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?

Is this all it is? I am bored with my current friend circle, need new ones, need to be in a relationship but afraid of the 'contract' - giving up my free time, my me time because it's so much easier to not argue with anyone... I'm afraid if I stay single for too long it will become the norm.

I am afraid of love. And love is when I want more than anything in the world. I'm grateful for a good therapist who is helping me encounter love gently.

fear of the future, but after what ive been through with nans cancer scare and converting soon after, nothing does.

same as last year, not being able to do it all. I'm finally learning a little more about delegation.

I suppose a fear I have been wrestling with is settling down from traveling. I have a lot wrapped up in my "digital nomad" identity and living a life that people are perhaps jealous of and doing what most people can't do. I think I need to overcome that and be happy with whatever my life is currently. Maybe a more simple life really is a good thing and I need not worry about what people think about my life or make so many goddamn comparisons to other people. So with that I will embrace my life in Eugene, my new apartment, my new relationship, and feeling good about where I am. That also means making friends, being present and focusing on MY LIFE and not what I apparently "missing out out". I have so much to be grateful for, so I will focus on that and be content but also strive to make my life more joyful and positive.

Fear of getting linked in to argument as a way of "connection". Practice noticing. Practice stay away from reactive expression. Practice that I am OK where I am

I'm afraid of making big mistakes. I'm afraid it was a mistake to leave teaching. I'm afraid I'm getting the wrong degree. I'm afraid I'll never ask Jeff for enough time. I'm afraid I'll wait too long and not be able to have kids. I'm afraid of having kids too early and isolating myself. It's the big things right now.

I am afraid of failing and never being enough. I need to learn to have more confidence in myself and believe that I am more capable then I think.

One fear that I had was that I was worried about scheduling conflicts and managing to do everything but I have learned to compromise which has helped me out a lot.

Being alone is a fear which I am overcoming by enjoying my own company.

I have a fear of heights. I’m 71 (soon to be 72) and I have conquered most of my fears. Acrophobia still lingers. I used to climb steep mountains to challenge the fear, but there aren’t any mountains close by now. At my age I probably should be afraid of falling - but I’m not.

I am afraid of my power of decision. If something happens to me, no matter how terrible, I am good at coping with it and overcoming it. But, if it was because of me, because of my own decision, that something negative occurs, I struggle to forgive myself. Most of the time, I am very decisive and confident in my opinions and choices. But, when I am occasionally unsure, the possibility of me having the power to make the incorrect, or at least just less correct, decision, terrifies me. I need to overcome this by reminding myself that if a decision turns out to not be the best one, I still made it for a reason and it was the best one for that moment, for me in that mindset. Everything is always alright in the end, because I will always continue to make it alright.

Failing. By just doing it and not hesitating.

I have a fear of living my life in the wrong relationship. I'm currently in a relationship where I'm considering the future of it, but I'm very unsure. I sought professional help and they said that it might be best for me to end it, because my boyfriend is weighing me down. its a lot to think about, and i do have fear. fear of making the wrong decision and it affecting me for the rest of my life, which sounds dramatic but is true.

A general fear of the future, what will come, how bad it will be. I have to let it go by trying to live in the moment. I have a small collection of keepsakes of happier times, to remind me that things are not always as bad as I think they have been.

Looking over my last year, I still feel as I did last year with this question. I don't have any fears that hold me back. I'm not special or anything, fear just isn't something I grapple with. Even over the last year with my dads illness and then death, I wasn't fearful as much as heartbroken.

i have a fear of letting go of my eating disorder? and body dysmorphia and depression as parts of my security and identity. you know? it occupies my thoughts. it straps me down from seeing life positively and from achieving higher. it takes up too much of my life that could be used to be and do good! it is probably almost seclusively responsible for my stagnancy and closedness and lack of hope and zest and boldness for life. i need to be honest with myself. i need to make efforts to change. i need to commit to and love myself.

My biggest current fear is that I will be I'll again and it would be serious and I will end up back in hospital and then lose control and choices. It has limited me in many ways as I become extremely frightened when I become I'll -even if it's not serious e.g. flu or my back goes I hope to let this one go by remembering that I am well and have been for many years , that we all get flu....and that although I did have a life threatening illness as a child this is in the past. And to work on this with ari in January,!

Fear of not measuring up, of getting it wrong. Often leads to paralysis or weak forward movement. Action: Continue to use a combination of reflection (what do I fear about this situation, what happens if I do nothing, what would action cause to make it worse than if I do nothing) and action (make a definitive move forward) since usually the only real failure, especially to myself, is that of doing nothing.

I have a fear that I’ll be alone forever. That I’ll never find a man to spend my life with. It’s scary to think there’s a a possibility I’ll never have a wedding or kids. I’m trying to overcome it by just focusing on work and my health. It also helps that all my friends are super single too (ha) at least we’ll be alone together!!

