regrets. I guess I will try to say yes to opportunities that present themselves.

I'm afraid of being found out that I am not as together and competent as I seem. I guess that I have to remember that I'm competent and DO have it together in so many ways that I can be proud of. As such, it's totally okay and understandable that I'm not perfect. I'm human after all! How to overcome it? Perhaps start treating myself as kindly as the way I would treat others in this situation. Being gentle with myself could be a good start.

I have two: One is that I'm not talented enough to be a writer. The other is ending up alone. As far as the talent part goes I just need to make sure I work hard and give myself at least a full year of dedication, if not longer, to attempt it. As for fear of ending up alone...I suppose I should try to date more often. This is the one I really have no plan for and I'm not sure how to overcome it, or let it go. Therapy could help but honestly I don't see myself going that route. Even though I know I should.

Heights. I won't go on any ride that goes high or anything that has a risk of falling off. I plan to just face it, I will always have it but I won't let it stop me enjoying myself.

I'm afraid to reach beyond my comfort zone. And I tell myself I'm not.. but I know I am. Just that little bit extra and I'm sure I would be farther in life than I am now. I know that almost every limitation I (or anyone else for that matter) has in almost entirely in my own head! Time to GET OUT of my own way!!!!

My biggest fear now is that I won't be able to finish my research & dissertation to earn my PhD by March 2012 ... which is my absolute deadline. I came back to earn my college degree so late in life and getting my advanced degree will be one of my life's greatest achievements. I'm working very hard on a number of things & have all the resources I need but seem to be stuck. I think because it's difficult for me to ask for help. I'm finding people THIS WEEK who might be able/willing to help me (get back on my ADHD meds, find out if I can get permission to skip some of the final research, find someone who can help me analyze the data I already have). I know the Universe has a lesson for me in this experience & I know you can't just 'hurry up' learning. Perhaps I need to give myself permission to fail in this so I can finally succeed (?)

Not being good enough, secure enough (money, emotions), healthy enough. I need to just not worry about it. I saw a suggestion recently that instead of a To Do make a To Ignore list. Seems like a good idea.

I have a fear of things getting too hard and failing. We're just starting a business and I'm sure there will be hard times ahead. But in all actuality, we can still fail and be okay. As long as we learn something, it will be worth it.

fear of not living up to all that i can be. fear of not being as destined for greatness as i think i am. fear of being alone. fear of aging. fear for the prospects of peace in the middle east. fear that i dont have enough time to do everything i want to do.

I am plagued by the fear of losing everything. I relive my family's bankruptcy and foreclosure in nightmares, and sometimes in waking thought. I don't know that any of us ever fully recovered emotionally or financially. I'm not sure how to overcome this yet, as the only way I have ever known to solve a problem is to better myself and force myself forward...and with limited options, I don't know just how to start doing that again. Or if that's even the right choice.

My biggest fear is losing my children. They are ny world, I don't know what I would do if something ever happened to them. But at the same time I know I purposely watch my mouth or don't do several things because of the fear that their father might be able to use it against me somehow. So in the next year, I should learn to relax sone because I know I'm doing the right things with them and should not worry so much about what he would say or do, they're not going anywhere.

My biggest fear is letting myself be too happy. I feel like if I'm too happy, everything will come crashing down on me. I plan on working on trusting God's plan no matter what happens. I also fear not making a difference, and I plan on just GOING OUT AND DOING SOMETHING.

Money, always money. I am doing what I love right now, but I'm afraid of not being able to keep doing it. I'm looking for more work, always, but also concentrating on being present, realizing that every day is a day I'm alive, and panic is not a feeling that's productive for me. Also, realizing how lucky I am to be doing this work, and how far I've come.

Fear of confronting my mother. I have lived with a lot of resentment - felt bullied and a victim. Given up opportunities for joy - out of guilt, fear, Fear of failure. It has paralyzed me and caused me to fail Fear of being abandoned. It has made me clingy, needy; made me hold onto unhealthy relationships. Fear of success. It has caused me to stop myself from making bold moves. It has led me to choose to keep myself small. I plan on living for the day with the knowledge that I will die. I will act on my faith in God - to have a bigger better plan for me than the limiting ones I think up for myself. I will act with courage and faith. I will set boundaries with my mother - by being generous and giving to her - and being just as generous with myself. xoxo

I want and need a job--will I ever find one? Honestly, I feel like I can't leave the house, I have to be looking for a job at all times or at least I should be. I send out, on average, seven resumes a week, and still no calls. You are over qualified. Yes, I have a Master's but I worked in social services, you can get me for cheap, like $35-40k cheap. It is not about money. I want to work. I want my routine back. But I am picky, I want my work to mean someting, to do something for a reason, for the greater good. I know I can't be the only one in this situation.

I am afraid of social situations and of talking on the phone. I am going to overcome it by initiating more contact and being on the phone more in the coming year, even if I suck at it.

My biggest fear is that nothing will ever change in the relationship with my daughter, who is bipolar and has multiple learning disabilities as well. She is so negative and adversarial regardless of what I do, that I fear a life of struggle and eventually being worn out and down by the stress. She really needs me to help manage her life, and at the same time resents my input. I plan to breathe very deeply, do more of what I want and need to keep spiritually and emotionally healthy, and find ways to respond that demonstrate compassion without making myself a martyr and feeling resentful. Big task! God grant me the serenity to not only accept what I cannot change but to thrive in my own life in spite of it.

Fear of failure. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of not taking the risk because I "know" I'm going to fail. The death of Steve Jobs, a man my age, a man who accomplished so much, has made me realize that failure isn't always a bad thing. You can't even fail if you never try. And when you are staring into the face of death, which we all are, not attempting is so much worse than failure. I will try. I will make my mark. 2012 will be my year.

My fear is that I'll always be fat and out of shape. I've lost weight before but I had to constantly think about it and monitor everything I did and it was very stressful. I don't want to do that again. But I do want to be more healthy. I need to balance the two - the desire to be more healthy with the desire to do in a less demanding manner.

I definitely have a fear of failure related to low self-esteem caused by people in my life, my family telling me I wouldn't be successful at my endeavors. It's taken me years to overcome, and I'm still wrestling with that deep inner voice and trying to deflate it of its grasp over me.

I have a fear of rejection, from all corners. I need to learn to validate myself for myself, not based on what an existing or potential friend, relationship, etc. thinks.

Fear of only saying yes to what makes my heart soar. It's limited my financial abundance, my freedom and joy. I plan to listen deeply, eat better and protect the scared little girl inside of me so much so that she can play with her fluttering butterfly wings hoorah :)

I have a few fears that I am working on overcoming - 1 is that I for some reason will end up having to pay back taxes for something I messed in setting up a small business and the other is that I am reliving my high school insecurities. The first I will overcome by making sure I am working closely with my business mentors and accountant (easy enough) and the second is that I get a chance to re-write who I am (in a new place I can be whoever I really want to be).

Sometimes, I have a fear of new things. This sounds very strange in a culture that is constantly introducing new way to do things and I find this most often to be true in my profession as a Museum Shop Manager. I will procrastinate doing something new until I can delay it no longer, then take a deep breathe and jump in. This limits me in that I sometimes am rushed to do the job because I have delayed, which make the whole "newness" even more stressful. I hope to conquer this fear in the new year by embracing those new ways of doing things instead of relying on the comfortable "old" way. As I approach my 7th decade and as I am a gramma now, I don't want to be seen as a stodgy old lady!

I have a fear of pursuing more work, and being able to balance it with my family life.

The most obvious fear is a fear of swimming / deep water. I haven't thought about it in a while, and probably won't do much about it. Interesting to have it brought up, though. I do let a fear of change / the unknown limit me, however. I plan on working on that one, taking more chances, not being afraid of upsetting the status quo.

I have a fear of failure. Onstage, in the classroom, in relationships. I feel my heart rate spiking when I step up to sing in master class, and I feel dizzy in a recital. I feel anxious when I am about to take a test, and miserable when I do not do as well as I had hoped. I am self-conscious about how my relationship is viewed by other people, and cannot imagine being considered a failure as a girlfriend, though sometimes I feel like I come pretty close. I need to accept failure as a part of life in the coming year, but also to try harder so as to avoid failure. That seems contradictory, but I don't care. I should overcome failure by not failing, or changing my definition of failure: having a croissant isn't failure, having a bad performance isn't a failure, finding that a relationship isn't working is not a failure. Those are setbacks, and the harder I try, the less setbacks I'll have.

Fear of dying unremembered. I'm working on stuff this year to leave some type of legacy, no matter how small.

My fear is of my mother. It seems she is becoming more violent, constantly angry, less forgiving and less communicative. I fear her. I fear for her. Unfortunately I do not plan to overcome it... I plan to run from it. I will move out the moment I can and move back in with my dad in Maine.

I fear that I will never find what I am looking for. I see it but I am scared I will never get it. I am scared will never find him either. My magical first meeting with him may not ever happen. The only way I feel like I can remedy it is to just keep moving.

The fear of wasting my life - but it occurs to me that real change is a gradual and organic process. I'm not clear about my agenda or what is important. Hopefully I will figure this out in the coming year, maybe by not trying so hard.

-I used to have a fear of becoming a widow for the second time. I was afraid that I would not be able to handle the pain of losing, again, someone that I loved enough to share my life with. Now I fear that I will not have another opportunity (or miss the opportunity) to share intimately, life with another person. -I prevent myself from taking risks of getting to know interesting people, because I don't want to get hurt again. Funny how that works - my personal life sucks. -I now understand that I prefer the good, the bad, and the ugly of sharing your life with another person. I let go of being afraid of missed opportunities. I believe that the universe is unfolding as it should and that opportunities will show themselves. I'm ready to take risks.

I have a great fear that, at my very core, I'm unlovable. I think that it makes me closed off and guarded with people--I automatically assume that they will reject me because they see something in my personality that is ugly, broken, stupid. I don't know how I'm going to let this fear go.

I have a fear of being wrong. I don't answer certain things or give ideas because i have a fear of being wrong and being embarrassed in front of my peers. This year I want to have more confidence in what I am saying and not feel embarrassed when i'm wrong.

I'm fearful of becoming even more disabled than I am already. Nothing can be done to reverse the process, so my only hope is to pray it doesn't progress. I wish I could think of a good plan to overcome the fear, but it's always there.

I'm afraid I'm running out of time. Death, of course, is one concern, but also diminishing resources as we become unable/unwilling to continue working. In the last several years we've enjoyed relative economic freedom and have been able to do or have anything we wanted. It seems like a takeaway to go back to the poverty years. I'm working on letting it go by remembering that quality of life depends on attitude and mindfulness, not on location or available toys.

I fear that I am incompetant, and that it is only a matter of time before I am exposed for the idiot I am. I fear that I I was awarded a PhD, not because I earned, but because no one wanted to hurt my feelings, and that now I will never get a job of the sort that will allow my family to live securely. I am afraid to apply for jobs because I feel unqualified, or fear that if I get them, I will not get a retention offer and will be forced to move halfway across the country. I try to remember that eventually I will get job offers, and that moving might be a good thing, but it is hard. I will continue to quash my fears and persist, as experience has taught me that my fears are often unfounded.

I have a fear of being friendless. I've always had a hard time connecting and keeping good friends, and I think that because of that, I don't really connect well with new people anymore. I share to mauch information before someone has really proven themselves a friend... I want to be open to new relationships, but also take things slow and allow myself to become comfortable before I dive in head-first.

Fear that my ideas aren't good enough. (Limitations self-explanatory.) I'll learn how to stand up for my ideas, speak out, have my voice be heard, and be cowed by others' opposing confidence less easily. Easier said than done, but if it were easy it wouldn't feel as good to accomplish now would it?

I am afraid of my family getting sick or hurt or worse. It's a real fear and when I spend too much time thinking about it can ring me to tears, but the best medicine is to be grateful for what we have today. Our health, happiness and eachother.

I may fail to make it thru the winter...

My biggest fear is that we are going to go bankrupt because we have 2 mortgages, and my husband is not quite up in wages enough for us to afford it. I fear that we'll have to turn the other house in to the bank at a substantial loss and still have to pay for it out of our retirement savings. The only way I can live with that fear is to create a budget (which I have done), stick STRICTLY to that budget (which I've had a hard time with, but recommit on a regular basis), and coerce my husband into doing the same. I also have to face that, if the worst were to happen, at least we do have one nice home and I do have a good job that I think will be here for awhile if I continue to perform well.

My fear has always been that I would lose my job. I now know that January 1 is my last day. I plan to overcome it.

I have a fear of my husband dying.....and worry about him too much which he finds annoying.

Fear of Failure as a provider and producer. I plan on playing through and succeeding. I think courage is playing through fear.

I fear myself.

An overall fear of life. I am so content right now, in the house I grew up in, going to college, doing my writing. But I know it will end soon. I fear I will descend into poverty and end up in some derelict bedsit eating raw beans every night. I am a creature of habit, and look at certain changes warily. Most of this fear consists of fear of a job, a place to live, getting a girlfriend (I have only ever had one girlfriend in my 19 years and it was a bad experience) and my writing career. I fear it will go nowhere, fall flat. I really hope that in the next year I learn how to look just a little more positively, to have more self-confidence so I can actually ask a girl out and to put real faith in my writing. How, I do not know.

I am afraid that I will do permanent damage to my health due to my excessive weight. My mother was an adult-onset diabetic at age 54; I am now 63 and as obese as she was. I am also afraid that I will wind up with high blood pressure. I was told just two days ago that I need to take Lipitor for my high cholesterol. The only way to sidestep all these landmines is to exercise and lose weight, but for the past two months I've done nothing but watch the number on the scale rise and feel sorry for myself. I understand that it' time for action, but I haven't done anything about it. If I'm faced with a diagnosis of diabetes like my mother, will I give up entirely or fight back? I don't know.

I'm not sure it's fear, but a hesitation to give too much of myself to a man. I have been cheated on, abused, and taken advantage of, and I'm not anxious to see what the next one will do to me. The two recent guys I've dated were nice enough, but not stable, not available, definitely not what I'm looking for. I'm trying to give another relationship a shot, because I would like a man to do things with and to share things with, but it's really been difficult.

Fear of abandonment. It causes me to hang on to things when I should let them go. It causes me to spend a lot of time and emotional energy avoiding being abandoned. As I learn to let go of this fear, my relationships improve and I have spare energy to enjoy things. I am going to spend more time in therapy and working on relationships to trust more.

I have a literal fear of driving on expressways and have not figured out how to handle that. i also have afear that my daugter whi aged off my heath insurance and has a preexisiting condition will never get proper heath care. I plan to use that fera to adv0ocate for my daughter and help her advocate for herself and tp push fpor genuine heath care reform.

I fear that I am not worth the space I take up in this world. I fear that I bring nothing to the table except fast talk with no substance. I fear that the world sees me as a wasted life. I work every day to find that part of me that makes me a boon in the lives of my loved ones... finding my own special light that no one else can shine.

My life is run by fears. I think the biggest one is that I'm afraid that I'm not lovable, even by me. Lots of work in the coming year to understand why that is and how to change it.

fear of being rejected and seen as inadequate, ridiculous, or pathetic. I try to fight it one thing at a time; any time I give in and don't fight it gets stronger.

I have a lot of fears. I have too many fears. This year, I am working on all of the fear that is involved for me with getting on an airplane and traveling - leaving my support/dog behind, leaving the ground, leaving the country, dealing with the health issues such a trip will, without a doubt, cause. How am I planning to let go/overcome? I got my passport, and I intend to use it this year... Let's see if I get the bravery to do so...

I am afraid of talking to people, of asking for things. I had not planned to let it go. I have accepted it as part of who I am for so long. Do you think I can let go of it? How?

My fear is that my unhappiness won't be solved except by getting a divorce. I have been hoping that doing the work I want to do will make me happy, but I continue to think my marriage is the problem. I guess the only way to find out is to try the right work first; much easier to change--except that my husband won't want to let me. I guess maybe tackling one problem might be tackling both...

fear of failure with personal relationships, friendships and more and even on some level professional life. I've grown a lot in the past few years. There was a point in my life that I was too scared to even call up a friend who had made it clear she wanted to hang out just because I was afraid that she really didn't want to see me and would say no. While, i've certainly grown since then, its still a bit anxiety filled when I ask to hang out or when I ask about my job. I sometimes don't want to ask to for a better job and or askkwhy for fear of being told that i'm just not good enough. I always thought that I would never be one of those people who feels like having a guy like me will make my self confidence boost. but before, the first guy like me and showed intrest in me that i also had interest in, i thought it would never happen. By finding a guy and having that first kiss, i know its now possible and I'm much less hesitant than i was before with interacting with guys. By knowing its possible, i'm more confident with making those decisions. Long story short, i plan on forcing myself to continue doing things that i may not be comfortable with but will get me out of my comfort zone and realize then its not so bad out of that comfortable zone.

I have a fear of confrontation, which ruins relationships because, when I don't bring up tough subjects, I end up dwelling on the negative and becoming bitter. It also sissfies me -- I need to man up and not care so much about what others think of me! I'm trying hard to get better at confronting people...one conflict at a time. And conflict comes easy when you have roommates and work with difficult people.

my fear is change. next year I have to go to college and it frightens me to leave my friends and family and life that im so accustomed too. hopefully in the next year I will come to terms and accept the inevitable.

My fear is of being successful and having to deliver. Perhaps this is also the fear of failure. This has totally limited me and I'm in the process of letting it go and overcoming it already. I joined a committee at work and have volunteered to lead one of the projects. I was very anxious about doing this, but so far everything is going smoothly. It's hard to let go of a habit and the fear of failure or fear of success ( almost the same ) is so pervasive that my first reaction is always, no I can't do that. So first I have to acknowledge the fear and then I have to act on overcoming it. No more hiding behind it.

Fear of being stuck! And imagine, it's keeping me stuck :) Also some fear of being stuck in the current and being overwhelmed. And of not living the life I want to be living. I plan on being WITH these fears and taking them in, finding ways they can serve me. I believe that only by being with the things we don't "like" and making room for discomfort to be an OK feeling, can we truly gain strength and move forward.

I fear the loss of joy and happiness in my life. I have experienced some pretty huge losses in my life, starting with the death of my mother when I was only six years old. It has punctuated most of my life by making me sure that happiness will be taken from me again. It has happened a few times, usually right at the time when I have been happiest. It makes parenting difficult: I fear my son facing major illness, injury, abduction, ADHD, you name it. The negative babble in my head won't shut up! I guess the only way to really over come this is to face my past in therapy, and work thru the events that shadow (and pursue) me. But this too seems like an overwhelming task.

I still fear new people, new business ventures when I do not feel like I am educated enough in that area of business. Instead of just doing it and figuring it out, I wait to educate myself more and I hold back. I cannot succeed in anything if I continue to do that. I should have no fear because I am smart and well spoken and at the end of the day probably know more than most people about everything. I have tended to not speak up in my personal life due to fear as well because I have been so trained to say what people want to hear even though that may not be exactly what I want. I need to make my words clear and communicate property as it will not change the outcome. Fear changes the outcome. The rest of the world is going to do exactly what they want to do, so I need to do the same therefore I am true to myself at all times and my word is impecable. That is what I am going to do. I am simply going to become more consious of how fear affects me getting what I really want and remind myself that I am on ly happy when I communicate honestly and do not care what others think as they will think what ever they want no matter what I do. I have come so far in living without fear in many aspects of my life. AsI get involved again in business I must keep my fear out and communicate directly and honestly. I will have a mantra for that to remind myself daily of my value and I must approach all things without fear and with direct honesty in communicating what I want and need without fear of not pleasing the other person.

I'm afraid of passing through life meaninglessly and then being forgotten. It's easy to say 'nothing matters' and ultimately no one will be remembered, but it doesn't stop me from having that anxiety. Unfortunately it hasn't motivated me enough to take more action and do more things. I'm not sure how I will overcome this fear. Perhaps with acceptance of my mortality and insignificance, but the latter is not something I want to accept.

My fear is being alone. I really want a family of my own. Since I will be turning 40 in march, the prospects of that happening are, in my opinion, getting slimmer and slimmer. I was on Jwed and Jdate and sent off a number of hellos to guys but never got any response. And I the one or two I did we only talked once and that was it. So in some ways I feel like I need to give up on my dream of having my own family and just accept that I will never be married or have kids. Even thought deep down I will always want that.

My greatest fear is abandonment; it has crippled me. I've pushed away everyone I love at some point, I've burned bridges, ruined so many friendships. And in the end I've always been incredibly lonely. I don't know if I can let it go or overcome it and in all honesty, I can't say that I want to. I haven't gotten used to loneliness, but it is a constant friend.

My greatest fear is losing my husband. He is only 62 but he has diabetes, prostate cancer, emphysema and has had bypass surgery. Yet he still smokes. Like a fiend. Ever since we tried to stop smoking a couple of months ago, Don has switched from lights to the strongest cigarettes he can find. He has to know he is killing himself. I know I need to back off and let him make his own decisions, as we humans tend to desperately want whatever it is we aren't supposed to do, AND whatever we are being nagged about.

A holdover from a past relationship that was very abusive...I am afraid of making my current partner angry, even though he would never abuse me. I am afraid to the point that I bottle my "real" self sometimes and don't share my conflicting viewpoints about things, or stand up for my own needs and wants. I need to take a deep breath and realize that this is okay to do, and in fact, necessary for my soul to survive.

I was just journaling about fear. I am afraid of failure and not reaching my manifest destiny. I am often afraid to fail, and so I don't follow my dreams out of perfectionism. This coming year I would like to meditate and rebalance myself to eliminate irrational concepts. I also am going to take major leaps and not worry about coming up short. I would like to dedicate myself to learning new skills and becoming good at them, instead of moving from one thing to the next. Fear is probabaly the most limiting thing there is.

I always feared being poor. Now that I'm destitute and somewhat unskilled (except as a writer), I've learned to simply take inventory of the ways I'm kept safe, and propel optimistically forward.

My fear of judgement, hostility or negative criticism at work. I just need to let it go and have more confidence in myself. I take everything to heart so much. But how do you grow a thicker skin? Experience, I guess. We'll see what happens. Maybe I should 'put myself out there' more - because there's a hell of a lot of people out there who brag about themselves and bask in the limelight, yet do half the work I do.

I have a fear of money. I want to have a better relationship to managing it and saving it. I began this week by sharing my issue with my girlfriend and asking for her support and guidance,

I fear rejection - social rejection primarily. I fear social embarrassment and professional embarrassment. This actually hasn't limited me - I continue to throw myself out there in both arenas because it is my nature to do so. But I live with a lot of self-regret and self-loathing, regretting almost everything I say, write or do. I think that someday, when I am old, I will finally just say, "fuck it" and do and say what I want without this constant all-encompassing anxiety. It will be the one really good thing about being elderly.

I still have a large fear of death. And losing things. I think I've loosened up with fear of losing things though because I have my family around me all the time. But I refuse to travel any where with poisonous animals/creatures or things that could potentially kill me. I don't think I'd want to experience those places but who knows. That fear i will hold on too for now. The other one i can slowly let go.

A fear I have is that I won't be able to have babies and that no one will want to have babies with me. I was diagnosed with PCOD this year and it greatly affects your chances of giving birth. While it is still very much possible, there is no one in my life that is interested in a relationship with me, let alone children. And I'm afraid there never will be. I've been trying to let it go for years, the best I can do is to not dwell on it and let it get me down. I focus on my career and assume that everything will eventually fall into place.

I fear dying slowly, with increasing debilitation. I don't fully understand why I am so tired and sore, and achy much of the time. I will seek medical attention to my hip situation again, as that is the source of much pain and slow down for walking, stairs, etc. Fear of letting people down in ANCHR, CHIP, Family, life, CSUC, etc. by not doing various writing and research projects. The less I care, the better I am about that, and I may need to accept little to no production by me for the rest of my life.

I am afraid of ending up alone, and i find myself attracted to men who cannot stay. So i plan on embracing solitude and not chasing after momentary pleasures-- its what i need to do anyways with my life and my art. Maybe I like to distract myself with sex to avoid doing the things I am afraid I'll fail at. This year I'd rather take better care of myself, and maybe when I'm happy with me, I'll find myself attracted to someone who can stay.

Again, it's the same issue with me every year. It's the fear of rejection, failure whatever you want to call it. I don't know why. Maybe it started when I was younger and was told by people, "Only do it if you do it well". How limiting is that belief! With my back against a wall, I have to do something and this fear will dissipate for it must. I can be successful in whatever I do. I've shown it in raising two wonderful children who have a world of possibilities open to them. I tell them, do your best and remember, the media magnifies it all to make people think and sometimes to frighten everyone. Now I need to read my own words, and just keep trying...

Fear of being alone, fear of making a mistake, fear of not being good enough or independent enough. Fear of missing out on opportunities or letting things go. I need to stop worrying so much about others and focus on taking care of myself when I need to.

I have a horrible fear of umbrellas which often leads to me getting soaking wet and can be horrific in a crowded place on a rainy day! My daughter plans to use what she's learnt in psychology to help me get over it!

Fear of commitment. I am afraid of getting pinned down by someone I believe I love, just to have it, as always, proved wrong. Yes, it is miserable at times being alone, but I just tend to pick the wrong guys, all the time, alone is what it has to be.

I worry about not doing enough for others. I worry if I start putting myself first, others won't like me for it. I have already started overcoming this by setting intentions and meditating daily and just getting used to "being" myself and used to feeling how that feels. At first it's unfamiliar, but I'm starting to like it! Coming from a higher place allows me to be able to BE a better source of help and giving toward others.

My fears center around disappointing other people and not being able to keep everyone (including myself) happy. I will continue to work on communication, communication, communication and being as honest as I can with everyone about my needs.

Fear that I won't be able to make a living keeps me from quitting my job and just freelancing around. Specifically I want to create cool graphics and not worry so much about the bureaucracy of all these internal meetings. But I'm afraid if I let go of what I have right now, I just won't be able to find the work I need to keep the lifestyle I have.

Failure. I need to speak up more, take more risks. We learn by being wrong, instead of waiting to be right - take more chances and adjust on the fly.