As I grow older, I am continually disappointing myself with the myriad ways I let fear affect my actions. About a decade ago I nearly got a tattoo that read "FEARLESS," but decided against it when I felt too afraid to live up to its implications. Irony much? This year in particular I've been scared of confronting my divorce head-on - we have an enforced three-year waiting period to file because of the country we live in, and I'm letting time rather than my initiative take the reins. Even my partner gently prodded me to contact him and ask for what I want, which is something I need to do now - not just in the coming year - for both myself and for him.

The fear of putting myself out there both in a personal (dating) and professional (networking) way. I struggle with the small talk and initial conversation and I get quite anxious about those situations. Although this has improved in the last year, I feel I have come a long way but there is still lots that I can do to improve this., which will help me in all aspects of my life. I also have a slightly irrational fear never finding someone to settle down with and build a life. This stems into me overthinking and worrying about things too much. I am only in my mid-twenties, there is zero rush for any of that yet but I still worry it won't happen when I want it to. Now that I am dating again, I am also scared of getting hurt, I put my all into a relationship and its a scary and vulnerable place to be. At the moment, with Samuel, I am really starting to like him but I don't know where he is at. Sooner or later it will to come to some sort of head and I am anxious about that. I am just trying to enjoy right now and not think too far ahead or worry about things that have not happened yet.

again i have to admit that my answer is the same as last year "i am being limited by anxiety over work commitments and other responsibilities and sometimes anxieties that I have bitten off more than I can chew" i now need to get my act together

Today is the day that I marry Bobby in a civil ceremony! One fear that I have is in regards to our happiness together. This is a lifelong commitment! I'm sure every couple that decides to marry had this fear, and I think we'll work well with each other to make sure we are both happy. We do a good job of communicating our wants and needs, and we do a good job of pivoting when the other is in need, and respecting our wants. So far we've been happy with each other, and when we're not, we say so. We plan on continuing that and getting even better at it. I can't wait to see how our lives unfold together! ❤

Criticism. Of being heartlessly criticised in the way people do these days on social media, etc, when they don't have to take responsibility for their actions. I want to be creative and original, playful and musical, without the fear of being shamed for it. I'm going to start with sharing and learning in small groups.

Keeping up in my job. Will it outgrow me? I will continue to learn and try to grow with it. 2. Learning to face my fears a day at a time, such as: being alone growing older losing loved ones

I have a fear that my mother's son, who she put in control of her situation a few years ago, will decide to abandon her and I will need to step in and try to wade through the mess he's created and figure out how she will be cared for. This is limiting me because the thought that it could happen paralyzes me and I'm not accomplishing things I want to accomplish. I need to overcome this by assuming that whatever happens, I can handle it, and just push forward and do the things I want to do.

I have become aware that I am actually a fear-based, fear-filled human being and that has made me feel so sad. This is a result of years of being beaten down and I think now as an adult, my work in prison has only intensified my overall anxiety. I will be using Reiki to release all of this and find my joy again.

Inadequacy. I feel that I don't have the skills or the abilities to tackle the cookbook project. So instead I'm paralyzed and unable to get started. It becomes self-fulfilling. I'd like to shelve the feeling that I can't even try - so I can at least give it a shot.

Fear of abandonment. This ties to fear of vulnerability which is related to fear of trust. It's an unhealthy cycle that serves nothing and destroys nearly everything.

I fear being an impostor placed into multiple professional roles without proper training or preparation. I plan to overcome this fear by balancing confidence and humility, surrounding myself with intelligent supportive people, and continuing to push through despite occasional disappointments and discouragement.

My deepest fear is failure. G-d help me to allow You to remove this fear. Help me to become aware of my feelings so that I consciously may bring those unholy thoughts to You. You are good.

Have to think more about this one...

I have never traveled much. My life has been filled with work and with caring for a disabled husband. Now that my dear husband has passed away, I am free to travel but I find myself afraid. Afraid of what? First, the travel itself--the driving, the flying. I could die! Then there's the being away from home in a strange place. What if I get sick? What if something goes wrong? The truth is, I could die right this second if an asteroid crashed into m Hahaha, just kidding. But really, the only way to get over a fear is to do the thing I fear. So I will travel. Day trips, weekend trips, and maybe even a bucket-list trip to Alaska to see the Northern Lights.

Elevators are not my favorite place to be. I get in them and deal with it.

Still doing things outside of my comfort zone. I have made progress this year, and I hope this will contiune. It will be overcme to more I do things out of comfort zone.

Being broke with no help. Spend more wisely and pay off what I can with how I can. I don't want to end up having a payee take care of my bills for me.

I don't know how to articulate it, but something about the faculty team and the prospect of being the coordinator leaves me feeling dread. I have a choice to make about whether to take it on or not. Very torn as I think I should step up to a leadership challenge, but that means letting go of some amount of student work. That is the work that makes me happy, confident and fulfilled. The team needs someone to step in and no one wants it.