I very much fear not being able to live up to expectations of me, particularly as a student. I have very high expectations of myself and tend to feel that I can understand and do anything I need to with enough time, effort, and exposure, and I can get very frustrated or even panicked when struggling more than I expect. I also fear letting down those whose faith in me has given me all the wonderful opportunities I have, most particularly Sara. Her guidance and recommendations helped get me into Princeton, and I feel that anything other that stellar achievements here reflects poorly on her too, which I want to avoid at all costs. Like everyone here I sometimes worry I'm not cut out for this work (though often I feel like it's a perfect fit too), and I feel like I need to work extremely hard to do the best possible. Last night I had a crisis of confidence about taking the evening off when I could have been working because I'm so scared of falling behind my classmates and everyone's expectations. I don't want to be so consumed with that that I forget everything else in my life that matters. Adam is great for keeping me grounded, although I know that my struggle with this can be very frustrating for him. I hope that my ties with him and other people outside of this high pressure high expectations environment keep my life in perspective.

Fear of not being able to support my kids and my business partner keeps me in the same work space I've been for twenty years. Money concern is a contant thrum in my head. I think the best way to proceed is gradually, like the thai grocery store around the corner did. Slowly, over the years, they converted their convenience store into one of the top thai restaurants in the city. It takes forward motion. Also the idea of tackling a big writing project for myself makes my shoulders hunch up and my muscles tense. Is that fear of failure, of getting hurt? It's what I do when I'm in the sparring ring too.

I fear expressing myself and trying new experiences because I am afraid that what I have to say isn't valid, or is unacceptable, and that trying something that is out of my comfort zone will end in failure or disappointment. As a result, I have always played it safe and squelched my instincts and desires -- to such an extent that I no longer can even identify them. I do not know how to let this go, or how to overcome it but I recognize its existence and I recognize that it is keeping me from living in an authentic way. It is keeping me from living the one life that I have. So, I understand that letting go and overcoming the fear is work that I will undertake this year.

Fear of handing the world over to my grandkids' generation having failed in most of what I believed in politically, ie, losing the democracy I am so passionate about. I never thought the radical right could have taken things over to this enormous extent, nor the monied interests simply have been able to buy what they want in the government. This fear is semi-paralyzing. I have no idea how I am going to overcome this, except by bumbling along and being the connective tissue for the networks I access, helping people be informed. This isn't nearly enough, so I now declare that there is an open and receptive space in my life and in me for getting all new ideas for better intervention, for what we can do to effectively take back the democracy Ben Franklin warned us we might lose.

I have a fear of rejection, a fear of not being like, a fear of standing up for myself (not in the business world, but my personal life). I have a fear of asking for time for myself, for needing kid free space and time. I fear not being loved. I fear being boring. I fear failing...and lately I feel like I am failing at a lot f things.

A fear that I have is not being able to push myself mentally and physically this year. I will have to work harder than I ever have in the past to overcome this struggle.

Fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of not being enough, fear of not fulfilling (my and others') expectations, fear of ... living the life I want? F.E.A.R. = False Evidence Appearing Real (Forgot who said that, Jim Rohn? Definitely not my own idea!)

I'm still afraid of making mistakes, starting conversations with people I don't know, and taking initiative on projects where I don't know everything I think I need to. And these fears are not going away--I'm a risk-averse person, and I think that studies have demonstrated that risk-aversion is fairly neurologically hard-wired. But I have been working at dealing with them more effectively, by embracing mistakes instead of recriminating myself and seeing potential social embarrassment as an opportunity for growth.

I fear dying before my grandchildren are grown, before I've accomplished all I want to do with my novels. I don't let it limit me, rather it energizes me to make sure I do things with now rather than delay. I also fear that my husband will die before me and having to go on as a widow. Can't let that one go, or do much about it.

I have stage fright. The truth is I love speaking, acting, and performing in public. But I get so nervous each time - and that prevents me from grabbing onto, or even creating my own, new opportunities. I have a lot of talents and strengths, thank G-d, and I hope to develop enough confidence this year to step above my fear and take the initiative to stand up and do more... because I have a lot to offer.

Still not always fully myself, and still sometimes a general fear of what others might think or how they might react, especially people that don't know me, when I want to speak to strangers. Solution: Just going for it!:)

My biggest fears are invasion of my privacy, and subjugation of my sovereign will. I have worked too hard for too long to just hand over everything that I am or that I have. I have been placed in that position in my life and I refuse to ever go back. My mind, body, spirit, heart, and energy are my own. I would fight and kill and die to keep it that way if left with no other choice...

I have a terrible fear of heights. I can't stand it! It has meant not going up in the Eiffel Tower or in the Millenium Wheel in London. Whenever I encounter it, I simply try to push past it, get someone to help me get to a seat in a theater, arena or stadium and try hard to not let it limit me. Fortunately, it doesn't prevent me from flying and I have never had to make a decision about taking a job or not in a tall buidling. I have made myself go up in high buildings in NYC -- Empire State and the WTC (although not outside), Chicago's John Hancock Tower and so on. I don't think I will ever completely overcome this fear, but I do try to push through it when an opportunity to do something interesting presents itself in a high place.

A year ago, I still had the fear of being and dying alone. Now I know that I am never alone. Whenever I fear not finishing what I came here to do, I remind myself that I am in the perfect space and time and that all will unfold in the most perfect way for me, a common mortal seeking enlightenment.

I'm scared of heights. It means that I can't go on ski lifts, which doesn't sound like a big deal, but it's limiting. My fiance's family has a ski trip every year. I don't think that not skiing makes a great first impression. I don't plan on letting it go or overcoming it. I hadn't actually even considered it, though, so maybe I will think about it. It just seems to be a very legitimate fear.

I fear failure. I've always gone the "safe" route so that I can always *secure* a job, keeping a "clean record," and not being thought of as someone who made too many mistakes. I want a nice job, but I know most "nice jobs" make people very unhappy. I play in a band with my best friends, and I want to do that until I can't anymore. I shouldn't be afraid to do what I feel is my "calling."

My greatest fear is of rejection, I hate to make phone calls, walk into new situations. I worry that people won't like me. But, to have a meaningful and connected life I will keep reaching out, putting myself in situations where I can find like souls and trying not to let my nerves make me awkward or talking too much. I want to let my authentic self out there and let it draw the people I need in my life.

I have a fear of approaching boys. It limits me because I don't have a boyfriend!

I think I fear being ugly and gauche. One way I can change that is to smile at people and listen. I fear the weight of all my responsibilities - I can give Ben more, or see what happens when I don't take charge, or to take charge of things because I want to, rather than blaming others for not doing them for me . . . If I do the work that I want to do and stop imagining Ben is judging me (or judging my self), and just do things, then I will feel fulfilled rather than bitter.

I am afraid of dying alone. This fear has produced a lot of anxiety within me, and has made me incur several anxiety attacks. I worry way too much, and think negative things. One of my best friends told me that when I start doing this, I need to recognize it, and think other things. Shift my mindset, and just remember that I am healthy, and I am fine. A few pains are normal in a 20something year old body. --- I'm also often afraid of running out of money. If I can plan on earning more money, or living within a better budget (planning better, maybe) that might suit me just fine.

The fear that I am too lazy and selfish to ever really change. Sometimes I'm afraid that the die was cast long ago and that I'll never really have the strength to reshape it. I'll overcome in the coming year by continuing to work hard to prove that isn't true. By being aware of when I'm allowing myself to slide and try to get better at getting back on track faster. I may have to own up to the fact that I might be someone who can't succeed without real regimented structure and scheduling. Unless I have to do something I probably won't do it.

I fear my husband will die suddenly. Over the last 3 years we both have had major health problems, my stabilized and his are chronic. He tries to prepare me for that eventuality, but I don't want to accept it. I plan on discussing it at great length with my therapist and see if she can guide me to acceptance.

A fear I have is money. I'll never have enough; not because I'm materialistic and want to buy the latest and greatest gadgets, but I'll never have enough to live on. It's incredibly hard just to survive in this country and I'm terrified that, despite my hard work and excellent education, I'm never going to be able to support myself. I don't think I will be able to let it go.

If I think I have done something "bad", which usually means something that I have failed to do, not something I have done, I get stuck, because I can't face not being "good", even to myself. My plan is 1. to call or write 2 people, contact that's overdue by several years, and to to take care of two more things that are hanging over my head. 2. When I feel the sensations that accompany the lack of action, to remember to focus on the task or other person, and act. And to remind myself that I am not bad just because I delayed, and that it is better to get it done.

i am afraid i am living a life without import. as in i am not doing anything important or worthwhile. and i know that there's a ton of ego all wrapped up in that little fear, because of course, on one level, it's true. i am just one person and one person is no better, bigger or more important than any other. so yeah i get that it's silly. however. i am afraid that the fear (fear of the fear, ah yes, it's layered like that) has meaning and the meaning is that i am not being all that i can be. that i am meant to be doing something and i am not doing it. i am not living a full life. my full life. the life i could be living if i just did...something more, something else. i woke up this morning and wondered, where did this fear come from. where has the swagger gone? where is the adventurous spirit? settling down is kind of boring, heh? i mean i'm doing a ton; working, working with david, volunteering, taking chemistry so how come i don't feel more fulfilled, more nourished? i think i need to prune. i hate pruning. i want to do everything. but i can't. i can't!

I am afraid of dying--not so much experiencing the cause of death (though, naturally, I hope it will be quick and peaceful), but the ceasing to be. In a way, rather than serving as an impetus to strive to accomplish my goals, the fear hinders me. Somehow, the fear expands to thinking that if I reach the goals, I'll die sooner. I'm not sure how to manage this fear, but hope to redirect the angst to another more productive path.

I fear that I never will get married and that I will always be single. I fear that I will always be in debt. I fear that I won't be able to get a job after I finish my degree. Instead of dwelling on these fears I want to live life with confidence and know that what I am doing will eventually lead to sucess in my life.

My greatest fear was triggered for the first time two and a half years ago when I suddenly lost the use of and feeling in the lower half of my body. For 48 hours I was in the intensive care unit of the local hospital completely paralyzed from my chest down. After a few days it was determined that the paralysis was a result of the overabundance of opium-based pain medication in my system to deal with the chronic severe bone pain resulting from my systemic mastocytosis. For two days I lost all control of my body and my life. I fear nothing more that losing the use of my body and having to rely on others to help me get through the day. I have already had to accept the loss of my ability to do many of the things I was able to do before masto placed its many limitations on my abilities.I just can't imagine having to be at the mercy of others for my most basic needs. Luckily this one episode with paralysis was reversed and after 8 days in the hospital I was able to return home. To overcome this "monkey on my spine". One step I am taking to overcome this fear is that I have decided to live with more pain and less pain medication. So far, so good. I am also drafting very detailed instructions (to be witnessed and notarized) telling my wife, brothers and children of my desires to end my life if I am totally incapacitated. I am not afraid to die, I am just afraid to live a life inside the prison of a paralyzed body.

My greatest fear is losing a loved one. I was faced with this fear this year when Guinness died. I was lucky to have many months to prepare myself, so I handled his death quite well. I think the root of this fear is a simple fear of abandonment, and I think I still suffer from it greatly. Yes, I know I can handle it and move forward fro it, but it doesn't change the fact that I am still nearly paralyzed by it.

I fear my parents coming old and ill. This limits me as I can be hard on them. I fear not achieving my potential. When I think back, there have been a number of times when I have not fulfilled my potential. Maybe this is due to not really knowing what my potential is or simply not knowing how to fulfil it. I fear never being completely content - with all aspects of my life. I fear the yeas going by and me looking back and questioning what I achieved. I definitely fear rejection and failure. Ways to overcome this could be to learn to know myself better. I make the most of every minute I have with those I love. I think very important is to find the confidence to be myself and that should be enough to reach the heights that I'm able to.

Fear of public failure and humiliation. It makes me worry about trying new public things and I see people do huge new projects and I envy their fearlessness and their accomplishments. I'd like to be one of those people.

Right now, the only fear I have is that I won't be able to play sports anymore, because of my bad shoulder. There are a lot of sports I want to become good at that all require use of both of my arms, and currently I can't do any of them. I plan on fixing it by either getting surgery done on it or doing a lot of therapy and muscle building around my right shoulder. I also plan on becoming a lefty, to take pressure off my right shoulder in the future.

losing my job/allowing myself to be successful- let's see what this year bings!

I fear isolation, extreme unfamiliarity, and death. I think these are mostly healthy and reasonable fears. I have a couple silly phobias as well (bugs, fire alarms) that I usually handle by removing myself from the situation and calling in someone else to handle it. But the real, deep-set fears? They are valuable, and not things I can just "let go" or "overcome." Instead, I try to incorporate them into my life in a healthy way. Extreme unfamiliarity is probably the hardest to put a positive spin on, but also one of the most ingrained. I am spoiled by the modern conveniences of the western world, and anything less than that gives me pause. But I know this, and I know I can survive in a much more primitive environment, and I relish the opportunity to do so every now and then, even if it scares me a little. This all boils down to: live outside your comfort zone. It's healthy.

I have a fear that I am inadequate. It has limited me in that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy at any time that I become fixated on this idea. I shut down emotionally and my mind goes blank. I'm letting it go by acknowledging that this is merely a process of resistance within myself, that I need to release thoughts about this and instead put my energy into embracing what's in front of me.

Fear of failure is my primary road block. I never dream up an idea, decide I want to pursue it and actually DO it. I often decide not to try, staying within my comfort zone, and then feeling "less than". I fear that if I try to learn something I'd really like to be good at, like speaking another language fluently, learning to sing beautifully, playing an instrument, exercising for health and weight management...I will absolutely not measure up to others' and my own expectations. I plan on letting this go just by seeing opportunities and taking them as they come, rather than saying, "No, I can't" or "No, I shouldn't".

Fear of failure which prevents me from completing many things because I'm so scared that it won't be a success. But that fear of failure is wha't s caused me to fail because it deters me from the actuality of success. So now whenever I really want something, I go for it. When I start a story, I strive to finish it - regardless of whether anyone besides me will ever read it. My fear of rejection may be strongly intertwined with this as well but I've learned that no matter how amazing you are - and I'm absolutely amazing - everyone has to deal with rejection as some point in their life, in some form and if you let that get you down or discourage you from pursuing what's out there then you're doomed in your personal life and your career. I talk to myself and ask myself - is this going to matter in a few weeks, a few months, a few years. Depending on what it is and how bad I want, I proceed with my decision to NOT let the negativity and hurt that are attached to fears.

I think my fear of rejection,and my anxiety of losing those around me has held me back in being a more open person.im going to try and let go of it

I am afraid of not having enough--love, intelligence, food, money. I aspire to let go--to not hoard anything. I intend to give of myself and my stuff without attachment. And I hope to receive without entitlement or shame.

Fear I have is never being in a relationship. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I have an issue with men. I have had a bad father and have been brought up in a household where having a boyfriend is unexceptable. This was a form of brainwashing. I have great friends and only have guy friends who are in relationships. I am currently going to counseling and opening myself up to the idea of relationships. So far I have kept up with my single guy friend relationships.

Fear of fucking up as a parent. I plan on letting it go by knowing that I am doing my best, and my best is all I have. But if I see that I'm not doing my best....I need to be aware of that and change my behavior immediately (like in the case of divided attention while caring for my kid).

I have a fear of losing my job. Because my partner's employment up until now (he's gone back to school) has been tenuous at best, I've felt like I *had* to be the sole provider and bread winner. Learning that one of the partners is retiring and that I may be out of a job after Christmas has been a HUGE stressor for me. My plan is to start my own business so I can work for myself and the only retirement I'll have to worry about is my own someday.

I seem to be afraid of my own success. It limits me in my reaction to it, which is to hide out, paralyzed, and procrastinating, unable to move forward or sometimes move at all. I am committed to focusing on my plan for my future, once i see it, and using that to keep me moving forward past my fears. I have no reason to fear my success, as any move i have made past my fear in the past has been very positive and successful.

The first question is an easy one for me. I have spasmodic dysphonia, which leads me to fear speaking in many contexts. It can be tremendously limiting, especially in terms of career. Staying relaxed, calm, and serene are the best ways of mitigating the effects, which is closer to "letting go" than "overcoming". Being strong and fearless, knowing G-d is with me, will also help.

In a small sense- I'm really scared of clowns and it limits me when pictures of clowns come up/going into haunted houses/talking about clowns. In a big sense- I am just scared to be unhappy. I want to have a happy future.

My biggest fear is that of not being accepted for my own self.This limits me in that I am always trying to please others and not take care of the things I would like to do for myself. There are family , friends , people in need , social issues , many people whose needs command attention that I might be using on my writing , study , art projects , personal stuff such as clothes and beauty . As I age , demands lessen , and I sometimes do not use the newly available time in a wise manner. Focus and direction are what I need for the few remaining years left to me.What is important ?What is better let lie ?Day by day is how I live now . Then I go outside and enjoy the fine day.

I have a fear of falling apart, and crashing and burning over the course of the year. I am a Senior in high school taking 3 AP classes and 2 GT classes, along with filling out college applications, and serving as Regional President for my youth group. I'm already stressing out and losing a lot of sleep, and I've had to be picking up my Regional Board's slack many times so far. However, I know that I can get things together and better organized. I will triumph.

I have a fear that if I say or do the wrong thing, then nobody will like me or want to be my friend. I'm afraid that they'll think I'm weird or one of those people who just doesn't relate to anyone else. I'm scared that I'll have nobody..and I'm not sure how I'm going to change that.

The unknown. I fear where I'm headed. Only because I have no clue where that is/could be. Working with and getting (copious amounts of) help from God. Letting go of my need to control everything. Letting go of thinking that I am in control, because I'm not & therefore, what's to come is only a small matter.

I fear that i will not take full advantage of everything i can do in college- like clubs, volunteering, study abroad. I plan on getting more involved and making sure I make the most of this experience.

I fear that I am becoming an anachronistic part of an anachronistic institution. I plan to let go of that fear by embracing my role and my church more fully while continually working to open opportunities for younger persons with younger ideas.

A fear I have is not being good enough. I want to write, but distract myself continuously because "what if I'm not good enough."

I know I have money fears - not having enough, etc., but who doesn't these days. You have to live, and you can't live in fear. I guess I just have to trust that God will provide, as he always has.

I fear rejection. That is why I never told anyone of my being gay. That's why I've never attempted to date. That's why I'm not super outgoing. That's why I don't talk around people I don't know. But I'm working on it. I try to talk to strangers. I am becoming more open about who I am. I am giving people a chance before I assume they will reject me. So far, I like the change.

I am afraid to speak up for what I want because I am not in a position to pay my own way in the world. This fear stops me from even considering what I really want out of situations and relationships. I am paying down my debts and working to be clear and authentic in all my conversations. That is how I will overcome this.

Fear of failure. Fear of my business failing.

I've been afraid to let go of all the abuse because I thought that was what was keeping me from becoming an abuser. But I think that's not necessarily true. And I'm going to spend the year learning about myself-who I am and who I can be without all the effects of the abuse.

I fear that I will never beat my weight issue, that each year will be the same as the last, doing the same thing and getting the same result. The only way I can beat this fear is to prove myself wrong and do what I know to do to have the result I want. I have to totally shift who I am BEING from someone who gives in to every food whim to someone who is bigger than the food.

I have and have had a fear of running out of money. Now I am no longer employed, I am depending on the will and mechanisms of insurance agencies, including the federal government, to deposit money into my bank account. Having to trust something or one else to take care of me goes against my grain. I plan to sit with my fear and my situation and notice moment to moment what comes up out of my depths-- whether it is fear, love, anger or joy. I plan to stay with this place and time to see how it all unfolds.

I don't think of myself as having any fears, but if I think of the ways I limit myself it comes down to a fear of being judged, rejected, or not liked. This of course is based on an irrational belief that everyone must like me, or that others' judgments will hurt me. In the coming year I plan to be more conscious about how this fear limits me, and behave in ways that allow me to overcome it.

I fear injections. It's not irrational. I guess it limited me this year as one of my medications was a subcutaneous injection. So I did anything I could to stop having to get it. I may not always feel great, but I'd rather this than what those injections gave me.

That I will never produce anything artistic or creative again. Hopefully having a dedicated space and time will allow me to feel relaxed about just sitting down with a project. Having an area where I can just let a project 'be' and let it evolve w/out feeling like it will be ruined or forgotten actually gets me excited about being creative. I get really anxious thinking about where to find a space and how to keep it free of dust, dog and everyone else's detritus. I become immobilized and just give up.

My fear is that Im will not be able to get my wieght under control. I plan to approach weight loss with a sensible long term plan along with an exercise program developed by a personal trainer.

The fear of failure has limited me. I hope to fix that by jumping in and failing, and teaching myself that just because something failed, doesn't make me a failure, and I'm still valuable when things I've done don't work out.

Fear..ha-ha! of course I have fear besides of dying before I'm a hundred...of bridges when they are jammed up with bumper to bumper traffic....airplane travel when turbulence sets in...dying without a will... How has it limited me? I don't go as many places as I once did and play more in my own back yard. What I can do to let it go: plan travel when there isn't traffic, fly only in good weather and make out a will as soon as possible. And to Breathe and pray and call my daughter to "talk me over the bridge" ; pray when in the air for a smart pilot and fill out those forms sooner than later. Of course I can also write about it as I have before and make use of all these anxieties in another solo show.

I constantly worry about being a crap mother. At times, I don't doubt I am. But at those times when my kids are laughing and we're all enjoying each other's company, I still fear it all ending because of something I do/don't do. Today I spoke to the school nurse which is hopefully going to turn this all around for me. She's visiting next week and I'm hoping I can get some help in making better decisions and being a better mum more of the time. Kids, if you're reading this sometime in the future: I love you more than anything else in the world and want to make sure you have every opportunity to be the best you can be. You aren't with me tonight and my heart is broken for so many reasons. I wish I could make it alright for us all. xxx

Fear that I won't live up to my own expectations, which are largely based on competition with others and perfectionist ideals. Fear that I'll be a washed-up has-been who is no longer interesting. Fear that being happy means being safe and dull, and that I'll constantly be resting on my former glories because I just don't have it in me anymore to always be outside my comfort zone and be unhappy in pursuit of adventure. I have a great life. But I'm afraid to enjoy it because it doesn't necessarily live up to the unrealistic expectations I've set for myself, expectations that are not based on what I really want, but on what I think I should want. I don't know how to overcome this, other than to try to decrease perfectionism and to try to let go of constructed constraints.

My fear is that as my life grows shorter, I will run out of time to complete my goals. I plan to take one day at a time, with a goal worked on each day.

I'm afraid I can't finish school. I am lacking motivation to a critical level. I'm so close, but so far. To overcome it, I'm going to have to take it a day at a time. I have a long game plan, so I don't need to monitor that very closely. I can just keep going day to day, and each day will be closer to being done.

A fear of moving on, I suppose. I've recently become happy in myself, in my friends, in my whole life really. I hope this year I can move on and go to university or whatever without leaving my friends or hurting the relationships I've just built.

I'm scared of what others think. Sometimes I go out of my way to be accommodating because I want people to like me and I'm scared of inconveniencing them in the same ways I've been inconvenienced. I also think my most hated emotion is disappointment, so I am always trying to not disappoint others. I'm pulled in too many directions many times and then can't hear my own thoughts. That's why I need to write--the paper is not going to judge me, so I can speak completely without trepidation or bias. I can sort through my fears and get to the root of my issues, concerns, hopes, joys, dreams, and every other thought in between. It keeps me grounded and prevents me from wavering from my true feelings. In the next year, I want to gain confidence so I have less trouble saying "no" and become even more in tune with what I'm feeling, rather than debating if I should give in to somebody else's demands.

Too many ...to many times. A fear that has limited me is not being able to get a job with the experience I DO have. I wish I listened when ma told me, "Yes, you're very talented, but talent doesn't pay the bills in-between the insanity of waiting for the next gig to be booked. Thanks Ma. I'm back in school to work my way to a BA degree, but in the meant time I need to make money. Enough to where I feel my confidence come back and to where I feel independent again. I want a great job I am making a difference in while taking night classes. Looking for work I love in the Jewish Community and/ or local government in a more creative way must be in order. .

My biggest fear is failure. My parents and boyfriend are content with everything I've accomplished in my life so far. They feel like I'm on track and doing the best I can. However, I put pressure on myself to be perfect, never quit anything, and succeed. I have my own ideas of what perfect success is and I don't stop until I achieve it. After I take the GRE at the end of November, I plan on taking it easy for a while. Although I feel like I need to start graduate school right away, I know the best thing to do is wait and figure out the correct program to enter to. Being patient is hard for me because I am overcome with the sense that I am wasting time instead of being productive. However, I need to rest and make sure I am mentally as well as physically healthy before I begin my next challenge. I also plan on not putting pressure on myself to be perfect at whatever my next challenge is. No one is perfect and I shouldn’t strive to be something that isn’t possible.

I have a great fear of not being able to find a job and provide for a family. I plan on exploring the career paths associated with business consulting locally: applying for entry level positions at firms, and applying for basic management positions. I plan to continue working on a start-up web tutoring business with my good friend and prospective business partner.

My fear is that my school workload will inhibit me from providing as much support as I can for my AZA chapter. I'm afraid that I won't be able to manage my homework enough to free up enough time to work on other, equally important things. It's my job to help my brother Alephs help make a difference in the world and better connect to their Jewish identity. If I can't do that, how can I call myself a good Shaliach? Today I am working on an Israel program for the international order. I also have a huge study guide to do for an AP Biology test tomorrow. I hope that I can make ends meet.

Fear of meeting and talking to new people. I'm always afraid I will talk too much or say the wrong things. As far as overcoming it in the coming year, I guess I should try joining some business groups and see if I can actually make friends.

I am afraid that if I go too far into anything that the amount of work I will be letting myself in for will be more than I really want to do.

I have a fear of making a big mistake and it keeps me from being very spontaneous or taking chances. I plan on becoming more grounded in the idea that I can handle whatever mistakes I make and that living life to its fullest requires taking chances without having all the answers in the moment.