At this point, guessing that "Change" is the underlying fear. Now that a child is moving out of town, values are sky high, friends are traveling, moving and making lifestyle changes, FEAR of change is a binder or barrier to accomplishing dream goals. I think the serious effort to declutter, reduce lifestyle elements and set up safeguards along with NEW routines that focus on health, hobbies, interests and education can go a long way to mitigating fears

I'm too damn afraid of taking up too much space. Of bothering people with my ideas. I don't own them fully. I need to remember my voice is just as important as any others in the room ( esp. at work and esp. when it's all men )

We lost our retirement income, and are out of money. Can't let it go, so we are back to work, and grateful to have our health and good brains to put to work, despite the vast uncertainty in the country about practically everything just now.

Fear of the emotional impact my mother has had on me. Fear of treatment. Fear of depression. Fear of shame. It has limited me in every aspect of my life. I have psychosomatic chronic pain. I am medicated. I am still afraid and anxious. I am in therapy. I am working hard on this. I hate it.

I fear that time is running out, for me personally and for the planet and the corrupt political systems that govern us and corruptly ignore our most vital needs. This fear has limited me by corrupting me with cynical distrust, hopelessness and paralysis. I'm not sure how to get past this. Prayer alone is not enough, but it's all I have right now.

It hasn't really limited me, but I do worry that I might have another (possibly fatal) heart attack. There is so much that I still want to do in this lifetime, and I'm reaching the age where I know so many of the people in the obituary column.

I have a fear of the unknown and conformity to what society expects of me. I am trying to open my mind to new experiences in all aspects of my life==professionally, personally and in my relationships. I need to let go of what has been pounded into my brain for the last 41 years basically and go with my gut. If that means exploring sides of myself that I was too afraid to do so in the past, go for it. Rip the bandage off and just go with what feels right. Worst that can happen is it doesn't go like I had hoped and I have to start over. Reinvention is not a bad thing--it can be cathartic.

I fear being a failure. So often when I feel down on myself, or stressed out, at the core of that is a fear that I’m failing at something I want to do well at. I fear being bad at my job, being a bad mother, a bad partner, a bad friend. Where I’ve struggled with adjusting to parenthood this year, a big part of that has been fearing that I’m an incompetent mother. And with a little baby, you don’t always get positive feedback. Most of the time there’s no one there to pat you on the back and say you’re doing a good job. You get some rewards from the baby - a laugh or smile, seeing them grow and meet their milestones and learn new things - but it’s inevitable they will cry sometimes, and that sometimes you’ll do what you think are all the right things, and it won’t work. So I did start to miss my job, because although it’s sometimes a thankless job or I feel ineffective, I generally feel like I know what I’m doing, and there is some nice feedback from patients and colleagues. So how will I let go or overcome this fear? I suppose one part is just being aware of it. Noticing and recognising it. Accepting it as a normal facet of who I am and something that has helped me get to where I am in life. And stepping back from it. Challenging it - just because I think it doesn’t mean it’s true. Finding evidence to the contrary. Thinking about things in a more helpful way.

One of the biggest fears I have is admitting my vulnerability and acknowledging that I need help from people around me. Be it for advice, support or simply their presence of being there around me. I want to be more honest and reach out more to people by seeking their companionship, advice, and support in my daily life. One thing I'm planning to do this is by having the names of 1-3 people I can and will reach out to when I think of something or if anything happens to me, and reach out to them, even if I ended up solving the problem at hand, just to share with them and have their presence with me.

I may have a basic fear of not being understood or knowing what to say when It comes to initiating conversation. Or do I?

I have a few fears, but they are very limiting. I am so afraid of flying that even buying a plane ticket makes me shake. It has been quite a few years since I have flown anywhere and getting on a plane hasn't even been a goal. But there are things I want to do, and some that I will need to do, that will involve traveling, and would be ridiculous to do it any other way. I don't know how I could overcome it. Also I am afraid of driving on interstates. Even if I am on a county road and see green signs ahead I start hyperventilating. I am baby stepping by sometimes driving on 83 when I don't need to, just get on and go to the next exit. Then I can get on and pretend I am only going to the next exit.

I am afraid of my past/debt catching up to me. I need to start dealing with it head on, at least talking to creditors and dealing with the ramifications of my past decisions.

I am still so shy. It really bothers me that it still happens to me. I'm almost 49 years old, with a birthday next month, and I still have shyness issues. Sigh. What I do about it is just smile and try to connect. I plan on keeping with this, and just 'go for it' and not worry about what people think of me. I feel that naturally as we grow older we tend to not care as much about what others think so I do have that on my side. I would make friends with someone like me! I just have to keep remembering this.

My fear is to become someone I don't want to be. I have to question myself often

I have been afraid that people I love may not really love me as much as I hope they do. Or maybe as much as I want them to? I find it a challenge to express this, or even to understand it. It has led to some emotional ups and downs. I hope I can trust myself, and them, and just know that the love is there, that sometimes love endures in unexpected ways, and it is OK to just soak up that blessing.