I feel like I'm limited by myself and my family. I don't get along particularly the way I want to with my family and I don't think I understand myself enough

Fear that we will run out of IRA money based on todays stock market, before we are 80 and have cut back a lot, maybe more than warranted, for example, put new glasses on hold. Decided to look at things in only 5 year increments and go from there as market cannot stay all this bad. for 10+ years. Buy those necessities.

The fear of getting sicker with my emphysema. I don't have a clue as to how to overcome it.

I fear that I, like my father and my uncle and my grandmother will get Alzheimer's and die before I die, confused and lost and essentially a zombie. I honestly do not know how I can let go of this fear. I try to live in the moment but struggle with each birthday and each time I forget something I think I should remember.

I fear losing my daughter now that she is a teen. I fear not being a good enough parent. I plan to try and remember what I am doing right and let go of the guilt of not being perfect.

I worry that I won't perform in my exams; that I won't get in anywhere for university; that I'll regret decisions or actions that I take this year. I worry that I'll embarass myself; that people don't like me; that I'll jettison my relationship. I think I probably need to chill out a little...

I am scared that what I aspire to and work for will never turn out the way I want it to. Its limited me because it has made me focus only on one option or possibility. I plan on continuing to work hard but to also open my mind to other possibilities that will make me happy.

I used to be afraid of what people thought of me and I would let that hold me back constantly. I no longer am afraid to get out of my element and do something that wouldn't necessairly be comfortable to someone else. I have no fears anymore except maybe of spiders but they don't hold me back from anything

A fear i have is failing. I have a fear that whatever i do i will fail, not succeed, or not do well enough. My biggest fear is not doing well enough in school in order to have all doors open for me to choose the path i would like in life. I plan on letting it go by realizing that there is a little girl inside of me from when i was little who felt like a failure and i am going to make my adult sle frealize that i am no longer that little girl and that i will overcome those feelings by reminding myself that i am good enough withe very thing i do... and no matter what happens in life I WILL SUCCEED!

Fear of not being able to continue to afford school/college for our children. I plan to try to work more hours, and see if this is a good answer for my family.

I think that I have a general fear of being rejected. This means that I can tend to "play it safe." I teach without doing anything unexpected, I tend to not get too close to casual friends, I don't ask pressing questions. When I'm feeling vulnerable, I hunker down and work hard, taking care of myself without asking much from others (but still feeling upset that I don't get help from others). I'm starting to get better at opening myself up to more vulnerable situations where I may be taking more risks. I'd like to continue moving in that direction. I think it will bring me to deeper relationships and a more interesting life in general.

I fear continued mediocrity. I fear never knowing what it is I'm supposed to be doing with my career and just floundering. Changing the very nature of who I am seems so daunting and pointless. Every day I have to tell myself that I am not without merit and that I have something to offer this world. Usually I just motor through the days giving no heed to the important tasks I should be doing. I seem to be satisfied w/shopping, cooking, cleaning and taking care of D. It's all fulfilling but shouldn't I be and want more? I think I need a therapist. I'm not sure I can swing that on $7.25 an hour.

Fear of not being able to make enough money in the business to eventually sell it and really retire. It's picking up, but we struggle to bring in the kind of money we need to support two households. I will keep on keeping on and look for alternative ways to create the content we need. Actually, it's not really a fear-more a concern.

I fear always being obsessive. In the past year I lost so many friends from over thinking things. I plan on working on being more laid back.

I'm afraid that I won't be able to make a go of my business. I plan to write more, try to find more speaking opportunities, and talk about it with more people.

I had a fear regarding moving across the county.... how can I do all of that by myself? How will I get a job and find an apartment? But like everything, I have learned to break it all down - write it all down in little- more manageable to-do lists. By breaking it all down in this manner makes it less overwhelming and more do-able. It works! And have faith that it will fall into place. Think positively and be pro-active. Take charge and get it done! So, I accomplished this with a much smaller amount of fear. And everything did fall into place. I got a job, and was recently let go and I am searching again for another, better job. It can be stressful at times and sometimes I think I'm not going to find anything and be hired, but I diligently search every day and apply to whatever jobs I think I am qualified for and would be a good fit and just keep at it. Put that positive approach into action again and know that I am doing my best and everything I can to get another job and I know it will happen soon! I read one quote about fear that is the greatest little piece of advice ---- You have to want the thing you have fear of doing more than the fear of doing it. This has propelled me in the past when I was making the call to get divorced and again when I was preparing my move. Decide that it's really what you want to do and as long as you keep moving forward - even if it's baby steps you will accomplish what you want to do.

I am afraid of leaving the industry I currently work in. This has caused me to be depressed because I feel trapped in what I do, though I know it's not what I'd love to do, nor what I'm best at. I plan to apply to school as well as look into other options to leave my job by this time next year.

I guess my biggest fear is that I will grow old alone and unloved. I have to remind myself of the people that I know love me. There are many. I have to remind myself of my last birthday and the outpouring of love I received. Also, I am NOT alone spiritually, as I have a strong relationship with God. Nothing is more important.

One fear I have is not performing in a way that's traditionally expected of me given how people have come to know / comprehend me over the course of my life. What I will work to do is quite simply look more internally to guided by what drives me, as I know that this will ultimately put me on the right course. I realize that the people around me act as an important check-in for how I'm behaving and developing as a person. Thus, like anything of significance in life, I must balance what I glean from them with what I do to remain internally guided.

I fear getting old and fat. I really do. One I can't prevent and one I can. So I will focus on accepting one and on modifying behavior for the other.

Fear of responsibility for things which are not mine alone. This is why I'm working a job beneath my level of potential. It's a fear of failure, I guess, but specifically fear of failing others and being blamed for all that goes wrong. I'm tremendously responsible at home, but there, it's me and my husband, who will forgive me if I don't get it right every time. Others are not so forgiving. I'm going work on this by taking responsible volunteer positions in a couple organizations we support. For various reasons not having to do with this issue, I'm not going to try to change jobs, so the volunteer thing seems about right.

Fear of experiencing emotions. I am not sure why am I afraid of them, but it goes back to my childhood, I think. I am working on overcoming it by journaling about things from my past, acknowledging the emotions that I might have experienced/stuffed down, and releasing them through forgiveness. This may take a while.

Definitely fear of failure, or fear of imperfection, really. Also, the fear that I won't matter. These fears keep me from experiencing life. I hesitate to commit - to a job, to a partner, even to this house (purchase notwithstanding) - for fear that it will be the wrong choice. So many choices in the world... I'm working on this. Trying to be okay with saying something stupid, or making the wrong pick. It's hard, and slow going. Who will I be if I'm not always striving for perfection? Better off, I suppose. Happier, right?

There's definately a fear of being unloved by a partner. I can do the alone bit. Great fun really, but being alone and unloved is not something that i'm comfortable with. This year will definately be a test! If Michelle and I are truly finished thaen I'm going to have to look elsewhere. I wento out with Steve last night and got the eye from a couple of 'fatties'in Whetherspoons. Holy shit! Is this what it's come too? Ladies darts night in the Swan later, didn't exactly inspire either! I'd like a partner. Actually, I'd like some company. Friendly, connected, adult company. I will get there! Be it socialising in real life, or online. I have time on my hands and anything goes! What the hell, I may even join Facebook! I do need sombody though!

I fear not being useful. This leads me to hurry from one project to the next , to say "yes" when I should sometimes say No, and to over-commit myself, leading me from my top priorities without even noticing it sometimes. I need to stay more focused. I need to make my own dates with my family so they can see they are as important as all the other stuff I do. They are more important & I forget to show it sometimes.

My current fear is saving enough for the move to Iowa and finding a job in Iowa so I can pay for bills. I plan on overcoming it by doing job searches and budgeting tighter.

My main fear in life is not being accepted by others. It has given me less confidence in myself, and has stopped me from becoming a greater person than i am. A greater leader. I am on my way to overcoming the fear, yes, but im still very weak when it comes to people i really like, such as my current crush. This guy is amazing - and i can't help but fearing that he wont accept me. So i talk to him, ALOT , and tell him many many things about me. Im so insecure with myself around him that i need him to accept me as a person. and he does - but i still tell him blunt truths that are a bit weird. its almost as if i expect him to not accept me. But he does, and it gives me confidence and makes me happy - i only wish that acception would turn into something a bit hotter than a friendship . Maybe then i will truly be confident with myself. until then, i will continue to act confident around others. They dont have to knowhow insecure i really am.

I have a fear I will never get off my anti-depressants or out of therapy. I'm working towards making it a reality- I have less frequently therapy appointments and I'm tapering off the meds, but I'm still scared that it won't work or it's too soon. If I need to stay on meds or in therapy there's not much I can do about it without my doctor's approval, besides trying not to be depressed.

Fear of not being enough - to/for myself and those I love - often keeps me busier than I'd like to be as I do all I can to prove myself "worthy". I have been meditating a lot on simply trusting that I am enough and knowing that those I love will let me know what they need, so I don't have to spend so much time keeping busy, trying to anticipate their needs and exhausting myself trying to be enough for them.

I have had a number of health issues and I worry what the future will hold. I am limited in my ability to do things that were second nature and I went where and when I wanted to. It has made me anxious and frustrated because I cannot seem to get any relief due to various medication reactions andit is so hard to find a physician who can offer other options to help me deal with my limitations.It takes so much time and effort to get called back in a timely manner and it takes constant work and time to try to coordinate care that you spend to much time and energy on this rather than being able to handle everything and get on with your life. I fear that I will not be able to go and do with family and friends and I want very much to overcome my pain and its limiting of my activities but have no idea any more or the energy it takes to try and get the right help.I will keep on trying and hope I get the right individual to help me help myself.

I guess more than anything I fear rejection. Whether it's on a personal or business level and that can make it hard to try, try again, but I have always found acceptance is worth the effort. That and sometimes I'm afraid of the dark........kinda odd really.

I have a fear of speaking in front of people, and also somewhat a fear of making people upset with me. As a Nurse, I will need to learn to speak in front of people with dignity and respect, while remaining true to myself and showing great empathy. Having a job as I do as a manager has helped me slightly overcome this anxiety related fear. "I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." -Bill Cosby

I am afraid that I will be alone when I am old or sick. I will keep active and make new friends and hopefully find someone (friend &/or lover) to share living with someday before either of those things happen.

God, what am I NOT afraid of? Everything terrifies me - meeting new people, branching out, writing the damn book I've been thinking about forever. I've always been afraid of making decisions for fear of what others might think or say. When I transferred to Kent. When I quit my job & left D.C. When I moved in with my boyfriend 12 hours away. Now, I'm doing the same thing I've always done, letting fear of judgment hinder my decision-making process. Have I learned nothing from my past experiences? I am always OK - believe in myself.

I have the fear as my daughter becomes a teenager,that I am losing her. As a result, I have tried to stay close to her at a time in her life when she needs to define herself as an independent person. I plan to talk to her about this openly- that she is in a stage of life where I understand that she needs to become more independent, and figure out she is. I want to explain to her that while it is hard for me to let go, that I am trying to do that. I want to find safe ways for her to assert her independence ans challenge her limits. I strive to be present with the impermanence and changing nature of parenting( and life in general) and realize that both she and I are moving int a new time in our lives and identitites.

Money... Going to over come it by getting a new job, finding a muse, paying off debt and moving forward... Saul

I am constantly afraid of not being good enough as a mother and wife. I need to let go of this fear because the very act of believing it gets me depressed, making it harder to be the type of person I want to be. I would like to try keeping track of my successes, instead of keeping a mental list of shortcomings, and rewarding myself when I do something - anything - that affects our family in a positive way.

I am afraid to let go of poison friendships out as a sense of loss aversion. "I spent three years writing to you, you are a jerk in person who mocks me and yet I don't want to let go of you so I will let you come around and upset me, then I will lash out and then I will feel terrible when you end the friendship." Even in writing this I am trying to think of ways to salvage the friendship! I need to be busy and just move past it!

Fear of not being safe and secure, and of taking the "wrong" path. I spent much of the last two years understanding that i was not happy in my job or life path but feeling utterly unable to do anything about it because it would mean choosing the next step. Finally I understand my path is the correct path because it is MY path, and it doesn't have to look like anyone else's. It's still something I have to work on daily though, to make decisions not just because they are the easy and safest ones, but because they are the right decisions for me.

My biggest fear is being alone. In August I leave for college and while I don't know where I am going yet, I'm nervous to start over completely and have to make all new friends. I'll try to overcome it but I'm scared.

I fear ending up alone (without a partner/family/friends) and losing my health. It limits me as it plays on mind and my self-conscience and 'image' worries. I must address it by being more open to opportunities with guys. Perhaps less judgmental, less bothered about being judged, less scared and more honest. I need to be better at keeping contact with people - friends and family alike. I need to have 48hour rule in responding to e-mails, texts, Facebook. My current approach of leaving things off is unacceptable and rude. And I must contact those people who I sporadically see but would like to see more often. I need to be bolder in taking the first step and show initiative and a want to see people rather than expecting them to contact me. Health-wise, I need to go to the doctor, monitor my health, go to the gym and eat well. I need to treat my body with the respect it deserves.

I fear not being liked. I try so hard to please everyone else, when I need to take some time to do what I want to do and please MYSELF. I feel like I have changed myself to be more liked, and this fear also makes me taste the bitterness of jealousy. I want to be me. Whoever is supposed to be in my life will fall into place.

I have a fear of intimacy lest I get heart broken and as a result I have only been letting myself be attracted to men that were not really available so that I don't develop any expectations of them. In the coming year, I pray for God to lead in my life and choose the right man for me and I will surrender to God who can mend any broken heart so that I can be free to explore real genuine feelings for a man as it is one of my wishes to be in a loving relationship.

Fear of change and fear of letting go. When things aren't working I am so afraid of doing something different or making a big decision that will bring me to an unknown place...perhaps that could be a better place, but the fear prevents me from finding out.

I still suffer from feeling that people will judge and betray me if I put my trust in them or am too open. It's one of those things that's more or less omnipresent in my life, though I try to gradually break through it. I hope that this year as I live and grow alongside people who are likeminded and highly intelligent, I will feel more able to get close to others. With a little more experience in a new place, and a prestigious title to put on my CV, I hope I'll feel bolstered in my self-confidence and able to dwell better with myself.

I fear not being "good enough." I haven't written in nearly a year. I tell folks I've been busy moving -- and I HAVE been -- but I also feel somewhat inadequate. I have taken some writing classes and I get great feedback from others, so I KNOW I *can* write. Yet, I fear that I can't or won't "measure up" to some invisible grade. Or that I won't have a strong enough plot/interesting story/ whatever. In the coming year, I may have to chain myself to a chair, but I WILL write more. Maybe some short stories. Maybe even begin a novel. Maybe just write some gibberish -- but I WILL write.

I fear that having been a "collector" will make it difficult for those who have to clean up my stuff after I die. Cleanup must continue, but at an accelerated pace.

That I will never get divorced and that I will have to support my husband emotionally & financially for the rest of his life. I also fear being bullied by him by not asserting myself enough. I plan on letting it go by getting divorced and learning to stand up for myself. By working closely with my coach, and taking really good care of my self through the next year I will be able to not let the fears take over my behavior.

I fear the ordinary, I fear being beige, I have an intense fear of public speaking, I fear losing love. Sometimes i am scared of these normal things, and i overcompensate, pretending i don't fear these things! Stacey, Just be real with life, with who you are and lose the fear, and the rest will fall into place!

I fear people. They freak me out. But it's too big to tackle. I plan on finding the upside to it instead. Interesting writing projects from people-based paranoia? Awesome.

I have trouble standing up for myself in my male dominated job. I hate when people yell and act intimidating. Outwardly I pull off standing my ground fairly well...but I hate that it has to be that way. I don't understand why people act like that. I hope to improve my self confidence and keep some integrity over the next year.

I am afraid that I will never overcome these problems that haunt me. I am afraid that I will look at these answers next year and I will kick myself for not fixing my health, my weight, my job, etc. I don't know how to overcome it beyond what I am already doing.

I fear that my son will not get the grades he needs to get into the college he wants to go to. He has so much to juggle these days, and his "time management" is not stellar. At this point, I just have to let it play out and read between the lines about the choices he is making, and their outcome. Not that I relish the letting go part.....

I fear being alone for the rest of my life. Paradoxically, I have trouble asking for help, to let people I'm close to know when I want company or companionship or need assistance. But I've tried to change that this year -- and no one's run away! So I want to keep working on the relationships I have and continue to make new ones -- and bring them all closer.

I'm afraid of being rejected. I'm going to try to lose weight, so that maybe I can find someone to spend my life with.

This is tough question. I think fear per say has limited me over my lifetime. Maybe the big one for me is to understand why I'm not attracting love and partnership into my life.

I fear new things and change because I am scared that it will not be as good as what I already have going. It caused me to fear college and the whole experience with making new friends and I want to, and have started, to get passed that fear and to enjoy what life throws at me.

My biggest fear is not finding a relationship that is equal as well as passionate for myself and my partner. I am now working on putting myself out there to experience new things and not sit in heartbreak.

I have a fear of letting people down, of not being quite good enough. I'm not sure how to slay this dragon except to keep doing, and keep trying to live up to my own standards, not anyone else's.

Fear of never finding out how to really use my gifts, how to fully be who I am

Fear of being put out on the street with nowhere to go and no place to live. There's not really any way to overcome it except by committing suicide.

I am afraid of walking and it's limited me. In the next year I will try to be more diligent in working with a Physical Terapist who will work on my balance.

Fear of not finding what I love to do with my life (mostly job related).

Fear of failture. I'm worried I won't be able to put the work into finishing school next year. I have no doubt that I will pass, but I don't think I can do my best. I'm worried that I'll never grow up enough to be able to cope with having a family. I break down too often now, and I'm so dependant on space now, what will happen when I have children? This is me, I won't change THAT much in 10 years...

I am afraid of being a bad mother and incompetent attorney. I plan to overcome my parenting concerns by being as present as I can be when I have time with my daughter, and also allowing myself to let go of some of the guilt I have. I hope to take some time for myself and not feel selfish about it. I plan to overcome my competency fears by simply gaining experience. I need to ask more questions and be patient with myself.

I don't really fear many things, although I am sometimes a bit scared of my boss at work. I don't always react well to criticism. It makes me go in my shell, I take it personally, and feel awful. I need to learn to develop a thicker skin, like I use when I'm refereeing. Listen to everyone's feedback, consider it, and take from it what I can use to get better at something. Not all feedback is accurate or useful. I need to prove to my boss that I can do what he wants me to do: take the initiative, win some business, make better use of my time. I feel better now that I've given a good account of myself sometimes and produced some good work. I'm no longer afraid every time he asks to speak to me.

Fear of success/fear of failure. I'm going to overcome it by just doing things. See answer to Question #7. Take action and not worry so much about what happens after that.

Fear that my education won't stick. Fear that what I'm learning won't incorporate. Fear that I'll never KNOW enough to be a great rabbi. Fear of trusting the process

I fear the consequences of having honest conversations with my husband. The only way to keep things ok seems to be to not rock the boat. But I am sinking in the boat and need honest and clear communication. I do not want to have to spend my time managing my husband's anger in order to have a conversation. But I'm going to have to speak. I've waited too long. This year I will speak...consequences be damned.

I i am always afraid that when we spend a lot of money all at once then we won't have any money left. But whenever I spend my money, I feel no fear.

I have a fear of dreaming BIG. I don't allow myself to dream freely, without conviction about what I want in life. I want to learn to think beyond my limits and find my purpose in life. I want to generate an abundant income doing what I love to do. I want to learn to meditate, tap into my passions and step out of my comfort zones.

I fear becoming medically frail or becoming mentally feeble... I'm trying to read more and use my brain in more challenging ways and I really want to (but am resisting) a more active life ( i.e. bike riding, walking longer distances perhaps do another 1/2 marathon!)

I am remarkably fear free. Maybe I define fear differently. To me, fear is something that you think could have a negative effect on you in the future. I don't think much about the future, and when I do, my thoughts are not influenced by fear.

I fear making up a resume and going for an interview for a job. I am supposed to be retired but I need money to spend on more extensive travel. I have started to monitor the internet job sites and will put a resume on the local site.

fear of success, "of my own power". I will overcome it through prayer and attention to the True Self.

I have been really shy for most of my life. I hate being the center of attention, and possibly have a social anxiety problem. I just went to my first Toastmaster's meeting last week, and will work to develop my speaking skills in front of an audience (of supportive listeners). I hope to gain confidence and grow as a better communicator in this coming year. I'll let you know next year how that went.

I think I have lots of fears. One fear that I think I live with is that others won't like me. It sounds so silly when I say it or think it or even write it, but there it is. I think I'm likable, I know people like me, yet I always worry that others won't. I wish I knew how to really let it go. Because telling myself that people do like me doesn't seem to be the way. I'd like to think that I'll just decide that it is a misplaced concern and move on, but it's been with me for so long, I'm not really sure that I totally will ever be able to.

I have a fear of being disappointing to everyone. The biggest thing that I remember about growing up is my mom telling me that I was selfish or how something I had done made her look bad. Because of this I have said yes when I should have said no, overextended myself, and spent more time and energy and money on other people when I should have used those resources for myself. I wound up unable to take care of myself in very basic ways. I have already learned to be better about these things. I need to trust my self and my feeling regarding others and stick to them. I plan to make very concrete time for myself this year. So I can figure out what is important TO ME and start working on it instead of what others THINK is important for me. Because I am one of the LEAST selfish people you will ever find.

I have a fear of losing my friends. It makes me more protective of the friendships that I have, and possibly makes me come off a bit strongly with my friends. I plan on becoming more easy-going by reinforcing my current friendships, and gaining more.

jumping in with two feet, i dip my toe in but inevitably need a push. i've overcome some of this by signing up for triathlons and marathons. pushing my physical limits. what i haven't done is pushed my social, career and relationship limits. this year i will get out more, introduce myself to more people and try to love again.

Self-expression is definitely the anxiety producer. I have been working on it over a long period of time. Small steps builds confidence. Feeling entitled helps. And placing oneself in a supportive environment with people who I trust. It is working.

After three lean business years, my greatest fear is that I will drain the last of the funds that I had saved over the past 40 years and will have nothing but social security and a small retirement stipend on which to live. Letting go of the fear may be an option, but letting go of the need to earn a livelihood is definitely not. Despite the fear, I have always been a fairly optimistic individual. I continue to do substantial amounts of public speaking and volunteer work, and remain hopeful that my business will revive. I will continue to deal with my fear but thinking creatively and acting proactively to cultivate new business relationships.

I fear growing old, not dying, but growing old and looking old. Older men can be attractive and desirable, but the message I get from our culture is nothing is less desirable than an old woman. Women seem to fade into obscurity, while men grow powerful. I wish I had been born a man, how easy!! Women are asked to do the impossible, which is to NOT be effected by time and the elements: defy gravity, defy time. Impossible to live up to that. I don't plan on letting go of it or overcoming it, but I do plan on plastic surgery. I am a product of my environment, I admit freely it. Death will be a sweet release from all the bullshit in this life.

I fear I am wasting my time. I don't know how I will over come it. I have a girlfriend that I love and seem to be waiting on her. At the same time I know my time on earth is limited. I want to travel. I dream about being in another country and teaching English.

I am scared I am not able to handle the pressure and responsibilities of the life I've created for myself - I am doing exactly what I want and intend to be doing, and yet often I feel paralyzed. I am scared I am too busy and fill all my free time with community organizing work and there could not be space left for a relationship. I think to keep it up I need to set better limits on my commitments, and be OK with what I can't do.

The fear that this depression I am feeling and lack of motivation that is keeping me from what I want to be doing won't go away or is untreatable. I plan to throw everything I know and see who ever I have to see till I am told I can't beat it and then start over again.

I fear letting people get too close. If they do they may not like me. I have many acquaintances, but very few close friends. I hope to use my dream group to explore ways to open up.

I fear failing professionally. I work very hard and I really want to succeed in my line of work. Instead of working towards a goal sometimes I'm working against not failing. I think this is limiting. I want to work towards utilizing positive reinforcement to encourage myself and increase my odds of success.

I have a fear of not being able to be super athletic, coordinated, active and committed to being in shape. The limits are obvious. The answers for the cure seem obvious too: Just Do It being the operative phrase. It goes pretty deep, this particular fear. I've had it all my life and it'd be great to get unstuck. The key will be consistency. I am hoping that I will get my back pain alleviated soon (another epidural) which leaves me another big 2 month window of opportunity to get strong. My goal: as soon as the shot takes effect, go to my pilates classes that I have already paid for. Go swimming at a regularly scheduled time and put it in my calendar. Make time for seeing people and see if getting together can involve walking or even getting them to the pool!!

I have a fear that one of my grown children is going to die at a young age due to an existing heart problem. It doesn't limit me, just worries me. I also fear I will never again have a relationship with a man, whether it be just friends to go out with or someone I live with. Part of me accepts I've been in love with and loved by three husbands and a couple others during my forty years of adulthood. Many are not as fortunate. I shouldn't complain. But...I see older couples really enjoying one another and their children and grandchildren....some times I'd like to be a part of a couple rather than always doing things alone. On the other hand, I am so accustomed to doing things alone that it really doesn't bother me but I also realize it's very easy to just stay home. I don't mind that at all until I'm returning from a social event and realize how fun it can be to mingle with others. I'm hoping when I move next year to meet some friends and make it a point to become more social.

I am afraid for my children to be unhappy and I have trouble focusing when things are not working out for them. I have faith that they will work it out and I would like to gain some sense of security from that knowledge.

My general anxiety toward anything and everything. I would very much like to reduce it to a manageable level, which I have thus far been attempting to do (albeit with little success). I would also like to reduce my paralysing fear of being judged for the way I like, specifically for how much I weigh and how "fat" I look, despite being told constantly that I'm almost garishly thin. I want to learn to perceive my body the way everybody else does, and not look in the mirror and see a monster reflected back at me as though I'm staring at a fun house mirror.

Heights, and I don't think it has limited me in any substantial way. I have no plans on dealing with it.

I have a constant fear of rejection, which is why I can never put myself "out there". I have so much determination and will and so many ideas, but I can never put them forth because I'm so intimidated by the fear of them being put down. In the coming year, I'm going to face my fears and make myself a little more vulnerable. I will put rejection in the back of my mind and make it the least of my worries.

My main fear is going to Israel and having nothing to do there (either work or study related). It has limited me drastically with my life decisions. I plan on overcoming it through going to Israel and figuring out my options.

I think I still fear letting go of imperfection. As much as I hate to admit it, it's still keeping me stuck in many ways... and I definitely graze as a result. The perfectionism is definitely around school right now... and it's slowly killing me. :/

Fear that my in-laws will be overbearing and not allow us the opportunity to rear kids how we see fit, not how they want their grandchildren to be. This has forced me to delay having children because I cannot get beyond my overwhelming anxiety that I feel around these folks. I have begun counseling and spoken with my spouse about setting boundaries, as he is very eager to start a family quite soon. I hope that my fears will subside but also that my voice will be hard to allow my and my family's legacy (and not merely my husband's family) to continue.

I am single and live alone. While I have relatives living in the area, my closest relatives live two-thirds of a continent away. I am old enough to know that my existence is finite; I fear dying and having my body undiscovered until someone realizes that they haven't heard from me in a while. So, I have to explore either services that maintain a daily contact with their clients, or, more practically, living situations that recognize when a resident hasn't had a contact in that day. I would HATE to have to move into the latter situation, even though I would like to relocate, this year, but better to know the options than be forced into an immediate but foolish decision.

It seems I'm afraid of confrontation. Or rather, I am afraid that I'll have a fight with someone and he or she will die before it is unresolved. I hate the thought of someone being angry with me, especially when I feel that there are lots of good ways to work together and not have that weight of fury. It has limited me in that I have not been willing to push my husband harder than a certain point in his cancer recovery. I am getting less afraid by the day. I think I need to care less what he thinks of me to ensure that the lives.

I do have a fear about antisemitism becoming more accepted as I hear it is in other countries such as in France. I hope to have the courage to help overcome it by continuing to educate people as I know that prejudice only happens in the absence of knowledge, or when there is misinformation...so I need to keep learning as well.

Fear of not being a success in business - but trying hard to measure 'success' in terms of relationships made, assistance given, lives made better, instead of money made.

Fear of cheating; I have projected it towards my boyfriends. I realize I now have a ability to have my mind override my feelings and choose my behavior. I would project or think how will they be able to stop themselves from doing cheating when the feeling is so strong. (I considered kissing, cheating) Projecting how I felt in the past when I was younger with a boy. So today I questioned this fear. And I feel much more liberated and saw what truly was bothering me. I also realize how I need to forgive myself for my past mistakes of cheating. I guess the person that comes to mind is Javier when i was with Raymond. He was kissing on me, necking and I let him. I told Raymond and he did not talk to me, but later I found out he had been hanging out with his ex. Maybe that is also where I feel haunted about the ex's. This fear of cheating has limited me because it causes me to not trust in my relationship. I have projected this fear and made it really hard to be secure with myself. And caused stress onto my boyfriend; where he is made to feel uncomfortable and looked upon as a guilty party when he has not done anything. It causes me to think the worst of people. It is energy where it would be best used to towards my goals. The block feels like its in my prefrontal. Just like the movie "Eat Pray, LOVE" where the protagonist's friend at the indian mediation center tells the protagonist "if you would clear up all that space in your mind,ushhh... the universe would rush in." I plan to let it go cheating by seeing it for what it is. A past mistake and imagined fear. I have the power to say No and not be overcome by my feelings and use my mind/gut to lead me. As well as forgive myself for my past mistakes in relationships. I imagine this trust I give myself will hopefully extend towards my work.

The usual, fear of failure. Also, fear that I won't ever accomplish anything of note. That I will die unfulfilled. This is the year that I'm going to go out on my own, start a new endeavor (I do have something specific in mind) and work on things that I am passionate about. Also, I often think it's silly to start new projects, endeavors as I'm afraid that once I find something that fulfills me like nothing else, I'll die.

Fear of being in a committed relationship. It's limited me in being happy and finding someone to call my boyfriend. I want to break down the walls I've placed in trusting people and just let myself shine.

I'm so scared of failing that I don't try enough. And I'm scared to THINK because I don't trust my mind not to wander onto things that upset and preoccupy me but are outside my control, like my ex, or my father, or the absurd difficulty of managing my career and having a family and doing the things I want to. I plan to remind myself often that I'll only really fail by not trying. And that I won't get through grad school if I DON'T think, and I shouldn't be afraid to use my mind - I just need to get better at controlling and channeling my intelligence and stopping my insecurities from getting the better of me. Bet I write the same thing next year.

My fear of heights has caused me to aviod certain social events which involve outdoor activites and has also been quite embarrassing for me at times. Im hoping that my honeymoon to Cairns will help me overcome it by associating thrilling adventures with happy times... maybe it works that way? Im not sure as I havent been able to put any logic to this phobia so far. All I know is that I dont really have much control over it.

Fear that I may not reach my goals or make my dreams come true. All I can do is work my hardest and do my best to ensure a bright future.

Fear of failure. I have this paralyzing paranoia that I'm going to get started on a path and realize too late that I'm not good enough. College is the opportune time and place to try as many different things as I can, and just go for it.

I worry about whether I'll be able to get a new job when I'm ready to return to work. I have the free time and energy now to start preparing my resume for a return with coursework. I need to do it!

i fear that im losing all my friends. i plan on trying to reach out to new people and trying not to be so shy

I hate spiders. I pretty much am terrified. It really hasn't limited me because I haven't been put in a deathly frightening situation yet.

Therapy has helped a lot with motivation and perspective. I guess it's like the earlier questions--wanting to work on being more open, more self-protective but also a better listener, and less neurotic.

Honestly I don't have any "fear"... Been through so much in the past 7 years, it's now a "BRING IT ON!" sort of thing. I've never let fear stop me, don't expect that will happen, so nothing really to overcome. Normal "fear" of personal loss, health matters, getting older, the usual, but nothing out of the ordinary, or anything that I really dwell on. Next question?

I fear that I am not living up to the expectations of others - but really, I think, it is a fear of not living up to my own high expectations. Failure - is the fear - but I am not afraid of failure as much as I am afraid of what others will think of me when I do fail - which is inevitable - there is no such thing as a perfect being. So then I compound it by worrying that I am putting too much pressure on myself - phew... that's a big one.

a fear of letting someone get too close then them hurting me. my coping mechanism at the moment is either bolt or hurt them first, i want to be able to give the person a chance and be more accepting and not so afraid.

I have a few fears, fear of losing my parents, fear of not having a real career, fear of never finding someone to love that will love me in return. I suppose they are kind of related, I guess I'm semi-afraid to grow up, like if I get a grown up job and a husband, then I won't need my parents anymore, or they'll feel like I don't need them and they'll pass on and not having them to talk to and be around scares me so much. I think though I can overcome it in the coming year by thinking of it as I want them to see me successful in those areas of my life, because I want them to be proud and it would be a waste/shame if I waited too long to share that with them.

I have a fear of never feeling fully settled in my life...I have yet to find a partner in life and my work feels unsettled for a few reasons...so with two of the biggest factors in life - it feels like I'm still waiting for them to solidify. In the upcoming year I hope to map out a real plan for job stability, if not also realize that plan. With regard to my love life...I will make a commitment to the person I'm with now (if it ends up feeling right), or end that relationship, let go of searching for that person and consider my current life (which otherwise is pretty damn great) as "it"...while remaining open to the changes that life can bring.

fear of failure - learn that failure is a stepping stone to success. have a backup plan for everything you do fear the boyfriend is unfaithful towards me - do the best that i possibly can as a girlfriend and don't think about whether he's going to be faithful or not to me. That is his responsibility. If he do not respect that, then he does not deserve me. fear of being lied to - as long as i am being truthful, it's ok. If he did lied to me, that will be his responsibility. fear of being hurt dreadfully - do not get hurt. find solace in god. fear of not being loved - do not feel that way. love yourself first before you want others to love you.

I have no fear anymore.

Probably my biggest fear is wondering whether Judaism is actually the right thing for me. I'm quite conflicted. I mean, I wouldn't have feared this before but I've changed my whole freaking life around for this thing. Much like a husband. And if Judaism isn't true, who is God? What am I doing here? What's right? What if Judaism is true but I just can't live with the realities of the community? What if I can never do all the mitzvot? What if I wasn't meant to pick Judaism? After all, I could give up tomorrow and not be Jewish.

I have been afraid to break away from the work I've been doing for years and try something new. I wonder if, mentally, I'll be able to learn all I would need to learn. I don't want to screw up....I don't want to abandon my hard-earned reputation for being good at my present work and have to accept a potentially lesser reputation. I don't have a plan for overcoming this.....this is a longstanding issue with me....financial realities make this not a great time to take a risk.

I fear that others will accuse me of being a fraud and of not truly having the capacity to be who I declare myself to be. I am powerfully stepping into what I'm committed to and will continue to expand my honesty, about who I am, with others.

Going bankrupt. Not being able to send my kids to college after talking to them about it since they were infants. Having to work like a dog until I'm old and crippled. Dying young and not having lived the way I really want to. Staying married and getting divorced. Making big mistakes that I can't undo.

Fear of getting caught, but its actually a really fucking good thing

My greatest fear is that I will not be able to take care of myself as I get older. I hate the idea of being dependent on someone. I am carrying long term health care insurance that will help financially in securing the help I will need. I will try to adjust my thinking about accepting assistance. (knowing I would be willing to help someone who required help.)

I have a fear of social situations. This sometimes overwhelms me and causes me to hide from them or be really quiet. This has limited me tremendously in terms of being in social situations where there is a lot of people and making new friends and even keeping the old ones. I am afraid of awkward moments, of times where I won't know what to say or what to do. It is something that I need to work on. I need to let myself be ok with awkward interactions and just face the music without hiding away.

I fear a failure of character and yielding to my compulsions and other unhealthy impulses. I plan on overcoming my fear through prayer and practicing discipline to overcome my self indulgent tendencies.

I fear that I see the world in ways in which other people don't. I get frustrated when I feel that a certain behavior is "the right thing to do" but it is not what another person feels. In fact, sometimes, it is the complete opposite. I don't understand this sometimes. Sometimes it has to do with what people say that they expect or deserve. I am not sure I have expectations and I don't ever feel that I particularly deserve something. When I express this, the response is that I should expect this or that and I should feel that I deserve this or that. Sometimes I feel like I came from a different planet. I guess to overcome this, I need to feel more confident in my beliefs and let others just believe what they want without trying to persuade them otherwise.

My biggest fear is that my children will get sick, or that something bad will happen to them. I work through it day by day, by returning to the present moment, and rejoicing in how amazing they are.

I seem to have a fear of change. Fear of leaving my dead end job. Even a fear of being healthy! I'm not sure how I will be handling it. Just keep trying I suppose.

Fear of slowing down to check the details will make me lose my momentum in bigger things. It has kept me from dealing with important details like expense reports, credits, friend's gifts, etc. Need to make time for it, even if it means "bigger things" will go by.

Fear of not being financially stable. I often don't attend events--big or small because I think it will get in the way of my goals. I often feel like life is passing me by and I'm not enjoying it. After I have some goals met, I plan on using a percentage of my monthly income to enjoy the now.

Fear of crumbling under the pressure of everything I have to do. Fear of failure. Trying my hardest.

Ah, I live my life rather fearlessly, striving to live life to the fullest and having no regrets. So what scares me? The thought of dying.... But I have not let this fear limit me. Instead, my fear has energized me, reminded me that all we have is NOW and that embracing life's moments today, every day, is how to live a life without regrets. So my fear actually propels me to live a full, meaningful, wonderful life.

I fear I haven't found my voice yet. Speaking with ease and relaxed is nearly impossible to me. I don't know how I plan to improve this fear. Maybe force myself to speak up, also thinking before speaking so I don't loose my train of thought. I would like to have a support group, I know I could do anything if I could just speak!

Fear of rejection or embarrassment has kept me from having confidence with guys. I need to start being a little more bold, learn to work it, and learn to let things roll off my shoulder.

Fear of being too busy and overwhelmed. I plan on overcoming it by being willing to take on more work so I can increase my income, and yet take time to get centered, grounded each morning.

I am not aware of any fears. I am aware of the oneness of all. There is nothing to be afraid of.

My biggest fear is not to have enough money. I'm so scared about it that my sleep patterns have not been good lately,I call my bank 20 toimes a day to ck the balance,I get sad and depressed when I think about my rent,my energy,my mood,my life---not having money to do what I want to do,how I want to do when I want to do, drives me crazy! It also effecting my workouts and my relationship w my friends and family. I'm telling my self: this year is going to be different. This is my year of really making it. This is the year of my Breakthrough. The year where all my blessings from God and from my Abba are coming to me and Kayla in Shefa. Coming at once,all together and it is changing my life,kayla's life and my family's life forever,for better! I'm planning on continuing to work smart,continuing on attracting the right people into my lives,continuing on believing in myself,and finally come out of my shell. Continuing on asking God to put me in the right place,right time and guide and direct me to live the life he planned for me to have. I will continue to pray and listen to the answers and APPLY them into my life! I will continue to fight the fears I'm fighting and,with God will I will win and Be and do and give my very best. Amen.

I fear what people think of me! I stay home sometimes rather than being social and approaching people because I'm a natural introvert. I want to overcome this fear so when I move to a new city, I'll be able to make some friends and keep in contact with the friends I've made here. I plan on pushing myself to be more active and friendly now and in the future! Saying yes to something social when I would rather say NO!

I am working on a fear I have of looking at people in the eye. I am reminding myself to really look at people.

I never thought of it this way until this moment, but the feeling of "not enough" that often drove my past actions/decisions, and sometimes still does (close to the surface or underneath) is a FEAR. I just have to accept that who I am is who I am... That's who I am. Where I am is where I am... That's where I am. What I have is what I have... That's what I have. And that doesn't mean that I won't become a 'better' person, be in a 'better' place, or have 'better/more'... But, I'm sick of "chasing"... I'm sick of "pushing"... I'm sick of "fighting." Life doesn't need to be such a struggle. I had an amazing psychic tell me that (with a gentle laugh under his breath) about ten years ago... If I remember correctly, his words were that life doesn't need to be "such an uphill battle." I am just figuring it out now... and have been working through this more than anything this past year. I'm cutting myself a break. Finally... and I feel like I can breathe.

I fear my flashbacks and am planning to do exposure therapy in the next month or so. I will always have to work on it but now I feel I have taken control. If it doesn't work I will have to find something else that does.

Fear of my own strength, fear that I MIGHT ACTUALLY succeed at my goals. Fear of taking action. It always limits me, keeps me from having faith in myself and from doing things that are meaningful and important to me. It keeps me from really LIVING my life. How to end it? I don't know. I guess the only solution is to do things that scare me and to appreciate myself and my accomplishments next year.

I have a fear of people, in general. I work every day to control that fear. I purposely got a job dealing with the public, so I can over-come that irrational fear. I am hoping to finally succeed in the coming year.

I don't believe in in fear & I refuse to give into it when it decides to appear. I work at letting go of the noise & staying in the moment.

Sigo de tímida, y la timidez me ha frenado en varias ocasiones para conseguir lo que quiero. De verdad me siento muy mal por ello, y deseo con todo mi corazón superarlo pero no tengo ni idea de cómo hacerlo.

Fear of stepping out to try something new. A new career perhaps? A new partner? A new place on my own? Maybe I am just waiting for the right opportunity... Maybe I need to push myself a bit more and be brave. Maybe I am scared. I do not want to disappoint myself or my daughter. I am doing my best to keep my eyes and heart open....

Fear is an enemy that comes daily to tug at my wisps of hair and run a twisted fingernail down my spine, but faith, hope and love whisper reassuringly and fear goes away until tomorrow to try again. Probably the major fear of this year is that Victor will never fully recover from his head injury. He will not become kind and loving. That he will not work, so I will have to go back to full time. I fear my son will fall in the cracks... I let go of fear when I listen to the Holy Spirit. He's always whispering to me that He is taking care of the mortgage, that He has my son (and daughter) in His hands, that He loves my husband more than, I and He is bringing him to Himself. I continue to choose not to listen to fear daily.

fear of looking stupid...it's the worst. i think as i get older i'll stop caring as much.

My all-consuming fear is that I will not reach my full potential in life. Instead of causing me to strive for more, and challenge myself, this fear has ironically inhibited me from doing the things I'm afraid I might not succeed in: like following a writing career, or continuing sports in college. To conquer this fear, I must continually challenge myself and push myself to do more than before - each and every day. By May 6, 2012, I hope to have completed my first half-marathon. As I cross the finish line, I hope I'll smile with pride knowing that by pushing myself to "go the extra mile" (literally)- I've become a runner. I hope to continue writing in my blog, as well, and use this material as inspiration to one day write a book.

I want to get over my fear of failure. Even though I've now completed a successful first-year teaching, I still think it lingers.

The only fear i have right now is to be alone again, i've never had that fear before, i think because i've always been as productive and happy with or without someone that it didn't really matter. But right now, i can't imagine myself without him, i feel as he is part of me right now, this fear hasn't limited at all, because i've never had the urge to terminate the relationship, and if somehow, one day i have to, then i'm gonna do it, of course i'm going to think it over my mind for a long time but that doesn't mean that i'll stick with him "just because". I think i have that fear, also because lately, i've been really happy, i'm learning new things, i'm doing different things, i'm being someone else, but someone better. I don't wanna lose that.

Fear of failing in my spiritual task for this life which is to 1. make amends for the way I ate in the past. 2. be able to tell the difference between my will and God's will when it comes to what I eat. My fear of failing at this task has caused me to take jobs I should never have taken, leave jobs I should never have left. Take trips to places I should never have gone and binge-eat while I was there. Miss planes I should have been on, yell at car parking assistants I should have never have met and lie to my father about attending university classes I did not attend.

I have a fear that due to us living so close to family, and seeing them so often, that we will never move on and live our own lives the way we want to. Sometimes it feels like we are doing things just to please everyone else, being where they want us and when, regardless of whether this suits us or not. I feel very blessed that we have supporting families, but this can also feel suffocating. I plan on overcoming it in the coming year, by ensuring that we make time for ourselves to do the things we enjoy doing together, and trying to maintain a certain level of independance so that we feel in control of our own decisions.

A superficial fear I have is of animals - mainly birds - eating them and just seeing them alive. It has not inhibited me too much. It is irrational so I'm not sure how to overcome it. A bigger fear - I want to say being bold in social situations, and being myself in them, but I think I have overcome that. I have a fear of my future and who I will marry and where I will be religiously. And to fix it, I will try to recognize that the future is out of my hands but I can just do the best I can now to be where I want to be religiously and always strive to improve.

I am afraid I won't be happy. This fear keeps me from being happy NOW! I stress about where my life is going, what I will do, who I will be with, what I will be like. I worry I don't have direction and that I am taking for granted the incredible opportunities I have at my fingertips at this very moment in my life. This should be the most exciting time of my life, but the fear of future failure and confusion keeps me from creating, exploring, and being okay with not knowing exactly what I want to do with my future. I want to enjoy this ride - the journey is what life is about. I plan on diving in, smiling more, doing what I love and going with it. I need to try new things and expand my horizons. I need to use my energy positively. I need to get off my ass. I need do good. I need to use my hands, to feel, to make. I need to stop thinking about life and start living it.

Fear that I'll never find love, or have a family. I can't get a grip on how to overcome that fear, because I can't control if another loves or even likes me. Fear that I will always struggle to find my true calling or that I'll continue to explore and tire of things. That one I can overcome by just picking something and sticking to it, and seeing where it leads.

I have a fear of my son leaving home. He doesn't seem quit ready but I know the day will come.

My fear is not having enough to survive the future. I do not want to burden my family and relatives have had to do to me in the past. My goal is to make sure I will be more financially secure after my divorce than the women folk of my past.

Fear of failure. Produced interia. Finally getting over that one! Just going for it without listening to the "what if" voice!

My mental health is a concern of mine, but I try not to let it limit me. It's a fairly minor issue when controlled, but it still concerns me. Perhaps a more pertinent thing is un-willingness to socialise. Again, it's not major, but it does limit me. I guess, I need to try and relax a bit more over the coming year.

My biggest fear is that I will not have sufficient funds available to maintain a reasonable life style in the years ahead . I will be forced to earn additional income in the near future while enjoying good health

I'm afraid of death and also afraid that I will die before I do a will and get my papers and possessions in order... I promise myself that I will start with the will and then organize my possessions as to who should get them, and then continue to work on my spiritual life and begin to acquire an understanding of life after death.

I've been scared to tell my mother that I'm back with my non-Jewish girlfriend, in case she gets angry again and distances herself from me or withdraws support I think I need. It's caused me to lie, hide, compartmentalise and, sometimes, offend my girlfriend. I'd like to have confidence in my choices and means, so I can tell my mother this is who I am and what I've chosen. I also plan to find out if my girlfriend is actually Jewish, by exploring the origins of her maternal grandmother and her Jewish sounding name!

I have a fear of being myself. It's never too late to start living your life the way you want to. Don't be guilty, don't be self conscious, don't be worried, just be.

Fear of losing someone I love has held me back in the past - fear of being hurt and rejected and not being "enough" for someone. I'm slowly letting it go, by learning to love myself first and also discovering that I can have a life that is meaningful without placing all my meaning into my relationship.

I am afraid of failing. I would like to say that I just won't fail, but that doesn't always work. I need to be more disciplined to overcome that fear.

My fear is that I will never be able to let go of the hurt I have inside of me. My now, ex husband and I were married almost 27 years, when he left me. This was almost 5 years ago. I have since then, remarried and really do have a wonderful life filled with many blessings. I continue to have that hole in my heart and sometimes feel that we/I have let down our children. Believe me, I do try to let go of that hurt..reading..praying...Maybe I will always have that small hole in my heart..as long as it does not commume my life. It is a chapter of my life. I am proud that I have moved forward...writing new chapters in my life and my children have seen that I continue to live, because I am worth it and that sometimes life does not turn out the way we thought it would or the way we thought we deserved, but that it is okay..keep on living.

There are things in my job that scare me. I realize that I habitually avoid the fear areas and that over time this is comprising my performance. I think I need to look more closely at what it is I am afraid of in order to begin to walk into it instead of away from it.

I'm almost constantly afraid. I've battled anxiety and fear since I was a teenager. I'm always going out of my comfort zone. Its easier this year because I've got an old friend who is my new husband and it is amazing what a little support can do to change things. I'm hoping this next year and then the next things will be less and less scary and I have even less anxious days for no reason.

My fear is my own inabilities. When I was younger, I felt smart and capable. The older I have grown the less capable and smart I have felt. I hope that over the next year I regain my confidence, let go of this fear of inadequacy and most importantly, realise I am smart and worthy.

My biggest fear is receiving criticism from the academic community. I believe that my procrastination about writing comes from this fear. My scholarship is so wrapped up in my own sense of self. I am afraid to fail, so I am afraid to put my ideas out there. I don't know any way to overcome this except to actually publish.

i have a fear of money and a fear of success. that limits my ability to make myself as powerful as i would like to be, because i cannot achieve my dreams of a healing space until i remove those psychic blocks.

I fear that I will never get a job that I find fulfilling and that fear has kept me from doing the things I need to do to actually get a job. I am not sure how to let that fear go because it has been so long and my confidence is shot... but maybe I have to push myself harder and focus on the opportunities themselves rather than the outcome.

I am afraid that the financial security my family and I enjoyed when I worked for an employer will never return. I fear that my my husband will have to keep working significant overtime indefinitely. This fear sometimes has a paralyzing effect and causes me to halt everything - even productive things that could assist us in improving our situation. In this coming year I intend to focus on doing everything I can to get my own business off the ground and profitable so that my family may again enjoy the peace and stability of that level of income.

Fear of financial insecurity has often kept me from doing what I think I am called to. I think that coming to humility on my job and my future for the rest of my working career would be very positive and allow me to explore who I could become.

The fear now is that I won't fulfill the fantasy of having five children. I think I need to heal myself from this need and recognize that we may get children in unexpected ways...or not. I'd like to further explore the concept of acceptance in all areas of my life.

I like to think that I'm not afraid of being vulnerable, but I fear that's not true and that I need to be more comfortable with myself to let others in.

that i won't get referrals, the business will fail and i will succumb to another job with benefits and security in a dysfunctional organization. it has limited my ability to imagine the business will flourish.

Not having a job. Taking a "less than perfect job" that I am not happy at because I needed something. I am going to accept it was not a good fit and find another job instead of just dealing with being miserable every day.

I have this fear that people talk about me all the time behind my back. I just dont like the fact that you don't know or can't know what other people think of you. In the upcoming year, I just have to be myself and keep my head held high. It doesn't matter how people define me, its how I define myseld

My biggest fear is failure, even though I find myself living with it most of the time. Maybe it's actually catastrophic failure I fear, where all the small failures align in just the wrong way. I sometimes feel that I have very little control over the contents of my life, that my decisions early in life led me here, but now the crossroads are much further between and all I can do is ride things out. I recognize that is a big crutch for me, and that I use it to avoid making changes by claiming I have no power or authority to make them. I don't have a big plan to get out from under this... only to tryo to remember that it's just a line that I should probably stop feeding myself.

I always fear that I will get divorced because of my parents. It really holds me back because I dramatize every normal conflict I have with my husband. I hope to let that go, and know that we have a solid relationship.

I HATE being taken for granted and live in fear that I'm not appreciated...I feel like the wrong things matter because my core being is so alone. My perception is off. I care too much about how I"m being perceived. I will overcome by continuing to surround myself with friends and people that put up a mirror to my own soul.

i have a fear of failure and dying without leaving a legacy. i guess the best way to over come this is to publish and do good research. that can be my legacy in the near future.

I don't really deserve .... I am still in that damned basement! Write! Make art!

I have a fear that I'm not really good at what I'm doing at work - that I've tricked everyone somehow and that eventually they are going to find out. I think the only way of overcoming that is to do a good job.

This is silly - but I have to get over my fear of bed bugs!!!!! I just need to let it go.