One fear that has been reoccurring is leaving my home church of 35 years. I no longer feel that I am being fed spiritually in that place, but the people are like family to me. Also, the preschool that I founded is there and is very much a part of my heart. And there are teaching materials that my father created that are housed there but not being used. All of this has limited my ability to belong to a faith community that is alive and vibrant. The question of letting it go or overcoming it is really one and the same, because if I overcome the fear of leaving I will be letting go of a piece of my heart. I'm trusting the Holy Spirit to guide me on this one!

I have a fear of needles and failing. The fear of needles have scared me of doctors. I hate getting shots. I cry and freak out and I cry for other people. The fear of failing has effected me because in high school. I have a reputation of getting really good grades so I get anxiety of failing or doing really bad on texts or quizzes. My fears I know will take time to go away but right now they won't

My fear is getting hurt by someone who wants to kill me and it limits me when I do things on my own in public. I hope to get over this fear with some help from my family.

I have a fear of leaving my husband. It is a genuine fear. Not because i think he would hurt me but because we have been together so long and Im afraid of being on my own. I need to find the strength to take back my life

I have a fear of NOT moving away from California. I'm afraid if we don't move in the next year or so, we'll get sucked into life here and we won't ever leave. I hope we can either consciously choose to stay, or make the (hard, scary!) decision to move elsewhere in the next year.

My back/spine is becoming more of a problem. Walking longer distances is becoming more of an issue for me. This is beginning to limit some walking. But walking and exercise is the only thing keeping my Parkinsons from getting worse. I am changing my diet - no dairy, many smoothies -- to deal with some of my pain. I am determined to be as functional as I can be with the time I have left.

At such a young age, I learned that happiness was a fleeting feeling; that to succeed, to feel good and to feel proud of ones self would often get trampled by some sort of devastating circumstance. In some ways, I have trained myself to fear happiness or success. I am always waiting for the sky to fall, which hasn't led to the most fulfilling life. I would like to overcome this fear by taking small risks on a daily basis. Putting myself out there and doing the *thing* that scares me every day. Sometimes doing a good job at something feels akin to walking through molasses, but once I get started, I feel great. To overcome is to trudge through the molasses.....every damn day.

My fear is of not being good enough or deserving. It's a an emotion many women have. How to let it go or overcome it? I have no idea but I will think on it.

I have a fear of failure. It’s stopped me from trying new things that are risky. This year I quit my job of nearly 6 years to try a new career. It was terrifying but so far so good.

I am afraid of being wrong. this limits me because I become aggressive, critical and demanding. This alienates people from me. To eliminate (or at least mitigate) this fear i tell myself that i release the need to be right, over and over. it's simple but it works.

I have been living with the fear that my partner will find someone more suitable than me, someone who can make him happier than I can. Leaving me alone forever.

Fear of never being extraordinary... of staying the same and stagnating. Fear of changing my trajectory; I have fantasized for years about jumping into "industry" work and making entertainment my career. It would be so hard or something... I worry that I'm just making excuses about stability. The stagnation fear I'm already working on. Taking a look at where I was last year, I've made a lot of great changes in my life that didn't seem huge but collectively made a big difference. I started with State Farm & have supportive management who recognizes my potential and encourages my growth. I started taking improv and am getting a lot of admiration & inspiration both. It's helping me recognize my own anxiety in others (like, we're all bad at being real and social at the same time so I'm not unlikable, I'm just not familiar and safe enough yet for other anxious nerds to feel comfortable with). I still debate about industry/insurance. SF is really doing me right and I feel good about the place. I think I could even balance my entertainment dreams with it for a while.

Dear goodness yes...financial anxiety. It's crippling. Today, I stayed home because of how little money we have in the account until payday tomorrow...and even then we won't have much beyond paying for the basics. It's like we can't get ahead. Overcoming it? Well, everything does tend to work out, I suppose. I have to remember that.

Of failing. Just going for it a dam the outcome.

being dead. I don't fear dying, I fear what I will loose in the future. I am trying to live day/day, but it is hard. chemo is hard, knowing my life is finite is hard. All I can do is try to create memories with my family, there is no overcoming this!

perfect timing!! my fear is that my life wasn't meant for me so i can't let myself do too well. i stay in the land of potential. i project how it can all go wrong, weigh my odds and then quit. i work for the boss. i am never the. oss. everything good in my life happens by magic. so this is the year i do it all to MY standard. and it is high. and i fulfill on all my wishes, instead of talking about them like "good ideas."

losing my job.. I often don't take risks or challenge things my superiors believe but I don't. I plan on speaking up more, knowing that my job is secure as long as I stick to the core values that I know will guide me on the right track.

I fear for my mom and how her quality of life will maintain over this upcoming year... I hope her Alzheimer's barely progresses over the upcoming year.