I fear at my core being alone, unloved, not being taken care of by others. I realized only recently how powerfully this fear controls me and colors my actions. I am not sure how to free myself from this fear. Recognition is the first step.

I fear failing at my job or getting fired. This has been alleviated somewhat in the past few days with reassurance from my boss that they want to keep me around. Fearing failure is always present but fading. I have to focus on the reality that such a fear will be self-fulfilling, and instead if I do not succeed at this I need to walk away knowing I gave it everything and there is nothing to regret. My bosses could always change their mind and fire me, but I think I have at least another nine months. That feels like both an eternity and little time at all. The way to deal with it goes back to the fear of failure, though: give it everything. It's a definite Stockdale Paradox: deal with the brutal facts of the present with an unyielding faith in the eventual outcome. The eventual outcome is success one way or another - the facts of the moment are that I need to focus, hone my skills, and really drive hard toward near/mid-term achievement.

I suppose I am afraid of failing, of not being good enough. I think that voice at the back of my head saying 'you won't be able to do this' has held me back all my life. I want to squash that voice. By doing more things that terrify me. By keeping a list of the things that I'm really proud of. By listening and hearing when friends say something nice about me - and believing them! I have too many regrets of things I didn't dare to do, I need to realise there aren't that many regrets about the things I did dare to do!

Fear of never being employed again at my senior level. This fear has hampered my job search. I guess in 2012 I'll see if I was able to let it go since, as of this writing, I have no inkling of a plan that will ensure my success.

Fear of not succeeding, which causes me to stop before I even begin; after all, I cannot fail if I never even try. On top of this, I tend to get comfortable very quickly with things, which only exacerbates my lack of effort in trying. This is something I need to reflect on because, so far, I have accomplished quite a bit. I have to realize the paradox of believing that I cannot succeed while having had success so far - I can succeed if I want to and try to, so what is stopping me..?

Up until now I think fear of some kind has dictated every decision I've made and been the driving force of my life. Other people have pointed out how 'paralysed by fear/worry' I have been, frequently. I'm scared of failing. I'm scared of trying. I'm scared of being mediocre. I'm scared of being less than that. I'm scared of not making the most of my time/opportunities/priviliges/relationships. I'm scared of regretting decisions I make. I'm scared of not living up to what I, and other people, think I could be. I'm scared of not looking after my mum well enough and continuing to drag her down. I'm scared of being left behind by all my friends who are moving much more quickly than me and are having much greater successes than me. I'm scared of doing more damage to my health through this fear and anxiety (not successfully dealing with my weight, pulling even more of my hair out, doing more damage to my insides with my IBS, doing more damage to my skin with my stress-related eczema and growing wrinkles from pulling my hair out). I'm scared I'll never know what I want to do 'cause I'm too scared to even think about it in case I don't achieve it, or it's wrong or selfish or not worthy or not enough. I'm scared I'll continue to hurt my family (particularly my mum) with this self-disgust I don't always successfully hide. I'm scared I'll get to 30 and not be doing well professionally or have a good (or have had a good) relationship. I'm scared of getting back into everything 'cause I'll feel like I'm being swept away again, and so instead I stagnate. I'm scared I'll always judge my life and decisions and self i comparison to others - and I honestly can't think of a time I'd be satisfied with what I've done, 'cause there's so much I'm already dissatisfied with and I don't know how to let it go. I will never get the time or energy back that I've wasted, and it's taking more time and energy now obsessing over it, and I don't know how to stop. Any achievement I have will be down to my luck and amazing circumstances and other people, where any failure is solely mine and also an insult to all the people who have invested time and effort and money in me and who I've failed. I'm afraid I will never deal with my anxiety and depression, and it will continue to define me and structure my life. I'm afraid, harsh and cruel as it is to say it, that I'll end up like Mags, or Janice, or Meg. I'm afraid I won't sort out the issues with my Dad and his family. I'm afraid I'll waste the next year like I've wasted the last 3 months. I'm afraid that I'll never have children 'cause I'll put off the commitment too long because of fear and a lack of trust and wanting to fit a lot in before (but still doing NOTHING now) and because I don't want to pass on the depression that's in so many members of my family. I'm afraid that I'll be in much the same situation in a year's time. I'm afraid I won't make any, or enough, progress. I'm afraid that I'm wasting my youth and I'll regret being like this. I know I'll regret it. I'm afraid I'll never learn how to leave regrets behind. I'm afraid that I'm setting a bad example for my brother and he'll continue to lose respect for me, and that I'll continue to lean on him instead of him leaning on me. I'm scared I'll never leave this teenage, angst-ridden behaviour behind. I'm afraid of being on my deathbed and not having made the most of my time, which I already know to be the case. I'm afraid of other people looking at me and judging me for wasting time and opportunities and not being successful in any arena. I'm afraid of not living up to my own standards, and I'm afraid I'll never lower those standards to a level that it would ever be possible for me to achieve them. I'm afraid of lowering those standards because it means accepting limitations and that I will fail and not be what I half-believe I could be, and I hate that that makes me an egotistical twat. I'm afraid of life, and of living it badly or wrongly or wastefully. I'm also afraid of living an average or a good life. Because I know it will never be enough, and I will never get to do it again. I plan on letting it go by being aware of the decisions I'm making and to make them actively, both in behaviour and in thought processes. By contemplating and accepting failure. By thinking less and doing more. By remembering the desiderata more. By considering others more. By distancing myself from toxic relationships that only make me feel awful. By setting my own standards instead of other people's. By being less self-obsessed. By growing up, and letting go.

I've had social anxiety for most of my life. It's always been a burden because it prevents me from being as sociable of a person that I would like to be. I am determined to conquer this irrational fear of making connections with other people. I'm seeing someone at my college's counseling center about my anxiety, and I'm trying every day to do better and to make a concerted effort to talk to people I don't know very well (or, in many cases, not at all). I'm not going to entirely get over my anxiety in a year. I know that that's an impossibility. I can, however, take baby steps towards achieving that goal. I think one of the most important aspects of my anxiety that I want to overcome this year is to stop constantly apologizing for myself. I'm far too hard on myself, and that needs to stop.

I fear not having enough money.

I'm afraid of everything. I'm afraid of boredom, but I'm also afraid of work. By that I mean that I'm afraid of putting effort into something and not getting any returns back. I've had that happen in the past, and it was just such a colossal waste of time. I want my actions to have meaning, but withholding them for fear of not having that meaning has resulted in me not doing anything. Ugh. What a horrifying realization. I have to start DOING things.

fear of diminishing energy as I age..I want to live into the question of what is to be accepted, what may be given in return, what practices will keep me vital.

Fear of not being able to have children. I think it may take more than a year to work through. But I'll try to get more comfortable with the idea that we can build a family in nontraditional ways.

I suppose I have some degree of a fear of failure which makes me hesitant to tackle some tasks. I'm hoping to learn the lesson Steve Jobs tried to convey that life is an adventure if you drop that fear from your repetoire.

I'm afraid of failure. The principal (potential) failure that I wring my hands about is financial (how can I support my family as an artist and writer?). A secondary failure is relative talent ("I'm not as good as INSERT ARTIST/WRITER NAME HERE."). Fear of failure isn't easy to overcome if you're not succeeding. The trick is not allowing the fear to prevent you from striving to succeed. Try and try again. I need to remember this....and to persevere.

My fear is that I will spend too much money as a new retiree and that the money I have put aside won't last. I plan to have confidence in my decisions, enjoy my retirement, and learn to relax and overcome my financial anxiety. I also fear the time when I lose my 99-year-old father. I plan to enjoy every moment with him, especially planning his 100th birthday celebration next April.

I have a fear of failure or being insulted by people ! It has limited my overall growth ! I am trying to not pay attention on being insulted when interacting with others or while doing something wrong etc. May be I might be able to regain myself !

I have the continuing and irrational fear of my three year old being injured. Simply because I was "Dangerous Dan" when I was little...I know that I have to let him go and run wild! It really isn't limiting me, but eventually it may limit him...overcoming it? Well, just relax?

I am afraid of rejection and failure...but it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if I don't make the attempt.

I'm afraid of how my life will change when we have children. It passes over time. I feel like we are in an in between space between couple and family and I know I will love both spaces, but the in between there is fear of the unknown.

My biggest fear is of failure. I have a strong tendency towards perfectionism which on a regular basis means that I don’t put forth the effort that I should on things that I’m not confident at. It also means that when I do fail at something that causes me to feel any amount of shame that I have a really hard time admitting it. I’ve started on a process this year to tackle this in two ways. The first is to bypass procrastination by taking small amounts of time each day to focus on what I need to get done and the second is to allow myself to be ok with failing and work my way up to the point where I’m actively seeking experiences where failure is likely.

I'm afraid of flying, and I don't know how to drive because I'm afraid. I've signed up for a speaker's bureau that will be flying me all over the country to give seminars, and I may need to learn to drive to go from one seminar to the other. Of course, now I'm terrified of the transportation *and* the seminar giving!

I'm always been afraid of success. My comfort level is at a space where I'm struggling, because that's what I've always grown up with. I don't have to struggle with money or anything else. I am strong, I am increadibly smart and I am one of the best of what I do. It's time to start leading my life, instead of letting it lead me.

I have a fear of gaining weight. Its ruined my life. I need to find a good support system and learn how to love myself. I might have to go to an eating disorder clinic to get to that point but at this point I'm willing to do anything.

I am afraid of my own commitments. I feel as though I am never fully committed to anything and that that makes me a worse person. I am attempting to let it go by more fully pushing myself into my commitments, namely my boyfriend/love of my life/future husband. I'm hoping I'll be able to overcome this fear with his help and from help from my friends.

I am afraid of being stupid or being seen as stupid. I'm getting over it by doing non-stupid things.

I'm incredibly insecure. I've had guys leave me in the past and it wasn't because our relationship was bad, it was because some other girl put the idea in their mind. Ryan and I have been together 2 years now. He has all these girls that he's friends with and he doesn't understand why I'm upset that he talks to them. He completely approached the situation wrong. If he had done it differently, I would feel differently. I'm trying to overcome my jealousy and fears.

I have a fear of failing and thus a fear of trying. I am terrified to be an adult, but dying to be more independent. I am half taking on the minor and concentration so that I won't have to graduate in the spring. I'd like to just try.

Fear of The Jante Law: Don't think you're anything special. Don't think you're as good as us. Don't think you're smarter than us. Don't convince yourself that you're better than us. Don't think you know more than us. Don't think you are more important than us. Don't think you are good at anything. Don't laugh at us. Don't think anyone cares about you. Don't think you can teach us anything. Don't think that there aren't a few things we know about you.

I fear people judging me and sometimes I act in a way the results will be lessened or more in their line of thinking, vs what I actually want to say or do. I hold my tongue a lot. Typically it benefits me because I have time to think and analyze. I have a fear of losing my temper then something bad happens as a result. I would like to be able to have a clear conversation with a few people like my father-in-law and my brother-in-law but I don't see that actually happening because I feel like they see discussion as a form of weakness and I do not want to be anything but strong and capable in their view. Hmm, I don't think I am going to overcome it this year.

Fear of failure is a major problem for me. It generally manifests itself in social situations. Applying for a job that I am not qualified for -- no problem if I don't get it, the rejection will be impersonal (i.e. in writing). On the other hand if there are people around to observe my failure, I will be extremely hesitant to engage. The solution for this is deconditioning. Start by engaging in activities where I fear failure, but the probability of failure is small. Then, over time, increase engage in activities with higher failure probabilities.

Losing myself, and becoming a monster. I plan to not letting it hold me back any longer; to MAKE myself get up and go. I plan to go back to doing the things I love before losing myself, and to remind myself that I am not that punk anymore. I am me, I am a good man, and I will be the person that I know I can be. I will be a good man, a responsible man.

I don't really know of "fears" that I have. Every time I think of something that scares me I think of how God is always in control and everything happens for a reason. It's that faith in Him that gets me through the day.

I am scared about involving my family in my Judaism, and this has limited their involvement in my life. I'm scared they won't like me anymore or will reject me as part of the family if I talk about my Judaism too much. But if I'm going to rabbinical school, this has to change. I want to host Passover dinner at my parents' house in Houston this year; I think it would be a good first step in inviting them into this part of my life.

I fear failing. To get over it, I am just going to push through it and do everything I can to do the best I can. If I still fail, I'll know it wasn't meant to be.

The fear of being forgotten as an artist, or more so the fear of being remembered for creating something horrible. It freezes me. I need to overcome this black/white mentality. I need to have more personal artistic confidence, and comfort in knowing that some people will like my work and others will not.

I'm not really afraid of anything. Not life. Not death. That's not to say that there aren't times when I'm afraid or scared. But I see "fear" as being something that is difficult to overcome. I feel that life has given me challenges and there is no reason to fear them. That's just part of life.

Fear of embarrassing myself or others. Fear of saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing. Fear of sharing too much about myself. Fear of learning too much about others. Fear of telling any of this to my daughter. Fear of not telling any of this to my daughter. Fear of trying to advance in my career in case I should fail. Fear of staying right where I am in my career. Fear of not having friends because I can't let them in.

I fear ineptitude in my new job. I have more responsibility, challenge and public exposure than ever, but the atmosphere is deceptively relaxed. I must set high expectations and instill a sense of urgency both for myself and those on my team. Being new, I must let go of my ego and seek help and input from others.

My fears are almost always financial. The burden of our family income falls on my wife and there is little I can do to change that. So my fears are somewhat in the short term, but very much in the long term. How will she ever be able to retire? How will be supported after she does?

I'm afraid of becoming too stagnant, being in one place doing one thing for too long. Its made it hard to figure out what I want in life. but I'm realizing more and more that nothing is stagnant and just because I decide to do something long term does not mean I am stuck in it.

See previous question about trying to do too much. Having more ME TIME to work on the things I need to do to improve my life. Going to the gym I am paying for.... Like the Nike ad proclaims "Just Do It."

I always have a fear of this aging process. I fear I will be unable to do the things that give me pleasure. I fear that I will be unable to take care of myself at some point, and I don't have enough income or retirement for someone else to do that for me. I have no intentions of letting it go in the coming year. I intend to march on in spite of it.

My fear is failing. I know that I don't always make my parents proud or that I fail to save money, and this really scares me. Because of this, I tend to push these problems aside and then the actual fear usually occurs. To over come this fear, I really just need to work harder at school and at spending my money wisely.

I have a fear of disappointing people. I absolutely hate letting people down. I am over committing myself because of this fear. "Oh yes, I can do that!" I'll say, but then I find that I can't. I want to help everyone that its wearing down on me. I need to find my limits. I'm coming fairly close to it. I need to set up boundaries. I need to make time for myself and just myself.

My fear is that I will not have friends or people to spend time with and talk to. Last year I solely relied on one group of friends and that was a bad thing and came back to hurt me in the end. This year I plan on expanding my group of friends to many many people and realize that I do not have to spend every day or every weekend with just one or two of the same people. Everyone has something unique to offer to my life and I want to experience that from everyone. I also have realized that it is okay to be alone sometimes and spend a night alone doing something that I enjoy. That does not make me a loser that actually makes me stronger that I am able to spend time by myself and relax without worrying about others.

I'm afraid of people in my life--I'm afraid that I'll misplace trust or put myself in too vulnerable of a position. I don't trust people as much as I used too, and I realized that most people don't know how to be my friend at the start. It's made it hard to feel excited about new people--I keep coming back to the thought that they'll let me down in the end. I'd like to be able to open up to new people without the fear that they'll disappoint me, while also not being upset if they do.

My fear is that I won't be able to travel to Israel before I die. Nobody knows how long one has in this life time.

I have a great fear of failure and the unknown. The enemy is my shadow self, but I've learned to love that part of me. I fear loss of control, but by letting go I feel more centered. So for the next year, I will continue to embrace the grey areas and accept and let go of things when needed. I don't need to know everything about the plans, but instead I will focus my efforts on the journey.

My greatest fear is becoming my parents. Whether it is issues of how money is handled, how arguments are fought, claiming not to need to be the senior leader because of my dad's hubris and not being a yeller because of my mother. In all of my trying to avoid becoming my parents I have turned into them except in the area of not yelling. That I don't do. In the coming year, I am focused on changing. My wife and I are partnering on managing the finances. I am learning to argue in a constructive way instead of keeping it all in and acquiescing. And I am making job choices that do not repeat old patterns.

I fear that fear will be the defining force in my decision making - I'm told that leads to anger, which in turn can lead to hate... The dark side! Noooooo I shall overcome it with love

Fear of there not being enough time. Fear of not being able to pay my own rent. Breathe. I will go on the assumption that there is enough time; spend a few extra seconds to do something right. Also, I know that there is enough money. Instead, focus on where best to donate my 10%.

I have a fear of what is to come next, in middle school I was afraid of high school, in high school I was afraid of college and now in college I am afraid of the next semester and grad school. I would like, either this semester or next semester, to map out a plan to see exactly what I need to do.

Fear of letting opportunities slip by because of my own stubbornness or laziness.

I am afraid of doctors. It just makes me really upset when I'm sick, and I get scared to go see them because I know I will just be very upset. I guess I really just need to let it go, and hopefully it will pass.

I have an INSANE fear of my children being hurt, harmed or injured. Sometimes it overtakes me and it absolutely keeps me from letting them do things they should be allowed to do. (Like climb to the top of the slide at McDonalds Playplace). I know for certain its part of the reason that my 7 year old isn't riding a bike yet. I would like to overcome it, but am going to really have to work hard to do so. It will have to be a conscious effort to think about HOW this is limiting them, so I don't have a specific plan yet.

I fear disappointing others, and so I set myself up to disappoint them just to get it out of the way and to prove myself (and my mother) right. All of which means that then I disappoint myself. I'm working with Erica on not reacting as I did as a child to near-constant criticism/disappointment in me but allowing myself to complete tasks, look forward, plan, not avoid. I am learning that I don't have to disappoint myself, that it's OK if I succeed, and that it's OK for me to be proud of myself.

Change. See previous answer.

Fear to being resigned on not having hopes and dreams met. Being a spinster alone. Behaving in ways the are counter-intuitive to getting what I want.

Opening my self up emotionally in an intimate relationship. I have let go.

I am afraid of being rejected or weird. Or not what I am supposed to be. I want to be perfect. I want to be the "golden girl". I want to have tons of friends and have great grades and everything! I think that striving to be perfect sometimes keeps me from just living life. Im not sure how to fix it. But hopefully in a year it will be at least somewhat better :)

Not exactly a fear as traditionally described, but I hate not knowing stuff. Or maybe we can consider this a fear of not being perfect, or a fear of intellectual vulnerability, or a fear that, without some extreme accomplishment in some domain (which I have chosen as the intellectual domain) that I'm not worth anything. My plan to overcome it has already been described: let go of things. Let go of my need to be an expert in neuroscience, cognitive science, mathematics, computer programming, science fiction, etc. etc. The instinct to excel at all that stuff is a manifestation of those fears, or those insecurities, and by letting go of them, bit by bit, I will hopefully be left with something essential, some real core, where the things I choose to do, and the obligations and goals I choose to shoulder, are representative of what I really love and care about, and not about what I think I have to do to be good enough.

I fear public humiliation. I fear being seen as rude and pushy. So even as I need to promote my website, I don't want to spam and be seen as annoying such that people don't want to talk to me for fear I'll only talk about the website. So to get over myself, I am auditioning for a play. I am going to also try singing karaoke, because that too is a Big fear. And maybe even do it sober.

I have a fear of trying something new...sometimes. It has limited me in that I don't do things I would like to do and I think up excuses not to do them. Like NIKE says, Just do it!

I guess what I fear is change and the unknown. I have said to myself over and over that I want things to change in my life, like my job, but when I have found possibilities to make these changes, I always seem to find an excuse because I'm scared. The same was the case when I was single, and I knew I had to act to make things change, but couldn't find the courage to. To be fair, I did finally act on it and have ended up with Tim, which has made me so very happy. I need to learn from that. Some things will work out, others won't, but I'll never know until I try. I need to take chances, because if I don't I won't move anywhere. That is my plan for the next year, to be braver and move forwards and get out of this rut...

I'm afraid of not getting into a good college and having a bad life. I'm going to be less fearful in the coming year.

The fear that another year will roll by and I still would not have initiated the 3 absolutes that I have setout to complete. I have since released and let them go...

I fear that business will not be good and that it will affect my husbands happiness because of worry. I say, think positive and live for the moment.

Fear of disappointing my parents. I always feel like I need to impress them 100% of the time.

I fear that my company will fail... I fear that I will lose faith and quit... I fear that I am not smart enough... I fear that I will not be able to finish what I started... I fear that I will not do the things that are most important to me... I fear that I will not find the right person... I will overcome all of these fears by trusting in God and my higher power and the plan that will be revealed...

My fear is the fear of failure and disappointing myself and others. I hope to overcome it by learning that it is okay to fall and take risks because you really can learn from them. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger, or at least more experienced, right? I just hope I do not become cynical and that I remain positive and optimistic.

most forms of transportation, esp going to Macchu Picchu! Anxiety meds, holistic of course. :)

I have this picture in my head of who I am, or who I should be, and I'm afraid of not living up to it. I'm afraid of starting something I know I can do only to find out I can't do it. Progress, not perfection.

I have a really big fear of public speaking. When I get called on to read I can never pronounce my words right. When I have to present something I freeze up and start shaking. It's really embarrassing. I would like to overcome it by being more confident in what I'm reading or presenting. Practicing may help too.

falling especially since Cassie pulled me down live mor ein the moment as my swinning teacher tells me to do

Networking. Just jump. Read into ways on how to improve networking skills...I think my lack of abilities in this area has affected how I've limited my growth in both my professional and personal life. SEE #7: Do what you love - regardless of company. Do NOT be afraid of doing things alone if they are something that would interest you. STOP STOPPING YOURSELF. Goal: Read 'Never Eat Alone'.

I have a fear of being a farce...of everyone knowing that I am faking my life. I hope that I can continue to exude humble confidence to prove to them (and me) that I know what I'm doing.

Working from home was challenging. I needed to re-learn how to work from the inside out -- how to get organized and stay that way, how to motivate myself, how to get support. A big hurdle was how to invoice my clients. Every time I have a task that's difficult to do, the root cause is always fear of failure. Why was I afraid to ask for the money owed to me? Because it had grown to a large amount, and what if they couldn't pay, and then they would feel bad and not want to see me again. It's a stupid argument on the face of it, but until I was honest with myself and got the answer out in the open, I was emotionally blocked from seeing the simplicity of the solution. It all relates to self-worth. So the client approached me and asked for an invoice. Now the invoice has been sent, time payments agreed to, and they feel better about paying their debts. With a new client I sent the invoice right away, and have already been paid. It's an empowering feeling. I am worthy.

I think I need to realize that fear is just a word that keeps someone from achieving their dreams.

I fear rejection. I want to be able to let go. Not so much that I don't want to care about what people think of me, but right now it's at the point of worrying over every little thing. I want to be at the point of being able to let go without distracting myself from the potential for the pain.

I worry about my financial future but am putting things into place to take care of me.

Fear of health concerns - mine, my kids, my husband's, my family's - has been a preoccupation of mine. I'd like to learn to live in the moment better, taking action on the medical front where necessary but not living in fear and anxiety. I pray a lot to work on overcoming this fear and hope God can help me let go of some of the fear. I also will concentrate on being physically active (going to the gym, doing physical activities with my boys) as I've found I forget my health anxieties when I'm physically worn out.

I am terrified of letting down my family, being a schlub, being unproductive, being spoiled, mismanaging my money, not getting into grad school, being a bad friend, daughter, fiancee. I'm hoping the From Joy With Love thing will carry me through.

my biggest fear is that if I stick my neck out and trust again I will be betrayed like I have before. while I understand the cause of it. Living in a cave has not given me the sense of purpose I needed. I plan on overcoming it by living moment by moment, one tiny step at a time.

I have the fear to open my mouth and tell my opinion frankly. I have the fear of not being perfect enough in many things. I have the fear of loosing my (doubtful) existence aand, therefore, I use to work too much and move too little, sleep not enough hours every night ... I want to let all those things go ...

I had a fear of doing everything by myself. So i set of and have traveled to 9 countries in 9 months all by my self and am ready to work out my purpose in life

It's been a year of fear - something I've never encountered or allowed to happen in my life. My parents are aging rapidly and health declining. My kids are fearful of the job market and economy, and in fact so am I. My husband and I have health concerns which we stoically deal with, but they’re catching up with us. Jobs are not secure and we have no nest-egg.. I don’t like being afraid and must deal with these realities and somehow get rid of the fear in the coming year.

I'm afraid I'll fail at life. I'm afraid I won't meet my full potential. I'm afraid I'll end up being some asshole's assistant for the rest of my life. I'm afraid I'll never own a home, never own a car, never have a garden and that my husband won't be able to retire. I guess I'm afraid that the economy just won't let me do these things, and maybe that I'm a little bit lazy. I have no clue to how to overcome this. Right now I'm looking for a very high paying job to make the first steps, but the truth is that I'm 40 and 30% of the country is unemployed. So, honestly, I'm probably just fucked and should go join a commune or something. Hmmm... perhaps I'm pessimistic?

I'm always scared that somebody will come in my life who is way better than I am and who will take my place between my friends and my collegues. It doesn't really limit me but it is bad for my mood when I meet a new girl at work or in private. And that's not a good feeling. I'm not sure how to overcome this fear, but I know that I really need to realise (I already know, but it's hard to really believe in it) that everybody has own's strengths and weaknesses and that nobody is better than I am in every point. And that the people that love me will not let me down for anyone else, otherwise they didn't really love me. Self-confidence, I still have to learn a lot about it.

I'm pretty afraid of girls. Talking to them anyway. I don't have much of a plan, just sit awkwardly in the corner averting my eyes I guess.

My fear of failure limits me. It paralyzes me. I am afraid to disappoint people. I am afraid to make mistakes. I am afraid to say what I really need to say because I don't want to say it the wrong way. I am afraid of people not liking me, or loving me. I am afraid of feeling stagnant. I am afraid that I am not good enough. All of that needs to change. I have to do things that make me feel good--complete projects, keep a schedule, read more, practice yoga more. All things that open myself up.