After answering nine of these questions right now, it's still: my trauma. I'm beginning to see a pattern in how much my fear of past abuse has influenced my life this year. I don't know how to let go. Being angry and existing out of spite has kept me going, but I always end up defaulting to fear when the weeks get tough and answers/reality seem less clear. I'm hoping therapy will help, but at the moment I live in a dense urban city where therapists can be difficult to come by. No one is accepting new patients. It could take me months. I have to do it somehow, even if it seems hopeless. I can't let this awful stuff fester anymore.

Still this deep-seated fear of failure: not so much at my job anymore, but as a wife and a parent. So crazy that that is still such a part of me! I’m going to continue focusing on self care: yoga & meditation in particular to keep working on it.

A fear that I have is being shut down or shut out of peoples lives. Im so afraid to open up to people or get to close until I know what there true intentions really are. This has limited me from potentially missing out on some great friendships that I would never know about know. This next year, I plan to just talk to as many people as I can, who knows when you'll meet your next best friend? I'm excited to see what this year has to bring.

My real fear is dying in a fire but I don't think that will ever happen so it doesn't limit me. However my husband's Parkinson's is limiting in many ways. I have had to take control over so much for lives together and it limits my time for myself. More importantly I have to watch What he does frequently. He takes the wrong pills he forgets where he's going; issues are arising. This is what limits me and increases my fear

I'm pretty afraid of physical intimacy. I know that I want a relationship, but being a virgin, I have no idea how to proceed in that aspect of a relationship. I think that's causing me to not be bold in seeking out a relationship: I'm afraid being a virgin will turn so many people away. I know that the RIGHT person will not turn me away for that reason and will accept me for all that I am, but that doesn't stop me from being a bit nervous about it.

Fear of being alone and never finding a partner is a compulsive thought I have far too often these days. Although the last two years of being single and getting to know, like and love myself have been rewarding, I still wish to find a partner with whom I may share my life. In the meantime, I work toward letting the thoughts go as they arise. Perhaps I need to meditate a bit more on why the thoughts occur and get to the heart of the issue. Life happens on life's terms. I know that. It will happen when it happens. I don't need to try to control this.

Well, last year got bad enough that I left my job. I think that's enough moving on for a while.This year should be about keeping and building my fears.

I am always afraid of disappointing people including myself. I've always been a perfectionist. I Zoe t too much from everyone. I am going to try and understand that everyone is doing their best. Including myself.

Fear of not having enough money. Learn about how my passion and skills can make me happier at work and svae smarter instead of working harder.

The unknown. It's limited a lot of my potential as I see it. I'm not sure how to let go. I've tried gratefulness, mindfulness, Zen Buddhism, ... Part of it is fear of failure, part of it is fearing I will be wrong. The fear forces me to work very hard, but not to ask for anything in return. That limits my potential, I should be further along in my career than I am. And everyone agrees I work hard and am very productive, but I can't make this translate into promotions or better positions.

I fear continuing to feel totally overwhelmed and not true to myself. I fear not being able to share the core of my identity with my children, because I haven't yet figured out how to express that identity in a context other than its 'home' context. I plan on trying to figure some of that out over this year, but I"m not sure how to let it go, yet.

Same as last year. My fear is that I avoid Michael and lily and that causes greater distance. I need to be more honest and natural this year

I am most concerned about not having enough money to retire in 10 months and, if I am able to retire, having enough money to enjoy life post-retirement. I am working on setting up systems that help us manage our money better and generate more passive income as well as post retirement "career opportunities." I am struggling to manage these fears.

I have a fear of not being impressive. I think accomplishments, title, salary, degree has been really important to me but it is pretty far removed from my career and life goals. If I can let go of the fear of being overlooked or discredited from conversation, I can focus on learning and growing and accomplishing my goals.

My shyness in mid-sized groups limits me. I don't know how to speak up and make contributions or attract others to me. I fear dismissal so I become a watcher. I need courage to initiate a conversation with people with friendly faces and realize that it is all an adventure - a journey of possibility.

I'm scared of being alone forever. I want to overcome it by being brace enough to be/initiate a healthy relationship. I really think it's time for me to initiate something rather than always waiting

I fear that I will make the wrong decision, and that hold me back from making firm choices, from speaking up in groups, and from moving ahead with plans and projects. I hope to be able to let go a little and dive in, and be able to forgive myself if I mess up, use materials in a non-perfect way, or make the wrong choice.

I have a strong fear of rejection, primary socially. This has led to me not putting myself out there or being able to initiate conversation. I will try to just force myself to get over it by putting myself in situations where I have to put myself out.

I have a fear of coming across as not being nice. It causes me to envy people who are loved and therefore popular. I don't know what I should do.

The fear that I have is not being a good dad for my family and showing up in the right way for each of them - my wife, my son, and my daughter. My nature is such that I want to show up in the right way for each person (whether it is a family member, friend, co-worker) that works best for them, but it is hard. But especially with my family, when I choose a path for one family member, it may not be the way for everyone. For example, if I choose to be caring or loving to my son when he is being difficult because that is what I think he needs, that might not be how my wife needs me to support her (by being more strict and a disciplinarian). As a result, I fear making the wrong choice, and sometimes can get paralyzed with which way forward. I think in the coming year, I need to reconcile that I can't be everything to everyone. I need to be a good dad with a singular consistent definition. This will be hard for me because it is actually contrary to who I am to not tailor my interactions to others. We'll see if it works.

My fear is that starting my career over, might not be something that's feasible for me. A reboot is something I'm highly interested in but there is a lot of unknown for me there. The way I see it, I have two approaches I can try. 1) I just jump all in 2) I dip my toes into a new career slowly. I'm not yet sure what's the best way to do it, but I do know it's something I'm going to have to at least try out.

Mainly being poor

I am afraid of not being liked or being left out. I plan on trying to just be myself and let what ever comes with that happen. I plan on trying to do what makes me happy and be with people who make me happy and not worry about what others think of me.

My biggest fear is my chronic medical conditions (1 more added since last year) will limit me more than they do now, and become more debilitating. Must recognize some things I cannot change and all I can do is adjust and make modifications.

Theres many rhings Im afraid of. Not being loved,not being accepted,being scorned. I am taking some Bach flower remedies.

I'm afraid I'll die sooner than I am ready. That thought sometimes gets in the way of my being in the moment. I plan to eat healthy food and meditate more often. I'll do my best to live more fully. In a way, my fear fuels my resolve to be in the moment.

I was becoming incapable of making even simple decisions. I discovered that it was at least in part due to an endocrine imbalance. After starting treatment to address the imbalance I feel better and much of the anxiety and indecisiveness has abated.

I ordinarily feel fear about many things but I go forward, anyway. Courage I do not lack; and fears aplenty. Most of all, these days, I am afraid that I won't leave anything significant behind when I die, that no one will mourn or remember me all that much because I am wasting this part of my life and rest is so long ago. I want to be a grandmother and may not have that chance. I want to do more benefit in the world but can't seem to find a way to do it. I want people to read, enjoy and be inspired by my books, but almost no one has read them, even among my friends and family members. I guess I'm afraid of being useless, unremembered and having squandered my existence.

I fear that I am not enough. That when the time comes for me to perform, in all aspects of my life, I will prove less-than, and unworthy. It's a dichotomy, because I also feel that I have many gifts that I need to share. I need to overcome that by not allowing what other people think and say matter, good or bad.

I fear not living up to my own expectations. Letting it go? I don't know if I can other than by proving to myself that I can do it.

I fear blame I need to learn to listen better and not take all conversations personally

Right now, to my amazement, I am FEARLESS. I said yes when I half-wanted to say no, & stuck with whatever I committed to, & none of it was impossible or even hard, & I feel SO GOOD. Yes I can! I can do it! I think I just got tired of spending my energy not doing stuff. Life is good. I hope it continues this way.

I'm simultaneously afraid of losing my job and also of staying in this job because I feel I'm running out of time to develop my career. The answer of 'look for a job' seems too general. I feel if I just look for a job I won't more forward. While I still have this job I need to look for a new position with purpose and direction, not just because an employer is hiring. My hope is to find something more fulfilling than what I currently do

Last year, this was the day my husband asked for a divorce. I had a lot of fears . . . and in many ways I have overcome them. I bought a house, survived separation and moving, and now I am on my own. I still have a lot of fear. I lie awake at night with heaviness in my chest, my heart thumping in my ears. I sometimes feel I will burst with anxiety and fear. I am still trying to figure out what the nature of that fear is . . . am I afraid of loneliness? of my old house falling down around my ears? of getting sick and not having help? I think I fear that "the fun is over," that I played out my days of wine and roses and now it will only be work and worry. Okay, if I'm honest . . . I'm afraid of life. Of aging and living long, of trying to make a life moving forward. My idealistic plan to overcome this is to stop fixating on some point way in the future and instead live day by day as if it is my last, to enjoy the little things of each day, to follow that old prayer and AA adage, to have the "grace to accept the things I can't change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."

I fear that my children will stop loving me, and I don't know how to let it go or overcome it.

Fear, in general, is something I am trying to live without. It does not help to work out the problem and only makes me unhappy in the process. That being said, it is probably underlaying reason for my not doing things I say are important to me. I will work on facing this fully and moving beyond. Meditation is a tool that I will be learning to use this year.