I am afraid of my own anxiety. Of losing confidence and not believing I have the power to change my course when necessary. I plan on letting it go this year by gaining the following: -Financial freedom through higher paying teaching gigs, so I can travel with K and alone when desired. -Artistic projects led by me in partnership with the artists I love and am forming new relationships with -Consistent attention to training (taking classes, self-motivated study and practice.)

My biggest fear is that i am a fraud, not good enough and unworthy. It stops me from taking risks in love in work in my creativity. It stops me from taking time for me. Taking more risks, because I've been successful, makes me feel better. I have to put myself out there esp. For dating.

I have a fear of disappointing other people or not living up to my full potential. This fear has held me back in that it makes it difficult for me to let things go, and causes me to overanalyze my relationships with other people. In order to overcome this fear, I hope to remind myself frequently that my relationships with others are positive, and that I am living my life quite fully. I want to understand better that I am passionate about and committed to the people and activities in my life.

My fear of disappointing people, of making the wrong choices. I've been holding back my feelings and keeping secrets recently because of it. I plan to make a choice and stop living "in between", maybe then I'll be able to be honest.

I have a fear of not knowing things. I think I am expected to know everything. I plan to ask for help and advice on on teaching and child raising. Not that I will take all of the advice but it will help to get input from other sources.

One of my major fears is that I will not create the time and space in my life that I need for paying attention to and honoring stories, my own and those of my fellow travelers. I plan on letting go of this fear by accepting my limitations and acknowledging my successes as well as my failures. I also plan to affirm the importance of my teaching, mothering, and activism so that I don't place too much significance on writing alone as a valid means of participating in the human community. But I don't want to give up my dream. I As long as I'm alive, conscious, and able to write it's too soon to give up hope of creating a writer's life.

Fear of ending my life with regret. I gotta keep letting go and opening up. I gotta learn who I am really.

Fear of getting it wrong. Fear of being mediocre, or worse yet, not enough, insufficient. Fear of trying my hardest only to show up a joke. Fear that all the choices I've made that didn't turn out the way I'd wanted them to mean I'll never make a good decision again. I've already started to let go of it, but oh my gods it wants to hold on to me with both claws. In the coming year, when the claws dig in, I will act as if I'm not afraid, as if I'm still the laughing girl who jumps in with both feet, and I'll remind myself that it's ok that I've made the decisions I've made. As long as I'm still breathing, I get to make new ones every moment.

I fear being poor and conversely I fear having a meaningless career. I don't fear having a meaningless life -- I have found incredible meaning in my partner and my friends and family. But I fear having a meaningless career BECAUSE I fear being poor and I thereby have typically taken the 'safe' path.

A fear of falling - as in face-plants. After doing it twice in 2 months, I now feel even *more* fearful about planning anything that requires too much walking. And my definition of "too much" was pretty short to begin with.

I am scared of being broken-hearted again. It's so painful and it takes so long to get over. It takes over my thoughts and interferes with my life because I get so depressed. I want to find love again, get married, have kids. And there's no way to avoid the risk of a broken heart when you let yourself fall in love. But I just don't want to fall in love and be broken hearted again. I want to fall in love for the last time. But I know I can't control that, so I just have to make myself keep taking risks and have faith that it will work out.

Todavia me resta algo de miedo para iniciar una conversacion desde cero con una persona que vaya por ahi. La practica lo es todo, saliendo a espacios donde me vea obligado a hablar. Y estando en el momento, aprovechando la oportunidad.

I am terrified of failing and hurting other people's feelings. I am getting better with the failure. I know that we make mistakes now (after years and years of harboring regret over every decision I made). I also know now that every decision, regret, mistake, success leads to where you're supposed to be. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else and I accept mistakes. I hate the idea of hurting other people's feelings -- personally and professionally. I get nervous thinking about confronting people or discussing how I feel. It gives me anxiety and makes me avoid it. I think I need to start thinking of what I need more than what everyone else needs. I have always put everyone's feelings ahead of my own. I need to be more selfish and do what is best for me. I'm so afraid of hurting Michael's feelings, if this is what I choose, but in the long run, I will hurt him more by not doing anything. That's cowardly.

Within my career, I have been afraid of public speaking. I get very nervous and freeze up. I need to spend more time practicing what to say and how to say before speaking in front of a large group of people. Public speaking is important, no matter what your job is and this is something I’d like to work on.

I fear being a nuisance. I don't like bothering people excessively and it comes back to me not wanting to hurt anyone's feeling. The whole reasoning to me wanting to be more out there is so i can make positive relationships with people and know that they can help me and i can help them, i just need to let them in. It's hard cause i also don't want to get hurt, but i truthfully think that in the end, it's better to let myself get hurt and out myself out there than not at all.

I have a terrible fear of not being successful. I want to be able to accomplish everything I set my mind to, and the fear of failure makes me extremely nervous and anxious. I have to realize that everyone makes mistakes and to learn from my failures. I just need to ingrain it into my head.

I fear that my wife will continue to be unhappy. I hope to overcome it by being persistently positive.

I am afraid of looking stupid. It is limiting to always be glancing over my shoulder, wondering what others think about me. I would like to work on letting myself just go for it and say or do what I want, recognizing that while some people may laugh or think I'm stupid, I've done pretty well in collecting a great group of friends who think I'm anything but. (hehe. Butt.)

I am afraid of my father and of myself. I am afraid that if I don't confront my relationship with him, that I am implicitly accepting or allowing the things he has done. I am also afraid to rock the boat- since intervention has failed once before and simply made things very awkward, I am afraid to say anything because I don't think it will help. I don't know how I'll overcome this issue in the coming year- to speak or not to speak- but I have faith that somehow I'll figure it out.

I am afraid of so many things--in many ways this year has been a multi-layered journey into discovering (and attempting to root out) all the many things that make me fearful and anxious.  I am afraid of not knowing things (including what direction my life will be taking after this crossroads time I'm in). I'm afraid that if I wait and put off my own needs too long, they will never get met. I am afraid of being lonely. I am afraid that people won't love or appreciate me just the way I am. I am afraid of not leaving my mark on the world, and specifically of not being able to change the world for the better. I have been afraid of claiming and valuing my own personal passions, and allowing them to be central to my everyday life. I have been afraid of what other people might think of me when I "fly my freak flag high", or when I don't have a "real job". I have been afraid of being too big and bright and wild, so I have kept myself small and under the radar. In the coming year I want to remind myself to be a supernova. The only way to overcome fear is to relentlessly investigate it, to be compassionate with myself when I find it, to release it when it no longer serves me, and to replace it with love (self-love especially). This year I've been trying to practice letting go of fear and replacing it with love, and in the coming year I'm going to keep practicing.

Onions, Just kidding. I'm scared of other people. "People are just people, they shouldn't make you nervous." Well, THEY DO. A lot. I want to get over this fear of what others think. Their thoughts shouldn't effect my own.

I have been living in fear this past year- fear that the house of cards that is my life is going to fall apart. I have already started the process of refinding myself. Now I just need to break out of the shell of procrastination and avoidance and face my fears head on. I can deal with finding a new home, in maintaining my job and I hope that at this time next year I will have found a sense of stability.

That I will never find a partner. At times it makes me doubt myself or put too much energy into someone before its right to. I hope to spend my energy setting up my community and building friendships and working relationships too. Not just hoping a relationship will make my new-impending move less lonely.

I am afraid of letting go of who my job makes me, and of truly exploring things I'm not yet good at. I will keep on learning and attempting.

I've always feared that, whatever I could do, someone else could do it better. Or that not knowing how to do something meant that I'd look silly trying to learn it. I've done a lot of different things---tried a lot of new things---in my life, but there are so many more things I could've done, were it not for my insecurity & lack of confidence. Now at 67 years old, I am actively working at letting go of those attitudes.........but it's hard.

Financial fear is constant - how will we build our future if we can't save a penny at the end of the month. Relationship fear is in the back of my mind - so many relationships go sour. I don't want us to ever fall out of love or hurt each other.

A fear of missing out on opportunities and staying stuck in bad situations because of this fear. I hope to let go of bad situations and just wing it on my own and know that I'll be fine alone.

I am often afraid or uncomfortable with having people not like me. But sometimes that fear holds me back or keeps me connected to people who don't give me much (or even worse, annoy or attack me). I think I've gotten much better about not caring what others think, but I would really like to not worry about it anymore. I would also like to not feel suspicious or insecure about my husband--it does no one any good, and doesn't actually shield me from any infidelities. I can only love with a true and trusting heart. If it turns out not to be merited, it wouldn't be because I didn't try without reservation.

I fear that I've lost creativity and ability to contribute effectively at my job and therefore my confidence in myself has been reduced. I need to step up, do something to get my old self back.

I think I have a fear of failing, so I make choices that set me up for success. Unfortunately those choices mean that I'm not challenged, and ultimately not happy, so "success" is pretty relative. I'm still working on what this all means and how it manifests. I guess I should say that I need to let myself try and fail at something, but even saying that brings a lot of feelings up for me. It's hard to accept that I can't always get it at least a little bit right.

My fear is that I will not become anything in life. Anything meaning that I will not have a career, just a job and not help out the world like I always have wanted to. Sometimes that fear makes me lazy in the sense that I don't think I'll amount to anything and I go through a small self-fulfilling prophecy. But I get over it and I go and make things right by doing it and proving myself wrong.

Fear of something happening to me health-wise. I have been losing a ton of sleep over it. I am starting to work on it by trying to lose weight. That should take out the main reason for that fear. I hope that I can really learn to live a healthy lifestyle so this won't be a concern anymore.

i have a fear of losing my husband. I dont know what happened to him. how can someone change overnight. Either he lied to me before or he is lying now. don't know why this all happened. I wish he would man up and tell me instead of ignoring me. he has become such a cruel person. i dont know how to let it go.. but i hope i find happiness soon.

Fear of failure stops me from trying new things. I need to remind myself of past successes, and work my way up from small new things to big new things.

fear of rejection fear of being open fear of not being heard/supported being strong and healing and being loving & honest & kind with people close to me

Rejection, letting myself down. It's why I don't finish novels and edit them. I'm afraid of rejection letters and them telling me my novel isn't good enough; that it sucks.. It's also why I haven't gone back to school. There's always someone that's going to say no: the Financial Aid people, the school...

Fear of rejection, pain. It's limited everything I do. I'm fat because I want to hide and I'm mean to people because I want to push them away. I want to be more introspective, examine my own feelings about things, journal about my problems more so I can look at the stupid things I think and say. Professional help may be involved.

The fear of being rejected. Whenever I'm at an event where there is the opportunity to meet new people, I always feel that I'll be left out of the group; that people dont' really want to talk to me. Instead, I hope to be able to understand that it really is just ok to be me. I mean, I'm fantastic! If someone doesn't want me to be around, then it should be their loss. I hope I can try and develop that mindset in the upcoming year.

I am incredibly mortified of rejection. I feel because of it I've not applied to places for work or internships, and more often then not I've let it keep me from telling people how I really feel about them, romantically or otherwise. I don't know how I'll let it go, but I know for my own sanity I'm going to have to as I get older.

Fear of living up to my potential and working toward something. I've always been afraid that I won't like things once I've worked for them, and I can't let that hold me back any more.

I fear failure but you can't fal if you haven't tried. I'd like to tell fear to go fuck itself.

I fear not being a good enough businesswoman and that fear is crippling. I'm afraid that I will get through business school and realize that I am too afraid or not cut-throat-enough to handle being a manager. Or worse yet, I fear I wont make it through school at all. I hope that by joining clubs and taking over leadership positions, I will find my passion for being a leader again.

FEAR of self. FEAR of failure. Fear of my ever present ego. This goes hand in hand with fearing of being poor and not living up to my own expectations of myself as well as the expectations of others- including family members. I have been fighting and dealing with these fears since I was able to think as an adult. The past three years have been about wallowing in my suffering and not living up to the challenge of waiting. The wait is something to be thankful for, and I hope to be even more thankful this time next year. I hope I am able to take responsibility of my things that I haven't been able to control and should have taken care of- like my car insurance and an ever present debt. I pray I am able to over come the fear of TRUTH in my life. This is the root of giving it all to God and not worrying- not FEARING, but being able to trust in the truth that this world is not the only thing I have to live for eternity.

Fear of failure. I am scared to get turned down by a girl, scared to apply for something and not get it, scared to get my first B in college, and scared to make mistakes in tennis. I'm getting better at letting go, but I just need to take more risks this year and prove to myself that it's not the end of the world if I don't succeed.

I'm afraid I dont know what to do with my life. Ive stumbled into physics, into dance, into yoga, into my Volvos.... I'm frightened that with my Ph.D. that I might not stumble into the next step, that I might not know the dance steps for my life. But I have confidence in myself and I am a remarkable person; I trust myself to dance on when the next song comes on.

The fear group I am working to transcend at this time is those of my early childhood, that I am not loved, that I am inadequate and incomplete. Yes, they are silly things, but they stand in a man's way of himself. The time has come where that will not do.

Fear that someone will force us into sending Kat and Jay to public school. I'm not sure how to let it go but that's what I need to do.

The fear of failing and never getting up; of being chronically inadequate and acting out because of it. I certainly hope to let go of it this coming year, especially as I find that at whatever level I am, I have something to offer others... and that my desire to share learning and discovery is valuable in itself. I hope to believe that and practice believing it daily, hourly, by the minute when necessary.

Fear of loss. (Financial/Professional.) Since the early 2000s and the dotcom implosion I have not taken the risks that probably would have benefitted me. It's time to look for new ones. How to do it? The way I always have before: getting to know something well, so I can appreciate the risks and deal with them specifically and directly rather than shying away from them. It's a lie that entrepreneurs and innovators are risk-takers, mostly they just understand the risks better than anybody else, so they are able to mitigate them. I used to be really good at that. Time to refresh my knowledge and familiarity with the things I'm working with, so I can feel more comfortable with the risks out there.

I'm trying hard to work on my social anxiety because I'm afraid it will keep me from getting a law job... that it will keep me from being happy. Being safe and secure and comfortable is not always healthy. I am trying to challenge my anxiety, recognize it, and move forward in spite of it instead of letting it control me.

I would need a licensed therapist to accurately and honestly answer this question. I don't even know where to start. I'm not very good at naming my fears, only that in a way I am afraid of doing so.

I'm scared of over analyzing my religion. I am so scared that I'm going to lose it.

i have had a fear of letting go. of allowing myself to be vulnerable. i forget if i have mentioned this each time i have done 10Q, but nonetheless, it is my biggie and it is still at play!! i plan on letting it go by taking small steps...by acknowledging that it is time to be vulnerable with another person, to let go, to jump off the ledge, to take the leap and to fly. that is my intention. and i feel like i am making my way there beautifully. i look forward to checking in next year and following this progress. and i love what rabbi sharon said tonight in shul about yom kippur love. loved loved loved. and i intend to weave that into my experience too :)

I don't like change, or new things – which left me staying in the job I did not like for far to long. It keeps me from making friends and having various experiences. I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone a little in the past year (new job, moving) but I haven't gotten good at socializing or adventuring out on my own. I hope to force myself to go explore my new town, alone, and to make new friends. In the past I have had my friends drag me about to events, that were fun, since I have moved away from them no one is forcing me to get out, have fun, have new experiences, and make new friends.

I'm terrified of opening up my heart again to someone. I'm having a really hard time being vulnerable and emotionally available to my boyfriend because our relationship came so quickly on the heels of my breakup with my ex after 6 years of us living together. The closer we get to a major commitment, the more fearful I become - of losing him, of losing myself, of waking up 6 years down the road only to realize that I didn't make the right decision. I don't want to make the same mistakes. The only way to overcome the fear is to give it time. I'm not in a rush to make any big life decisions, but my biological clock is ticking and I feel the pressure of aging now that I'm edging on 40. I want kids, I want a family, I want to have a life partner - but I don't want to do it just to do it. I want to do it with the right person who can really and truly show up for me.

I have a fear of losing people I love, of missing out somehow, of not getting home in time. But I feel like all my fears have come true, so there is nothing left to fear really. Except not loving well enough. And death. Overcome them or let them go? I think it will take more than a year. Maybe I can try and show more affection and love and maybe, in time, I can become wiser about letting go.

I fear how I measure up in comparison to others. Lately though, friends and teachers help me realize that the point is to excel, not compete. I hope to let go of the feeling of always competing and replace it with a sense of achievement and joy in practice.

That my colleagues will get the better of me. To focus on the people who count most.

My fear of being myself has held me back enormously. My bisexuality is a secret, but hopefully that will change when i leave home. I'll finally be able to reveal myself to the world, and then, hopefully, things will happen.

It's the same as last year it will never leave me until I try and defeat it.

I fear my partner leaving me the way my spouse left for someone else. Often times it is the reason why I feel that I should leave him first so that I won't give him the chance to leave me. The whole thing is pretty dumb in a way though because either way, leaving or taking the chance of being left again doesn't necessarily allow you the chance to let the relationship take off the way it should. I guess I always viewed marriage as this unbreakable bond that two people were supposed to share and now that I am divorced that illusion has been shattered. My parents are still living proof however that it CAN be what I had hoped it would be and that maybe my mistake was to choose someone who didn't obviously share my views on that and much more. Can I actually have that kind of a love with someone? I sure hope so!!

I have a fear of disappearing and being forgotten and it has lead me to do things that I am not proud of and that I may someday regret. I plan on using this fear as a positive motivator that will help push me to be remembered for something beautiful.

i am afraid to be alone. i am afraid of rejection and abandonment. i want to learn to be comfortable on my own, without needing another to validate me.

I worry fairly frequently about my daughter. Will she be okay? Is she making decisions that will put her in worse state down the line? Will she kill herself--or do something that lands her in jail, the hospital, or the morgue? My worry seems ineffective; I gain a knot in my stomach, but I'm not being helpful. Instead, I have been trying to let go of my fear and demands that she do things my way (not doing so well lately). I'm trying to not be distant or cold, but love her regardless. I'm trying not to make my happiness dependent on her behavior. T.S. Eliott wrote, "Teach me to care and not to care." Easier said than done; nonetheless, as Thich Nhat Hanh (maybe) says, "She's my Teacher," and I'm trying to keep learning.

I'm scared of death - not of my own death but of losing the people close to me. It is limiting in that I have let it become a constant reality in my life and exists as a dark cloud hovering over my perceptions. Overcoming it is hard because of its inevitability but I need to at least focus on the present and the relationships themselves instead of being consumed by the future.

Rejection. It's limited me by not letting me apply for jobs I may have enjoyed and making me miss opportunities for growth. I think just writing this and being honest with myself about it will help me. Also, I don't want to have to answer this question the same way next September!

I am afraid if I focus on myself I will get depressed and if I investigate my needs I will be seen as selfish. This has lead me to continually focus on others and be swept away by others desires and wants. I hope I can become comfortable wading in myself to the point I can swim.

my fear of what if? What if this happens, what if that happens? Enough second guessing. it is time to trust my gut and run with life. I know if I do, it will work out in the end.

I have an enormous fear of failure in both my personal life, my parenting and my work life. It has made me feel isolated and frozen in place. I will try to put myself into more and more social situations so that I can feel less alone and more connected to the people around me.

I have a difficult relationship with my daughter. I fear dying and never having had a loving relationship with her and her children. I pray this year she will open up to my love. But I also send her love daily and accept her right to not have a relationship with her mother.p

I fear Anne not getting over her depression and OCD. I fear that it will continue to limit our life together, and the closeness and joy in our relationship. I hope that by providing support and encouragement, making a priority for us to continue to have fun together, and making sure that she is receiving adequate therapy is something that I hope will help us to overcome it.

I have a fear of ending up on my own and it means i keep jumping into relationships. I am already letting go of it by grieving the loss of my mother's milk instead of hoping that the next woman I meet will be the "one" .

I have many urging me towards the rabbinate.... What if they are right? I've realized that I fear commitment and success. Do I have it in me to make a five year commitment to school? To Israel? A lifelong role as a teacher? I may fail miserably and disappoint everyone. I'm content where I am at, simply being Jewish, but then I do have a longing for a bigger role... Is this it?

I have phone anxiety. Everytime someone calls my cell phone, I let it go through to voicemail, and I never check my voicemails. I was never sure why I hated answering the phone, but now I think it is because my friends will want something from me, and I am scared of disappointing them. I just need to get over it!

I guess it would be... fear of attention. I'm very shy and although I have come out of my shell a lot this year, I am still afraid of getting up in front of some groups of people and saying what I think.

I have been afraid that I am weird enough to have my kids taken away, just for being me. I grew up severely punished for my sense of individuality. I was sent to live in a convent where I wasn't even allowed to read (!), so I still have this residual fear that, if the rest of society doesn't get me, I'll be punished and my kids will get sent to more seemingly normal people. I'm not even that weird, either, it turns out ! I think a bunch of horrific experiences, have forced me to hold onto my ideals with an iron grip. I have learned that there is no one better than me or my husband to make decisions for our family, and my husband doesn't really like to mull stuff over. So, that leaves me! I'm in charge for a while! and I'm not too crazy to do it. I understand that now.

I fear that my son will descend back down into addiction. I know there's nothing I can do to save him besides letting him know that I love him.

I have a (sometimes debilitating) fear of failure. At the age of 27 I don't have a drivers' license because I'm scared of failing the test. I don't know how to cook because I don't want to mess up. I don't tell my ex boyfriend I might still love him because I'm scared he'll say I'm wrong. I don't do anything I can't do well. I need to learn that it's ok to be wrong and it's ok to fail sometimes, because if I do my successes will only be bigger and better.

I am afraid of fully participating every day in life given that the intensity of my energy is so challenging in both good and bad ways for so many. This struggle is exhausting both physically and spiritually. One day at a time. I hope to make more choices to get out there and spend fewer evenings locked inside my safe space.

I have a bit of social anxiety that I need to get over. I'm not sure why it's so debilitating since I'm a friendly and talkative person, but need to stick myself out there a lot more.

I am always fearful of failure and rejection. I would do more creatively and personally if I just let these fears go. But I'm way too insecure as a person to shut out the eyes, ears and opinions of others. Take more chances, speak out more, less chat more splat. If anything, I HAVE to do these things in order to keep doing what I'm doing. Competition is fierce, technology is changing design rapidly, I'm getting a bit rusty in my old age.

I guess I am dead scared of growing up. Its limiting me in planning ahead, in finding a partner, and from enjoying where I am. How I plan to overcome it? Good question. As I said in a previous answer, I am just going to do my yoga. "Do your practice and all will follow". I think I wont get over it until I actually move to Brazil, and realize its going to be ok.

I'm afraid of failing and afraid of screwing up—especially since a small screw-up was what cost me my job last year. I think there's a way of being more honest while still coming off as professional, and if not there is definitely a way to ignore what frustrates me in lieu of focusing on what doesn't.

My anxiety levels are often high. I sometimes allow it to freeze me. I hope meditation and reasoning will help me to lessen, or even end, its effects on me.

Im scared of stepping on my dads toes(figuratively speaking) , and upsetting. him. I want to learn to stand up to him a bit, and holding my ground.

I have a fear that I won't be able to find someone so incredible and who I connect with like "I". I'm turning 40 in a few months, and have a fear of being single for the rest of my life, or not getting my dreams of having a family. I need to believe that it will happen for me!

I have a fear of failing. I never want to let anyone down or to disappoint anyone. It is hard for me having ADHD and being terrified of not living up to expectations of those around me. I plan on just doing my best no matter what happens and not letting myself get torn apart when I do fail at something or not as well as I hoped to do.

Oh g-d...That saying about "do something everyday that scares you" is easy for me because so many things do. The good news is, I am taking small steps & facing these fears. That's the way to do it, just keep moving forward. I need to deal with some health issues while I still have insurance, and I need to investigate what to do when the COBRA runs out. Again, I've been dealing with a little at a time; too much gets overwhelming.

I fear being out of control. I rarely, if ever, let myself go or get in a situation when I don't have control. Right now this is limiting me by keeping me at my job, when part of me feels that the time may have come for me to move on. I am so scared of taking that risk though. I can logically make the case, how I can do okay financially freelancing, but the truth is I am too scared to put it to the test and so I stay where I am no longer happy, in the hope that it will get better.

I always fear what other people think of me. I cant speak to some people without my heart racing and my face getting pink. What I fail to realize is that everyone around me feels the same way. we are all humans. I hope i can find my voice. Ill make it a habit of being less awkward. The worst that can happen is that I fail and have to try again. For some reason that is the most concerning thing to me. I can't handle the idea of other people progressing and leaving me behind. ughh

I fear that my mother is dying. No, I understand that she is dying: I fear that it will happen very quickly. I fear that I will get it wrong, somehow: I will care too much (and be destroyed by it), or too little (and not give her what she needs). I fear that I will put my life on hold because of this, and lose vital chances. I fear that I will not make myself available enough, and regret it later. This is hard, so hard. I don't yet have plans for letting it - or her - go.

Being rejected. I am single and have a limited group of friends (which actually is not a bad thing because they are very good friends). Overcome it by involving myself in more stuff, saying yes to friends and trying out dating.

I'm fearful of not making enough $ to pay the bills and being forced to sell my home pre-maturely. The solution is to do whatever it takes to bring in more $ and to be more successful in my business dealings. I also want to continue to invest in real estate, despite the losses I've taken in learning the business. I fear that I'm not a great uncle to my nieces and nephews and would like to make more of an effort to get to know them and show them I care for them.

I have a strong pervasive fear of letting my family down. I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the perfect child in my parent's eyes. Much of it has to do with trying to make up for my brothers' failures. In the coming year, I want to show them that my biggest accomplishment is the happiness that I've created for myself at school.

I guess it's a fear of rejection. I never take my work to galleries or shops, where it might sell better. Of course, it's also a fear of success... what if they wanted more right away?? Although I know that it would be good to get over this fear, it's not my top priority this year. There's so much else to work on.

Fear of failing as a student leader in inspiring other students to become actively engaged in the profession. I have tried to be as optimistic as possible, and worked to prepare and explore a different leadership strategy: connecting with and promoinge the "why" then the how/what.