I have been afraid to fail. I thought my biggest fear about being unemployed was money troubles. Yet when it came down to the wire, what I feared was the loss of self-esteem I would endure. I have always prided myself on being self-sufficient, not needing financial (or any other kind, really) help from anyone. I have come to see that my self-worth has been tied up in that concept, so that to need help meant, in my eyes, that I was worthless. That I had failed. That I was, somehow, a fraud. Even now, we teeter on the brink of financial chaos. My immediate debts have been alleviated, thanks to some huge help from my parents, and our finances have stabilized. I stand to significantly increase my income in the next several months, but for the moment, we are still statistically poor. I've found myself doing a lot of soul searching, coming to terms with this fact. What it means to be poor. Why people look down on poor people. Why I have looked down on poor people, and which of my beliefs about them were seriously off the mark. I've grown a lot in this process. And I will continue to grow, as I encounter more and more challenges to the assumptions I grew up with. I can know all of this on an intellectual level, and still have that gut fear that I am not worthy, that I will fail, that the bottom will fall out and I will end up on the street. It's not about the money. It was never about the money. It's about how I feel about myself. So in the coming year, I will figure out what would make me feel like I am a success, and figure out how to get to that point. I will work on building myself up. And I will surround myself with positive people as best I can.

Fear of driving a car, killing people on a car accident, it has limited me for 20 years because i have a driving license and i didn't buy a car and i need it so much. I plan on taking driving lessons and buying one soon so i can finally loose the fear.

I think I have an unexplored fear of upsetting people. I am just really noticing this. Yes. At 45. I hope I can let it go but knowing myself I think I'm going to have to dive deeper and explore it more instead.

I'm afraid of being alone - always have been. But I've been alone a lot this last year, and it hasn't been all bad. I self-isolate a lot, and I am trying to work on that, and will continue to work on it. I need to learn to ask for help - I think, though, that it's about finding the people who will be there and not turn away. There's been a lot of that in the past, and it's made me hesitant to ask.

Perhaps coming to grips with the beginning of watching my husband age as he turns seventy five, and knowing that I will be seventy soon! I hope to have compassion for whatever limits this brings, but also not let it undermine my active lifestyle. I had to stop boxing and tennis due to shoulder issues but continue to work out daily.

One fear that I have is approaching strangers. This is a fairly severe handicap as a reporter, but I'm better than I used to be. I hope to be more confident approaching strangers over the upcoming year and not be afraid to ask the right questions.

Right now I'm afraid my foot might not get better, and I will have to limit my walking for the rest of my life. I hope to continue to take good care of it so it can heal.

I dont fear anything! Just Spiders?

I think my fear is of failure - failing as a lawyer - hurting my clients, being thought of as a bad lawyer; failing as a parent - hurting my kids, being thought of as a bad parent; failing on my diet - hurting myself, being thought of as weak, crazy, or both. But I learned something yesterday about the power of letting go of that fear of failure. I can do this. Or I can't. In the end, it doesn't matter. I am a human being, and constantly running myself is doing absolutely nothing for me. Just let it go. Let it all go.

im afraid of abandonment. it has taken me decades to figure out why & deal with it. I'm working with my therapist to reprocess the things that happen in my childhood. I hope that i can heal these wounds and have a healthy relationship with a man. I am so tired of being alone .

That my husband's health is steadily declining...no more travel, no more fun simple outings. How to provide what he needs without feeling trapped at home 24/7. How to keep him from sinking into depression. How to avoid depression myself. I'm just now learning how to find respite for myself. I'm interested in reading this next year to see how I have dealt with this situation.

Fears for the next generations for state of the nation, the world, the future. Aware that there is little I can do on a personal and political level. Trying to make the present as good as possible.

I fear failing and looking stupid. I fear not being recognized for my work, being ignored and unvalued. I'm working on staring into the abyss and walking forward anyway. I'm also looking into intense forms of therapy to get over past trauma.

I did well with some of my fears mentioned last year. This year I'm afraid of fewer things. I'm definitely looking more my age, so I'm working on my weight and taking care of my skin. The bad news: I guess I am afraid of cancer, given my high risk. I need to get a colonoscopy, have finally scheduled one for October. I need to remember to take all the fiber meds. It's gross! The good news: However, I was told I have a less-than-1% chance of heart disease with very low BP and cholesterol. Now I need to know what my husband has a risk of so I can plan our diet accordingly. Aging does not seem to be for the faint of heart.

My biggest fear is our current president, and I'm exhausted from constantly worrying what horrible thing he'll do next. His actions or inactions are not just dividing this country, it's alienating and agitating other governments. I can't personally put an end to this problem, but I pray he is removed from power before something disastrous happens.

Fear of bad decisions. Of wanting a change and unintentionally making things worse. I’m the coming year, I may be forced to make some decisions about moving and careers and schools, and I’ll have to find a way to do that without going crazy with worry or over analyzing everything to make sure I don’t make a mistake.

I think I fear failure and success in equal measure. Reads odd but makes sense in my mind. I fear taking certain chances for fear I'll fuck up but also for fear I'll actually succeed and I'll have to hold myself to different standards. Life is too fucking complicated. How do I plan on letting go of these fears? Just fucking doing shit, I reckon. No need to plan or make excuses. Just gotta do shit.