I'm afraid of not being taken seriously and thought of as too young. I'm afraid that my efforts at work to improve things for my staff will ultimately hurt them if I can't maintain good relationships with my immediate colleagues. I'm afraid, mostly, that I won't live up to people's expectations of me...I always feel like I'm faking it.

fear of changing. although i like changes, there are always aspects in my life that I feel don't change due to fear. as if changing the way i look/the way i think/ the way i present myself will make people like me less. my motto in the past few months is Albert Einstein's quote about insanity. Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results My focus is on changing even in the smallest things, what i eat how i dress how i talk. and therapy, of course....

I am so afraid of looking stupid in front of other people, especially strangers. This makes me so afraid of socializing. I spend all my time inside online. Hiding. I wanna become more social this year. I want better self esteem. I want more friends. I wanna meet a boy. Idk if I'm going to overcome it. I am still adjusting to college and that itself is making this harder. Everyone is out having fun and I am inside reading things from people all over the world who I will never meet. My friend at school is just like me in that sense. She might even be more inclined to stay inside. For me, I know what it's like to be less afraid. I have had boyfriends, I have had friends, I have had swag. Somehow I lost all of my social confidence and some of my social skills. I constantly surprise myself at how I can successfully socialize, but I dwell on the little mistakes I make. I know this is a self esteem thing, but I don't know how to fix it. I am not in therapy anymore. Maybe I will just have to shrink myself to fix this.

Not being enough somehow a holdover from my divorce and several failed romances. My Mom's death has opened things up for me. I am calmer (probably the grief dampening my crazy energy), more focused and seem to have absorbed some of my Mom's ability to "not sweat the small stuff". I know that my life can be what I make it . I also know that my Mom loved me with no conditions and that she loved me for who am. If she can do that so can I.

I seem to be intensely afraid of being insignificant, of never achieving career "success" and I think it causes me to undercut my achievements, be afraid to take risks, and to caught up in the end game to enjoy the ride (sometimes). I hope to continue to remind myself to bet on myself, to believe that there's not a limited time offer on success, be willing to pass up opportunities that don't feel right (trust my gut), and believe that timing will work its magic when the timing is right.

Running out ouf funds to support my wife as we get older and less able to take care of ourselves

I am afraid that I will not be able to make enough money to support my lifestyle.. to realize my dreams and be comfortable and happy. Happiness has never been about making money, for me. But I do want to become better and smarter about running my own business, and I want to support myself financially! This is important to me because having and curating my own business allows me to express my creative desire. I may be off about what kind of work I should be doing. I need to get more clear about what I want. Is it really what I want? For example. I think that I can let go of this fear by getting more clear about what I want and knowing that I can do it, can create this dream. I have so much doubt about certain aspects of what I "do". Sometimes i just want to "give up" and find a "job" somewhere doing something that relates but is working for someone else and getting paid a paycheck. But then I think, I can always do that. Let me try this thing... this idea that I have for now. :) I need to get kinder towards myself!

Fear that I must stay where I am for financial reasons. It made me accept circumstances that were unacceptable and made me feel badly about myself which meant I was in a bad state of being for my family. I let it go already, but I hope to be reminded of not letting myself get stuck in a situation out of financial fear - not the type of situation that makes me take it out on myself which ulitmately means it gets taken out on my family as well.

I am paralyzed with fear of being inadequate. I often feel inadequate in my job, my relationship, my home... I have to find ways to solve problems over which I have control and to let go of the ones which I cannot change. That is the only way to ever feel adequate.

I am financially fearful. I don't plan to let this limit me. I also fear experimenting with drugs, and this too, I don't plan to overcome.

An irrational fear I have is the fear of how people perceive me. Stupid things I shouldn't care so much about like how I look, smell, sound, etc. Caring so much about how I am received personality-wise has limited me in showing people I am relatively close to what I can be like and I think, well, it doesn't push people I barely know away, but it stops me from perhaps becoming closer to them. I will try and let myself be more carefree in the coming year and let go of these inhibitions. Of course, I will still care for my body and mind like I do now (god forbid I go out without showering once in a while. lol) I just won't imagine things that aren't there and be so uptight about it.

i have a fear that i wont get a date to prom..i plan to be more outgoing

My biggest fear is probably disappointing others and receiving criticism. I'm a very hard worker and can be self-critical at times; I guess I need to find a way to accept that I'm only human and it's natural to make mistakes! I also need to accept that you can't please everyone. My fears may have limited me in that sometimes I focus more on what makes others happy, rather than myself. But I think I'm getting better!

Annaphylaxis. Lots of limitations. Changed my life.

I have an irrational fear of anti-semitic violence. I live in a town with a very large Jewish population, and everyone lives comfortably together, regardless of religion, but as I walk to the synagogue on Shabbat, with my hair covered and my tzitzit out, I feel exposed and not a little scared. Will I always feel this way?

Fear of getting hurt. Fear of abandonment. I will simply let it go

Right at the moment, I can't think of any particular fear I have that is limiting me. I've overcome many of my fears, and although I don't feel fearless, I'm having trouble thinking of one at the moment.

I fear for the well being of my children. By keeping in better contact, and having resources in reserve to help if needed.

I have a fear of being my true self around people I don't really know. That also goes along with I am afraid of what people think about me. To let go of this is need to just try not to think about the people as much and just focus on who I really am

I am afraid to even say my fears because I don't want it to happen. custody issue, art school, money, my daughter lying to me not really wanting to live with me, jail...Lord's Prayer, Sedona method. read Bible more to remember God's promises.

I fear opening up to other people. I fear not being accepted by people. I fear being alone in this world. I'm currently involved in my first relationship, which causes me to alternate between feelings of happiness and insecurity. I'm hoping this relationship will help me help myself. I want to feel loved, needed. I want to believe it's possible for someone to find me attractive. I want to be someone worth knowing.

My biggest fear is small talk. I feel like it has limited me in a lot of the possible friendships I could have and in my job and how it is a part of it. I just feel awkward talking about things like the weather or cars. I like to jump into a conversation full heartedly, but some people don't. I think it'll go away the more I do it and the better I get at it, the better I'll do at my job. I think Best Buy helps out a lot with it too, since I have to be practicing it everyday.

Fear of cancer recurrence. Two unexpected people have been my teachers on this. Steve Jobs--helping me see that my awareness of my mortality can be an awesome change agent in my life, and thus may be embraced. And Lance Armstrong--he himself may not have said this, but many Livestrong supporters do, and it is a great mantra: "Fuck cancer!"

Fear of asking other people for help. Just asking others for help

I guess the main fear I have (and have always had) is the fear that I will get in my own way. I'm afraid I won't be good enough, that I'll do something wrong, that I'll do something I regret - because hey, it's happened before. I think I need to find the balance between being confident in my abilities, but not so over-confident that I make mistakes. I need to be more friendly to my roommates, be less shy and say hello to acquaintences I bump into on the streets, and be more personable in conversations with people I don't know so well. Yet simultaneously, I need to be less abrasive with my friends, family, and people with whom I am more comfortable.

My social anxiety kills me. I can hardly stand to be in a crowd or to speak up. I don't know how to overcome it or I would have already, given how badly it impacts me on a daily basis.

a fear of being scrutinised if i say something that my parents don't want to hear: ie) taking a gap year i'm still not really sure how to overcome it, but i have to!

Fear of how I will cope without Pat. I haven't a clue how to do that.

I guess what I fear most is failure, so I end up doing things that make me fail like procrastinating, or just not doing the things that I plan on doing, like submitting myself every day to agents. I hope to start doing that again.

I fear the economy, not knowing what will be for the future. I've come to the realization that I am not getting younger and some of the things I really want to do I had better do now and not worry so much about the future.

I can't think of a fear that has really limited me, because many of my fears came to pass. I was scared of losing my job, and then I lost it. I was scared of losing my home, and now I'm losing it. I was scared of my parents' mortality, and now my dad has dementia, possibly Alzheimer's. What this has done has made me stronger. Not happier, not fearless, but stronger. Because if I can handle all this at once, I know I can handle even more.

Fear of getting hurt by 'people'. Fear of expressing myself. Fear of socializing. Fear of success. Fear itself. To defeat your enemy, you must know him well. Know its nature and its weaknesses. So I am studying my enemy. It is my lab rat. My subject. And it should fear me, for I will conquer it.

Pft! Fear is nothing to consider. It is to be faced or heeded as it arises.

That I am not smart enough (to finish my PhD). I am not thin enough, pretty enough (to find a husband). That I will never be enough. I will tell myself that this is my destiny and that nothing will keep me from it. Nothing. No one. Not ever.

The fear of being alone... I've let the fear control my need and desire to have someone and in turn, fuel my desire to find an SO now and not heed the warning signs. I need to be more comfortable with myself and take things slowly.

I guess failure. I don't do anything so I won't have to fail. And there's that oft-quoted Wayne Gretzky quote, but that's only under the assumption that a failure is a self-contained moment, instead of a weight that only burdens as time goes on. But I mean, muscles strengthen to adjust to extra weight, so... I should take more chances.

I have a fear that the life that I want for myself will never become a reality. If you ever look at anybody who settles, you will see a person that is broken to some degree. I feel as though life would like me to broken at times. In the past, I let trivial things hold me back from what I wanted. There comes a time in your life when you need to step up and be a man. That time has come for me and I embrace the future with a smile on my face. I'm ready to be broken, crushed, and put back together all for the ambitions that fuel my essence. The only way to overcome an obstacle is to go over it and thats what I plan to do with hard work and discipline.

a basic fear I have is I will not be okay with being single after Ian is more independent and that I will never experience romantic love again. I just plan on being the best person I can be and practicing faith that God has something for me to do and he will not leave me alone and bless me with someone here on Earth if I need it.

I am afraid of rejection. I am going to face it head-on in the coming year.

I'm terribly afraid of rejection. I want to be radically changed in that area and fight against that fear, because I know it holds me back from doing so much... I shouldn't be afraid of rejection by people. It's silly. But it's human nature, so it shouldn't be a surprise that I struggle. No one likes to be rejected. But sometimes we need rejection to lead us to the places we belong...

I fear becoming more independent and putting me first. I know that sounds weird and I've begun to do this already, but I fear how it may affect others and how their opinion of me might change. Especially those close to me. I feel that this is a necessity and I need to be true to myself in order to live life to it's fullest. My children need to see the true me. Some time dedicated to "me" will allow me to be a better Mom, Wife and person.

Fear of failure. I've said for ages that my biggest fear is failure. I remember answering that in HS at a sleepover party. I will have to try to realize that everyone fails. The key is getting back up again. Also, the key is to remember that no one is counting my victories or your failures and everyone is much more forgiving of me than I am of myself.

I am scared of being alone. I don't know how handle myself on my own and am constantly looking for others to lean on. I get out of a relationship and immediately start focusing on using my other friends as a base instead of learning how to stand on my own. In the next year i want to learn how to be ok with being alone even if it's not something i actively seek out. I want to take up hobbies that I enjoy and can do on my own - like guitar or something.

Sometimes I think that I'm afraid of taking up too much space, of being too much. I hold myself back and shrink myself. If I'm not going to be myself now, then when? So I think this ought to be the year, the year I turn 64.

A fear of disappointing my parents and sibling had previously gotten in the way of fully supporting my spouse. I will work to not let that happen again.

Fear of being left behind. When I see my friends getting record deals or doing jobs that I'm not doing I feel inadequate. It keeps me from moving forward because I tell myself "well I'll never get the support that so and so gets because..." So self defeating. I hope that by trying new things, and distancing myself from people who bring out those negative feelings out of me will help me let go and get better.

I am afraid of fully accepting that I am gay, which has kept me from fully committing to my girlfriend. I am seriously considering seeing a therapist to help me let go of this fear.

I have a fear of not being enough for everyone. It's limited me because if there's someone I care about a lot, I push too hard, and end up losing them. If I didn't try so hard, I may be able to keep them around for longer and that's what I want. I want them all with me.

I have a fear that loving the place I live will somehow increase the distance between myself and my family (who do not live here). I fear that letting go of my resentment for being here will somehow offend them or lead to us growing apart. To be honest, I'm not sure I'm ready to let go, but I should try, or at least direct my energy toward maintaining meaningful connections instead of being grumpy.

My fear was to be alone when I moved to another city. I now realise that I´m not alone! I hope to get out more.. doing funny things!

I am afraid of the phone. Actually, I am afraid of calling people who I think I might be bothering. This includes tradesmen, repairmen, people I like who don't call me often, and my brother, who I think does not like me. I hope in the coming year to gradually make some progress on this by trying to call people occasionally who make me anxious.

Im afraid that Ill never progress in my career due to my own self defeating nature.

Not having sufficient knowledge in my supposed field of expertise. I'll overcome this through constant study and observation.

I'm not sure it's fear, but I have been too complacent and comfortable in the past few years. I have never felt more alive than when I have new challenges and ways to grow.

I am afraid of getting in trouble...being punished. At 63 years old I know that I have lived with and battled this fear for a long time. I want to live the rest of my life without fear. I have also wanted "freedom" all of my life and no matter where I have moved or worked or married, never found the freedom I seek. I am beginning to believe it is because the freedom I crave is from the fear I mentioned earlier. What a beautiful life I will have if I can lay that fear aside.

My closest friends are all married...I'm not. I would like to have some friends with whom I could share simple, fun things, like going to the movies. I don't have a plan so there must be some fear I'm not yet in touch with.

I fear for my family's health. In the last year my sister endured 5 hospitalizations and two surgeries, my sister in law made it through breast cancer and a mastectomy and now my niece is the hospital with swelling on her brainstem. I'm going to do everything I can to support them as they recover from what is possibly the worst year they've ever endured. In the end, this year has made me question my spiritual beliefs and why the world is so unjust. Good people don't deserve to suffer this much.

I have a fear that I'm going to get in trouble all the time. If I am going to sneak around I'm going to atleast be smart about it. I'm also going to try to gain my parents' trust.

Several years ago I realized that there was nothing to fear on this planet. That sounds kind of crazy when you look at what is going on around us - there seems to be an awful lot to fear. But if you understand two things - 1. that we are totally responsible for all that comes into our lives - that since we create the "good" and the "bad", we have the power to change it, and - 2. We are immortal beings, returning to Earth again and again, life after life, to learn and experience, Then there is nothing to fear that cannot be changed. If great disaster happens in your life, you put it there, no one else. Since you created it, you can change it. This is the power of the law of attraction. We attract what we focus on. If you only want good things in your life then focus on positive things - only have positive thoughts and emotions, lose your anger, fear, frustration. So what is it that I fear? Nothing, really! I learned how fear attracts that which I don't want. I feared that I would never lose weight. I was focusing on never losing weight. When I lost that fear I found a way to lose weight. I feared that I would never make money. Once I lost that fear, I found what I wanted to focus on, am doing so now and am on the path toward making money. I no longer fear that I will never meet the man of my dreams. I know he is out there and that when the time is right he will appear. I no longer fear that won't lose the lymphedema. I already know of a method which I will apply once I've enough money. As far as things beyond your control, there is no reason to fear them since they ARE beyond your control. There is nothing to fear.

I am afraid to get married. And I honestly don't know if I can or want to let that fear go. Some fear is good for you.

Change and the risk of failure. I have nothing to lose this year by applying to grad school or traveling abroad, so I'm just going to go for it.

I fear that our nation may become more controlled by corporate interests. I will continue to become active in political campaigns to support independent and progressive candidates in local, state, and Federal elections. I remember a similar fear in 1980 with the election of Ronald Reagan.

I fear trusting the wrong people. I have a hard time trusting that what someone says or does is true. and then I doubt everything they say. I hope that in the next year, I can find the people who I can trust without worrying.

I have (barely) defined myself as an arts writer in recent years, but would like to continue painting, not writing about it. I think to do that I would have to change the definition of myself and that is frightening to me, although I also know it is crazy. I fear that yet again I will not stick to painting, although I love it while I am doing it. I get too distracted by the people around me and I fear I will never get the life I truly want. I should just set a goal for myself to paint for a number of days and see how it goes. I will try to imagine what I want to paint and hold that picture in my mind. I only have a vague notion now, but I need to take a step forward. It is fear that is stopping me.

I have a fear of being in a room with people I don't relate to very well. I prefer one to one interactions or a small group of people I already enjoy, get along with, see eye to eye with, etc. I prefer stimulating conversation about ideas, and observations, to small talk, or superficial banter and pretense. I can't pretend to be interested for very long or very well so I tend to avoid those situations altogether. This preference works fine for my private life but in my work environment it makes me stand out as a loner or someone they're not sure they can trust cuz they don't know me very well. They tend to make up stories about me in the absence of any truth of who I am. I am not sure if I plan on changing this situation, but I can see myself attempting more one to one connections with some of these colleagues to see if we can find something we can mutually relate to. That would make the experience of the larger group a little more tolerable.

talking about money, and asking to be paid back. I need to be more up front and confident about it, and it just comes with practice

many stress situations in my life one the most importat of all make feel a lot of fear But now is diferent I just keep changing my thoughs about me and life, that help me a lot...

I've held on to a fear of closing the door on friendships that are showing less than promise in terms of surviving. I'm working to let go of those who have already let go of me, without closing my heart to them. It's a difficult line to walk.

A fear that i have is that my self esteem will go down. Just starting college is so stressful, and i question everything about myself. But I mean, change does that. Change and college is about self discovery. Was Temple the right choice? Or should I have picked Pace? Muscial theater or Speech Pathology? Do I truly love myself or do I just say it? What really is love? These questions race through my head daily. But, i try to live day by day and I have no regrets!

As much as I portray myself as an extrovert, I often find myself fearing meeting new people and, more importantly, the way in which they view me. I'm often afraid to be myself until I get to know and trust someone, and while this fosters good relationships, it also limits the breadth of people I can meet. I plan to stop giving a damn about what people think about me. Now I understand that if they judge me, then they don't deserve to be my friends.

I guess my fear is like all other parents fears...as my children grow not being there for the support when they need it and not knowing they needed it. I know that they need to fly as they get older but it has been harder for me. I think it limits them to grow if a parent doesn't let them have the chance to make mistakes or come into situations that are scary. I think the best way to overcome it is to remind myself that they need to go through tough times sometimes to be more compassionate and humble people who have wisdom to take with them later.

I( fear letting go of my arrogance. Why? I have no idea. Planning to work on that.

I have trouble admitting to deep weaknesses. I've created a mask that separates me from my loved ones. A web of lies that I need to maintain and remember. I am going to be honest, repay my debts and make plans to move forward.

The only true fear I have ever had is of myself.I'm afraid to be me.Because I know that being myself will take me away from everything I know.Being me is the great adventure I have been scared of for my entire life.

I am afraid of failure - always have been afraid of disappointing those that I care about. It makes me a procrastinator, and a searcher for guarantees and reduced risk. I shall wear purple shoes and earrings that jingle, and tell outrageous tales to my grandchildren and future employers and colleagues!

I have a fear of what people think, so I often don't try for fear of what those thoughts might be. I don't really have any plans about it...

I have a fear that I won't be strong enough or man enough to make the right choice or stick to my convictions. Without them, what am I?

i have a fear of disappointing people and i just need to realize that people are going to love me or hate me, they're either going to accept what i do or what i have to say, or they won't and there's nothing i can do about their opinion. i just have to be myself and they can choose whether they want to accept me for myself or not.

I continue to struggle with fear of failure and criticism. I plan to continue to work toward overcoming this fear in the coming year both internally and with help from friends, professionals and God.

The older I get, the less I care what people think of me, and if they like me or not, matters less and less to me. I am a good person, and try to always do The Right Thing. I need to continue to work on this aspect of ME .....

My mother's illness has brought up my fear of whether there will be anyone to help me when I can't help myself and more important who will realize I need help if I don't realize it. I have close acquaintences, but I don't know if I have any friends close enough to notice that I need help and to give it.

I have a fear of trying new things sometimes when I feel like I don't have enough experience or there are a lot of unknowns. I know I'm never going to be a risk taker, and I don't want to be, but I would like to jump into new things, both in my work/career and in my social life, more often. I think I've already made some progress in this area!

My biggest fears have been that I'm not worthy and that I'm nothing, and that the only way I matter by the things I do and accomplish. This has caused me to be a chameleon - becoming what was wanted by others. I've begun to see this year that I am worthy and that I'm something. I am a part of the universe. I exist. I have worth. What I need to work on now is to be comfortable being my authentic self, even if that doesn't please people, it doesn't get their approval. Yikes. That will be a journey full of things I've never experienced. But I've proven to be strong and courageous. I can do this!

Fear of being myself and fear of being alive with others. wish I could feel and know my other self. sometimes I have glimpses.

What is my fear? My biggest fear is talking to Dave about the future of our relationship because I'm not going to like the answer.

I continue to be nervous at work and it does limit my ability to be the best therapist that I can be. I do worry a lot about my children and the world and I have spent some time learning how to deal with my anxieties.

I am afraid to trust and to love. I am afraid to be openly myself. I am afraid that my family will eventually leave me, so I keep myself from them in ways or I push them away from me. I am trying to sit with my fear and not act with my fear. I am learning to be quiet first. Not react so quickly pushing everyone away. I am meditating and setting my intention daily to lead with love.

The biggest fear I have is of failing. I am petrified of appearing as weak or incompetent and refuse to even try anything unless I know I will do well. I'd like to learn how to take risks, even if I do get hurt, because the experience is more valuable than the false pride I might get from being woundless.

Fear of hights. I am going to skydive.

I am scared of being alone even though I am alone and am doing OK at it. How to overcome it? Embrace aloneness. Celebrate it. Write notes on being alone. And create opportunities to be with other people-- at my house or at communal gatherings.... soup nights, etc.

I fear my own fears could inhibit growth. I intend to continue " working through" this issue.

I fear not knowing what is beyond death. I plan reaching a realization, ah-ha moment. I just hate thinking about it in general so it will be difficult.

I'm afraid of being in a relationship or being with someone not mature or worth the while. I don't really have a plan how to overcome that.

Failure. Not being accepted. Not being good enough. I've been scared to apply to grad school because I feel like my GRE score won't be good enough, my grades in undergrad won't be good enough, and that I won't be smart enough to keep up with the program. But I guess I'll have to find out for sure if I'm any of these things by applying.

A fear of conflict has limited in my ability to be honest in my relationships.

I'm very scared of getting stuck permanently in the rut that I am in. I need to shake my life up somehow: get a new job; find a girlfriend; move to another city; anything like that.

I fear not living up to my potential. I plan to grow in confidence both professionally and personally, so that I won't fear missing out on things because of it.

honestly... I think I got over most of those... The biggest fears that are hindering my life right now are my husbands.

Last year, I said that I'm deathly afraid of dancing, and have no intentions of overcoming it at all. And I'm glad to say I'm well on my way to not overcoming it at all. Good progress has been made! Although I guess right now, there's not so much the dance thing that I'm obsessed with, rather than the fear that I'm really not good enough. All my life, I've figured I'm really good at physics, without ever passing any test of that convincingly. More than being good enough for IISER, I'm afraid I may not be good enough for myself. The only way to get over that is to test it. By working really, really hard and then seeing if I'm upto the standard I'd like to hold myself up to.

I am terrified of not being good enough, of losing the people I love, and of rejection. I'm scared of people getting attached to me, and getting attached to people, because that gives them the power to break me. I don't get close to people. When I felt myself falling in love with him, I slowly backed away, because I can't let that happen, and he deserves better than me. I don't put myself out there as much as I used to six months ago, even, and I hate that this has happened to me. I don't know what to do about it. The usual "be confident" mantra doesn't work, because I don't know how to do that anymore.

Failing. I fully subscribe to the idea that we are not afraid that we are inadequate but powerful beyond measure. I'm afraid of not picking the right thing, or luck running out, or not knowing how to do something and not finding an answer. I'm afraid of my good fortune expiring and being stuck in something shitty. I want to do a lot, but I need to adjust my priorities to get a lot more done. And today is always the best day to start fixing that problem.

I fear that I can't do it. I fear that I won't be able to make it out in the real world, and I fear that I don't have the skills to figure things out. But maybe it will all be a little bit easier than I am anticipating it to be.

Financial condition

My fear is often what other think of me and how I measure up to my parent's expectations. I still compare myself to my brother. I hope with support from the love of my life and other family that I can overcome this and let some of it go. The fear of not being good enough causes a lot of anger and anxiety and if the mood is right, depression. I plan to look at what I have in my life and know that there are things that will never change with family dynamics.

I have not really been in touch with myself these past months, as I have been so preoccupied with so many things. Admittedly, I have been exploring the possibility of getting back into a relationship with a significant other. I have a particular person in mind, someone I consider precious. But I am afraid that I might lose her and her friendship somehow if I send signals that I would like a more intimate friendship than we already have at present -- esp. if she is not open to what I am envisioning.

My biggest fear is that I will end up all alone. It effects everything I do in some way or another. I fear I will never find happiness and love with someone else again. Honestly, I am not sure how I am going to overcome this other than to continue to work on it and try harder to find someone new.

I've always had a fear of looking stupid to others. Well, who cares?

Of making the wrong choice. In anything-- career, dating, activities-- I want to open myself up to new things, to trying, and also to not being afraid to limit myself.

I fear that my daughter will grow too quickly and I won't cherish every single second of her. I fear that I wish her days away and that I've already missed so much of her growing up. I plan on taking lots of pictures and creating lots of memories for her and starting our own new traditions at Christmas, Easter and birthdays.

I'm afraid of not being perfect. It inhibits me from trying new things, because I don't like to do things that I am not sure if I'll be good at or not.

I guess I have a fear of failure of sorts. Of letting people down, or disappointing people. I have been doing my best to work through it, and my wife has been amazing, and I'm trying to teach myself to take more risks (good ones) and want to keep doing this over the coming year

Fear of failure has always been riding passenger - although I've managed to succeed in many arenas despite it. "You can't fail if you don't try" but you also can't succeed if you don't try either...

I fear lack; not having enough love, money, attention, sex, validation, all of it. I'm trying to let therapy and meditation help me find value in the basics and to realize and accept that I have plenty and to allow for the ebb and flow of life's resources.

I'm afraid of losing the people in my life who are ill. I don't think the fear is something that is limiting me, or something I'm creating to block myself from achieving more (as with the fears of failure that lead me to procrastinate). This fear is very real. It is a fact of life that I cannot let go or overcome. It is something that must simply be faced and coped with. The reality is, I am going to lose Amy to cancer sometime in the relatively near future. It might not be this year or the next, but it will happen. The challenge is to how can I carry on our relationship in the most meaningful way possible? How can I keep the cancer from defining our interactions? How can I be the best support that I can be? And how can I prepare myself for life after she is gone?

Anxiety has been a huge problem this year and needs to continually be challenged and put in its place! I'll continue to work on this with the people I trust most for these things and hope that I find the path which works best for me.

I laugh at the face of fear HAHAHAHAHA and then I run away

Further head injury. And also with that, hypochondria about have very bad diseases and sicknesses. But to prevent further head injury I'm not going to do risky stuff that has a mediocre payoff. I'm also going to assess situations more thoroughly. BUT, continue doing what I love.

Fear of beginning and remaining in-action. Fear of trying the same concept again, knowing it is what my purpose is and that I learned from past experience ... Simply need to remain with it and see my plans through. Whatever you think you can do or believe you can do, begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

My fear of talking to others renders me helpless. It's something I've struggled with since middle school, but now it's progressed to the point where I don't know how to spark a conversation with someone. The fear becomes worse when I'm around the opposite sex, and that manages to double when I'm around someone I deem attractive. In terms of overcoming this, I'm beginning some speech therapy on 10/11 and hope that my conversational skills can improve to the point where my social anxiety gets the best of me. I'd like to have a social life and to have friends for a change.

My fear is not measuring up to both my own expectations and those of the people around me. I am working at being more realistic about myself and allowing myself to make mistakes or take risks. By risking failure and walking through the emotions that come with it, I hope I will become more comfortable with being human.

A fear that I have is being laughed at, or ignored when I try hard. I know I don't try hard because I think it won't even matter or be worthwhile to others. I also fear the worst possible outcome of a situation I can picture in my head. I want to push myself harder and truly not care what others think of me and just do things for me.

Laziness. Discipline, prayer, scheduling.

My fear of letting go has caused me to hang on to things I don't need, whether possessions that have filled up every bit of space in the house or emotions that poisoned my relationships. This has boxed me into a comfort zone I wouldn't leave. I shall deal with the external world in the same way I dealt with my internal one, by opening up each physical and emotional box, examining each item and relationship, and deciding whether to keep it or chuck it.

I have a fear of uncertainty that sometimes makes me feel like I can't trust myself, or relationships, or like I'm a bad person. I think I can try in the coming year to let go of this fear, acknowledging that uncertainty is inevitable and trust my intuition, while giving my head and my heart equal input.

So many fears... Fear of trying new things lest I fail Fear that if I lose weight and keep it off, I'd have to face real issues in my life instead of running back to that I hope to stay put, try new things, take care of me so that I can finally know who I am

I'm afraid we'll not have enough money. I'm not sure how to let it go since it's something I've always been afraid of. But with my husband's job so tenuous, a small child and hopes for another one...I'm scared!

My greatest fear right now is that I will lose my job before I can afford to lose it. I know it's not extremely likely to happen, and I try not to dwell on it, but there's always that specter hanging over my workplace. I just need to do the best job I can do, learn to wear even more hats at my workplace and hope that by making myself difficult to replace they won't let me go.

I'm paranoid about who I can trust. It feels like no one can be completely relied on, because after a little while they get "bored and leave me". I've lost many friends, and questioned my existence constantly because of it. I blame the losses on myself. I hate myself constantly because I think I could have done better to keep those people in my life. At this point I don't know how to let it go. My bitterness goes away and comes back, so finding the source of the cycle and beating it is all my mind is focused on. Which, right now, is probably not helping me very much. One day I'll be better. Maybe not in the next coming year, though.

My fear is always that I am not good enough. I am working on it through mindfulness meditation. If I can really be present I know that nothing will feel overwhelming. This fear is about the past and the projection of the future. Thus staying present is essential.

My greatest fear is not to be able to take care of my family. My hope is to figure out at least 2 or 3 ways to generate income outside of my job in the next year.

I am now terrified of love. I didn't think it could ever happen to me, but I have let my heart run free and it has been really hard to recover from the wild ride it led me on. I'm really not sure how to overcome it other than just to be alone and give it a rest.

Fearing of being wrong. Fearing of letting myself down. More risks. More confident outlook. Fear of water. I might learn swimming but no promises on that.

Disappointing others or having to live up to others expectations. Unfortunately I don't feel like I'm independent enough to say "this is my life, I'll do with it whatever I want". I'm thinking that after next June, I should have my degree which will free me up to pursue higher education in an area I've been longing for: the arts. I'm hoping to maybe do Theatreworks at The Court Theatre. I'm also hoping to get an internship to do with performing arts. Then maybe I'll consider doing a Performing Arts degree. We'll see I guess. When things get too stressful I now operate on the principle that things will sort themselves out in time. If they happen, they happen. If not, then perhaps it was not meant to be.

i fear that i have no control over my future, that every time i do something right, something happens to ruin it. i want to stop letting things happen to me

I've had a fear of my writing. Of my voice. I want to let go of this fear by employing compassion for everything that has made it difficult and occasionally impossible for me to have a voice. Also, I'm going to get a draft of the thesis done. I'm going to try to write something every day.

Fear of letting go of worry! What happens if I let go? What happens if there's a void? I worry that if I don't worry I'm neglecting the safety and security of my family. It's caused a medium amount of stress in my life and marriage, but wouldn't it be nice not to have to worry!

I am a little frightened by my moving situation. It's a new city, a new job, new way of life...new everything. Of course none of this has officially happened yet, but it will have by 2012 (hopefully). So I just need to get myself out there, explore my new surroundings and make some new friends instead of relying too much on the people I know there or sitting at home becoming a hermit.

Fear of commitment. I am always worried about taking the final step, letting things out of my hands/control. So I let opportunities slip. I still feel very lucky that I've found what I have, but probably my life could still be better in some way. Maybe in the coming year we'll get a cat. And two years from now, we might start trying for a baby. YIKES!!!

I have realized as of late that I feel pretty overwhelmed by the thought of getting into a committed relationship. I find myself shying away and feeling smothered when their affections are revealed, but pretty satisfied and confident when they're not, although I do miss going home to someone at the end of the day. It's perplexing to enjoy your life, yet yearn for something you're terrified of. I'm not really sure what I need to do in the next year, which feels even more intimidating....however, I feel confident in saying that I won't enter into a relationship unless I feel it could be 'forever.' Perhaps that could equate to a 'forever' in solitude....

I fear failure. This ironically has inhibited me from actually succeeding. I also feel I am caught up in the rush of life which has not allowed me to assess my situation and plan for the future.

I'm afraid that I won't learn to really take grad school seriously. I need to be more concerned about grades and doing well. I also need to get over my fear of not doing well and just start writing. That's always something I struggle with.

I fear that my daughter will not find her personal strength to deal with the stresses in her life. I worry that something will become a tipping point for her where she may try to take her own life. I am trying to support her and let her know that I am there for her and she can get through anything.

I fear rejection. This is keeping me from sending out poems and stories I write in order to attempt publication. I would like to try to make myself send more out.

I have a fear of unduly influencing other people. Like, if I set an example for someone and that influences them, fine - all well and good. But I don't like to be too pushy and try too hard to get my way in situations, because, what if my idea turns out to be not that good after all? I feel like I'm tempting fate too much to be too pushy. For example, I'm looking for an apartment with a friend, and there's one I REALLY like that's cheap and in a great location. She likes it ok, but isn't chomping at the bit like I am. Do I nudge and push for it and try to influence her, or do I let fate run its course and let her decide herself? How do I overcome this fear... well, I could just start being pushier. But that's a bit of a spiritual issue for me. Part of what's behind my non-pushiness is the idea of letting my life be somewhat in God's hands, rather than solely my own.

I have a fear of failure. In my life, this manifests as procrastination or time-wasting, rather than working hard on something. If I delay working, I know I won't put forth my best work. Then, if I fail, I have an excuse. In the coming year, I need to work harder, give my all, and accept that I might fail anyway. By taking a risk (and potentially failing), I will grow stronger. I need to become more resilient and understand that "failure" is actually a learning opportunity. I need to let go of excuses and just dive in, knowing that even my best work might result in failure.

I don't really know what I fear anymore. I mean, I'm still deathly afraid of sharks, and still not super fond of heights- but those are fears that frankly do not affect my everyday life. As long as I'm not at SeaWorld! But for the big things? I sometimes worry that my husband doesn't need me like I already need him. But I don't really need him- I would be fine without him. I just don't want to be in the world without him anymore. So I think what I really fear is losing that perspective, and becoming more truly codependent. For someone who has always been an incredible individualist, it's hard to reconcile that with being completely devoted to the us over the self. At least... most of the time.

I can't make myself dance!!! I so want to dance. I've always wanted to dance and it's limited me for my entire life. I watch everyone else dance and think of how much fun they're having, and that I'm missing it. I don't care if anyone looks at me and thinks I look stupid--that's not it. It's how awkward I feel out there when I try it. I can't get past myself and I really want to. I'm going to try to dance this year, even if it's just alone in my house until the next wedding or event where there is dancing.

Fear of messing up. In my actions or my work. I need to not sweat the small stuff and be less worried about things going horribly wrong. I will let go and have fun. I'm at college with some of the most wonderful people I've ever met. I can let go and be crazy.

Fear of not being what my fiancé's parents expect in a future daughter-in-law. I'm not a normal person. I don't want what normal people want, and I'm not about to settle for anything else. I have worked hard to set up some form of an invisibility cloak. As far as they know, I'm not normal, but I'm also not strange either. That has limited me in terms of having a healthy social relationship with them as I limit myself on what I can talk to them about. But sooner or later, they'll find out about me, and I will have to handle that based on how they react.

Fear of losing someone. I can't really do anything to stop this, as everyone I hold dear will eventually be gone. But I can just enjoy what I have now.

I am afraid of eliminating all of the distractions that have become habits and focusing on the two or three things I want most in life. I intend to overcome it one day at a time: I must read, write, love and work hard every day of my life, and the extras will fall by the wayside.

Failure, but it rarely limits me. I've learned that if you don't fail a few times, you're not stretching your liomits enough to grow.

After having an extreme nightmare, I have become terrified of the dark and silence. I really want to get past this, or rather stop letting my overactive imagination have such an impact on my daily life.

I am afraid that something big and terrible is going to happen, like someone important to me dying or being diagnosed with cancer. I'm not letting it limit me, but enjoy my friends and family and spend time doing meaningful things and absorbing everything I can from life.

I fear not having enough money. I fear being alone when my daughter goes away to college. I fear a recurrence of cancer. I am working on the practice of actively choosing to focus on building my business and opening myself to the possibility of finding a partner -- not ignoring my fears, but redirecting that energy in a direction that will help.

again, trying to figure out how everything is going to play out before i enter into something. i need to have confidence in our relationship and move forward... that's just a LOT to ask after the last two years.

My greatest fear is for the safety of my family. No reason in particular, just the fact that the world is so uncontrollable and unpredictable. I always want my wife and son to be safe. And I want the child we're expecting in April to be born healthy.

Fear of success for sure. I keep thinking something bad is going to happen because I'm so happy. I am trying to just be grateful every day and to continue to appreciate everything I have in life.

I've had the fear of trying new things and going for it. The fear of failure and the fear of success. My plan is to just "do." Take the steps necessary to overcome all fear and to not worry about what others may think. I will not doubt myself and I will focus on my achievements and be present to appreciate them.

Fear is my fear. I am working on learning to balance my life experience with fear. I don't want my experiences to support fear, but rather push me to look last it

Being a bad parent I will let it go by being truly present in the moment and going with my instincts. Also, practicing parenthood will help me realize that I am the best parent I can be!!

I have a lifelong fear of failing publically or feeling discomfort of any emotional kind. Well, I plan to bulldoze ahead through several new things, and assume I will fail at some of them and just tolerate it. Distress tolerance is something different--I need a tuneup on that. At the sam time, it could be that I'm an introvert. So though I may not want to sit in the dark all day doing puzzles, I still may need to recover from being around a lot of people. I may want to give myself the occasional break from that kind of discomfort.

Fear of and at the same time desire for interpersonal and transpersonal connections. My life could be so much more meaningful if I started taking risks and being like the brother who shares himself with everyone and plays his music for people even when he isn't asked and doesn't want to because he knows it will let him grow. Let go and you won't regret it.

I'm scared I'm not living my youth to its full potential. I don't know if it's hindering me as much as causing me to do some things that are a bit rash and I will probably regret them sometime in the future. For now it seems to be serving me well. I know I haven't got much time on this earth to do all that I want to do.

Perfect question. As I stood waiting by the fire, holding my flowers, next to Lindsay Wagner, who was completely unaware of me as she was on her own journey. I heard only the word "Fear". Let them go. I tossed the blossoms in the flames to be consumed, took sacred corn seeds to plant and become new again. With that I lay my burdens at the feet of spirit and let them fly.

I have a fear of the future. I'm scared I haven't prepared enough for the future. I'm frightened that something might happen one day to make everything I've worked for (professionally, financially, romantically) fall away. I'm scared that one day, something will happen that's out of my control and turn my life around, making everything up until now worthless. It's keeping me from working hard and really investing in something. It's a fear of the unknown. I don't know if I'll be able to overcome it.

I fear that I'm not proactive in attaining my desires in the way I should, and could be to be happy.... I'm also afraid of living and getting old without ever having a relationship with my mother. I know I saw I have supplemental relationships with my sisters and friends and father, but nothing can replace the love, connection, and meaning that comes from a beautiful mother-daughter friendship. I miss it from my young childhood. I plan to be more active in the regrowth between up, more patient and understanding, and more devoted to it. I know I will regret not trying.

The main fear I have is that mine and Gemma's vision for what we want to do with our short and medium term future isn't in line with each other and that this will cause friction. We've had many conversations about this and we both understand each others perspectives and are giving it time - which is the only way it will sort itself out.

Failing. Failing at starting our business, mostly. Financial failure. But we don't have a lot to lose, so really we should just go for it. But that fear that our business won't succeed (or that it will get bigger than we want) has kind of held us (me) back. We're just going for it next year. The plan is almost done, advisors say it's feasible, we're doing it.

I think I often fear criticism. It limits me a lot sometimes because it activates my flight or fight and makes me defensive. It makes me feel bad and self conscious and really nervous. I am hoping the meditation will help. Understanding I can choose my response.

Wow. Most of my fears are gone. My main fear is being committed to something and not being able to get out of it. Like being at a party and having to stay longer than I'd like. Being on a trip with people and not being able to leave and go off on my own for some solitude. I've been working on this and all of the trips I've taken this year have helped. Beer helps, too. A valuable trick I learned on the flight to Ft. Lauderdale. Feeling uptight? Have a beer. Works every time.

fear: fear of aloneness...not being known, seen. -- has wracked my heart and soul and stopped me dead in my immobile tracks.. fear of my mind turning unwittingly toward repetitive life-alienating tracks of self-hatred and destruction. fear: not leaving a mark, making use of my life's journey. plan: by continuing to ask, seek, step up and out again and yet again. make art... write, film, sculpt, ask, share, talk, remember the children, esp. my two nieces.

I'm afraid of never really making a significant contribution. It hampers me because I tend to put pressure on myself to make every project great, which they all aren't. So some never get finished. This coming year, I'm just going to relax and get it done, and let the chips fall where they may.

I have a fear of failing/not being "good enough" which means I have very high expectations and am hard on myself. The perfectionism has led to procrastination and paralysis, especially when it comes to study. I would like to be easier on myself. I need to begin letting go and not take myself so seriously. My work in therapy will help me do this.

I fear living my life alone. I will remain open and invite others to share.

I fear the unknown. Cliche, but true. I need to break the barrier of "comfort" and somehow gain the full courage to follow my dreams. I'm doing so in baby steps now but this year I want to take the plunge and really start creating more and stop being self conscious and so hard on myself. Speaking of plunging, I suppose I'll learn how to swim as well.

i fear being alone without a partner. i fear missing the chance to have children. i fear being in a marriage with someone who is wrong for me. these competing fears make me anxious about starting new relationships-- i want it so badly, and i'm also terrified that it won't be right for me. i will cultivate tranquility, learn how to take sensible risks, learn to pace myself in a new relationship.

Fear of rejection. I am terribly insecure and it's kept me from getting to know my new officemates. I've been here for 6+ months and have hardly introduced myself to anyone. The thing is, I love spending time with people and would love to get to know some of these folks. I can start by putting myself out there and ask some people to lunch.

Fear of not making a difference. Fear of mediocrity. Fear of being alone and lonely. Ironically, I think these fears make me less willing to take risks and more protected/defensive against letting people in. These are habits that I don't want to have. I'm not sure how to overcome them, but I think awareness of them is an important part of it. Notice, let go. Notice, let go...

Fear of disappointing people, of their rejection or anger. I plan to over come it with practice--taking risks, living with the results, getting more tolerant of feeling anxious. I think the 'morning pages' journal and meditation will be a big help.

I am incredibly afraid of conflict, of having anyone "not like me." It holds me back deeply in my professional life, and I think I need to learn how--appropriately--to have difficult conversations.

Venturing out and REALLY doing more things on my own. It has limited me by not going to cultural events due to the fact that i have no one to go with me. I truly enjoy discovering new things. I keep telling myself that i am going to get out and do more. I really don't have a plan as to how i am going to change this.....it will just have to happen one step at a time.

I'm afraid of bringing too much attention to myself. I would like to do more presentations and meetings at work, and spend more time studying and learning my craft so I can look for more opportunities to put myself out there more in a knowledgeable, confident way.

I want to let got of judgement. Both my judgement of other people and the fear of others judging me. My fear of others judging me has interfered with my ability to live life, as cheesy as that sounds. Plenty of great opportunities have arose for me and I've neglected to do so for fear of embarrassment. I need to let go of that fear, so I can experience life a little more. I also need to stop judging people so quickly. My judgement of other people has prevented myself from fixing broken friendships, making new ones and more. It's awful and I need to find a way to overcome this.

Fear of Missing out!! i need to accept that i cant do everything and please everyone....I think I'm getting better but still need to be content that what I'm doing is the best thing for me at that moment!

Fear of what will define my life when I finally stop working or lose my job. My job has been my life and I have been very successful, however it no longer offers the challenges or satisfaction it once did. Still I have been able to bury myself in my work at the sacrifice of having a strong group of women friends around me among other things. I have never had time for hobbies or pursuing personal interests and I want those things in my life. I'm going to try and put myself out more to others and stop making my work the central focus of my life.

I'm afraid of long term commitments, and of getting stuck, and as I look towards the future, I want to let go of this fear, and begin to get past it, so that my life can be fulfilling.

Fear of competition. I come up with wonderful products, but later discover that someone has immediately copied my idea. I need to get over the fear and simply focus on adding features before my competition does.

Fear of failure is my perennial "issue" -- and increasingly, fear of making the wrong decision paralyzes me when I need to do something... And the economic & political situation is getting scarier all the time...

I think I'm afraid of getting myself into another relationship that I will have to break up. I hate, hate breaking someones heart and I think it makes me afraid to even try. It makes me wonder what I'm doing wrong. Right now I'm not sure if it's vet school or that fear holding me back from considering love.

A fear that I have is that I will disappoint my parents. I sometimes and worried to do something in fear that they will be upset or disappointed. I plan to make my own decisions in the coming year and thinking if they will make ME proud of myself not just worrying what my parents will think.

Fear of not accomplishing enough. This year I'm saying good bye to incremental lists. Reminder notes are allowed. If other fun opportunities come up I don't want to feel guilty I'm not accomplishing what is on my list. Instead I want to enjoy life.

Fear of failure. I am terrified of failing out of school, failing at work, failing at being a good friend all because I cannot find the balance. I need to be organized and find strategies to keep me balanced.

I'm afraid of getting hurt romantically.... YOU KNOW HOW IT'S LIMITED YOU!!! I've been too picky with boys, I haven't "gotten out there" enough; stop being so picky, get "out there"! I'm afraid of what other people will think if I don't follow through on something I've planned, e.g. study abroad, grad school, work. I don't know if I want to follow through or not. When I'm in good place I'm in a really good place, but when I'm having a tough time it gets to be really tough. Does that mean I'm doing the right thing because the good is so good? OR does that mean I'm doing the wrong thing because the bad is so bad? I don't know. But I know that I have to follow through because if I don't A) what else will I do? and B) what will people think? I know that I should have a "path" and a "plan" but I don't.

I have a fear of going upside down on roller coaster but next year at grad bash/night (if not before) I am going to go on some rides with friends and not try to freak out as mush as I do now. Hopefully I will be able to let this go as a fear.

I do not let others see the whole of me. I keep a distance. I need to remove that distance if I want to be with someone...

I fear that V will decide to leave, or that he'll regret having committed to me but will stay, unhappily. I find myself occasionally wanting to hide something that I think he'll find unappealing -- so this fear threatens our relationship by tearing down the trust. I'll continue to work on my insecurities in therapy (individual and couples) and get better at reassuring myself -- i.e., not needing him to always reassure me. I also want to work on believing that I will be okay on my own, on the off-chance that he does ever leave. Part of that is building up my support network again, since I've let that slide over the past several years.

This isn't a fear, but it is something that limits me. I am very codependent. I latch onto one person instead of letting a bunch of people in. I just need to learn to trust more than one person in a group of friends and learn to be more adaptable to others' personalities.

I am afraid of not being good enough. I'm afraid of being lazy. I'm afraid of being judgmental and/or a bad person. I think its really just about letting go, meditation and yoga. I also think I need to separate myself from my parents and their fears.

I had a fear of being alone and not finding that someone. However, I no longer have that fear. I will work on being open and honest with my partner and trusting him in all that we do together.

Fear of men! I believe that is the reason for my weight problem! Also believe it contributes to and depression...isolation!! Dunno how to overcome it!!! May try losing weight for starters?!?! Don't plan to date....

Ech, my fears. My fears limit me all the time. I wish I could learn to act out of love instead of out of fear. But that takes a tremendous amount of confidence and trust and fuck-itedness that I have a very hard time accessing. Fear has this terrible way of drowning out reason when you most need it, so I can say I will try to focus on acting out of love instead of fear, but in the moment I can't see past fear. Blech.

I fear the uncertainty of the manner in which I will grow old. I want to live a long, full life but am afraid of what might happen to my physical and mental health. In trying to be a good source of support for my 88 year old father I am learning more about how to grow old with grace and dignity and to understand that what will be, will be and that I will adapt.

Fear of failing. I think this fear limits me in more ways than I actually am aware of. I think it holds me back and limits my ability to take risks. I also believe that it adds to frustration and sadness if I mess up, which inevitably happens. I want to become more self confidence and have more self worth in the coming year.

I have fear. I'm the opposite of the Avatar protagonist (who has no fear). I plan to (continue to) focus on building power. Building power will create opportunity to love and to make money and to manifest. Building power allows me to organize my Earth.

I'm all about fear. I want to work on letting go by making therapy a priority. I want my life decisions to be driven less by fear and more by planning and by hopes and dreams.

I am incredibly afraid of being insufficient or subpar: in school, among friends, to my family, to a significant other. I am afraid of failure, of quitting, of surrender. And at the same time, I know that these things are subjective: failure can be the opportunity to grow and improve; quitting means that something just wasn't right for me; surrender means that I tried and can try again, somewhere else. To this extent, I want to be able to pull back and examine my perspective, to see it from both angles, even if I can't eliminate the negative feelings completely. I am also afraid of being alone. I want to come to terms with this somehow. Maybe by spending more time with myself? Without looking elsewhere? I fear my depression and my anxiety. They are unpredictable and unnerving, but I am also becoming more and more equipped to deal with them. I need to remember and have faith in my own strength and capacity to overcome.

Well, I'm still afraid of spiders, especially the big wolf spiders. My fear of driving alone in an unfamiliar area does limit me somewhat. It is better now that I have a GPS to guide me. I'm still uncomfortable,however. I think I need to work on it and just get out of my comfort zone. I plan to make a conscious effort to go more places I haven't been before. I think I will start with finding the new location of my massage therapist. Yes, that would be a good place to start. If I arrive tense, she can take care of that.

I have a fear of public speaking. Speaking to strangers is difficult as well. It limits the simplest of tasks. I cannot get over the anxiety I have at school with this fear. I do not know if I can ever overcome it, but I wish that I could.

I have had a fear recently that I am spending too much time with my partner. I am someone who values different close friendships and do not want to become someone who only sees their partner. I hope to keep this balance at the forefront of my mind, let myself get lost in my relationship and then also always have time for my friends.

I had a huge fear of being alone. It kept me from demanding better treatment from my husband. He left anyway, now I'm alone. Facing this fear has been enormous. It has shown me the power and limitations of fearlessness. Right now I'm in the middle of my stew of fears, they're all here waiting to grab me when my guard is down. My fear of inadequacy, my fear of being boring to other people, my fear of wasting my life, my fear of being left alone, my fear of being lied to, my fear of being left out, my fear of not maximizing my potential, my fear of being too lenient as a parent/too hard as a parent, my fear of having alzheimers, my fear of my mother having alzheimers, my fear of losing my kids to mitchell, my fear of losing myself to my kids, my fear of my kids taking me for granted the way I do my mother when I'm in my worst behavior, my fear of my kids out in the world without being able to protect them and my fear of protecting my kids too much so they won't be able to be out in the world. There are more fears, but for now, my plan is to breathe into them, look at them as the dark matter of my mind, a necessary check and balance perhaps in the big picture debate on any issue in my mind, but only one small voice in a larger conversation on any topic. To look at it is to know that it is the voice of fear and the question to ask is, "does this fear serve a greater good, or does it hinder a better future?" I can look the fear in the eye, breathe into it like a yoga stretch, acknowledge it for what it is and then move past it to the bigger vision.