I got held up at double gun point in April of this year which has left me with PTSD and a fear that I am not safe. I am worked on this in therapy as well as specialized treatment, EMDR, and have made significant progress. I was afraid I was not going to get back to normal and that I would always be afraid of other people and uncomfortable walking down the street. I am really proud of the progress I have made and I think that I will continue to see a decrease in PTSD symptoms over time.

Wow! What a question! My greatest fear - not being good enough. It makes me super critical of myself. It keeps me from taking risks such as talking to people I don't know for fear of not being able to carry on the conversation or knowing when to move on to talk to someone else. Knowing I have good skills: I'm an active listener, I like doing "research" on the computer for facts regarding issues, I like helping people identify their strengths but given my advanced age of 70, I'm afraid to try to find a part-time job. I think I was a good mother-made mistakes of course, but our daughter is an amazing individual & I want some credit for that, but I'm afraid that I didn't do enough because I worked out of the home. & missed things I should have noticed or missed opportunities for showing her how much I love her. I'm afraid of not doing enough to help others - Puerto Rico, Mexico, Houston, Florida, the famine in Africa, the refugee crises in Syria & Myanmar, DREAMers in CA, the bail initiative by R Paul & K Harris, resisting white nationalism & antisemitism in the US. Plan for the coming year - any ideas & suggestions would be welcome! :))) 1-try to organize a political activism group with IKAR with people who like me do not work M-F, 9 to 5. 2-Practice what I teach regarding job search - work part-time, close to home, to earn some spending money maybe as an admin assistant in a counseling center. 3-Begin bat mitzvah process as means to challenge all that I don't know "for not understanding that religious ritual is meaningless if it doesn’t awaken us to challenge systems of oppression and uphold the cause of the vulnerable. God hates your false piety; detests your empty fasts and your rote prayers; wants justice, mercy, and compassion. How can there be ritual action devoid of moral action? Religion is not about spiritual enlightenment or meditative rapture, and it’s certainly not about empty observance and meaningless recitation. Religion is a revolution of the heart and a transformation of the world. " R S Brous.

I am afraid of preventing my own progress--be it with weight loss or cleaning my house. I have avoided success for so long, it is a deeply ingrained behavior. I cling to the past, and I'm not sure how I'll overcome it. I only hope I make a start in the right direction.

I have sosial anxiety and I’ve put in lots of effort to overcome it. Now I’m working on sorting out things I shouldn’t do because I don’t like doing it and things I should keep doing because they scare me and I need to expose myself to them.

I fear that my career is going nowhere in this country and I may need to retrain. I will have to wait and see how this year pans out to know for sure then start seriously considering changes

A fear that I have is my mental health. I fear that it will hold me back from achieving my goals and dreams and will interfere with my ability to lead a normal, happy life. I fear that it will affect my relationships and my ability to have a long-term relationship. I fear that if I do decide to have children, that it will make this increasingly difficult like coping with the stress. I fear that I have a "life sentence" of depressive episodes and anxiety and I am jealous of people who don't have this in their life. How do I plan on overcoming it? I will forever be mindful of my mental health and how I feel each day. I will forever be forgiving of myself for having "bad days" and will allow myself to feel my ever-changing emotions. I will also make an effort to advocate for people who are like me: they can function most days, hold down a job, but once in a while it throws them off.

I fear that we may have a nuclear war. It hasn't limited me. I keep praying for the election to be overturned. It's probably unrealistic, but I'd like to see the real winner of the election live in the White House. I'd like to see the entire cabinet behind bars.

I am afraid of being dependent upon others for my livelihood, including my spouse. However, instead of motivating me to act, this fear has paralyzed me for years. So, it is my intention to work on decreasing my dependence upon anyone by earning extra income and applying that to my existing debts, setting up a long term plan for care in the event of my incapacitation, and drafting up a solid retirement plan. I am tired of living in fear of being abandoned in the event of an accident or disability. I would rather make an effort to prepare for thr worst than to expect that those who love me today will still love me tomorrow when I can’t work or help them in the way they need. I am basically alone, even though I am married and have kids.

I have a fear of commitment, I believe. It manifests slowly, through my relationships (laughable), my goals (start strong, end abruptly), and my actions (half-hearted). I plan on addressing and overcoming it in the coming year by (1) establishing a romantic relationship with someone about whom I care, and (2) establishing goals, and seeing them through fully. That includes the podcast, and even the screenplay.

A fear of conflict. This affects all relationships. I want to learn to act confrontational without feeling angry and learn to adopt this conversational mode in order to be heard in the ways I need to be heard. I know that learning this skill will help me, and I hope to let go of my fear of conflict now that I see how it is having a pervasive negative effect in my life.

I tend to ignore fear however, I had to face facts that my kidneys are having some issues - I can do what I can to help them work better but if I go on dialysis I know at that point I won't have a lot of years left. So I was weepy over a two day period as I faced my mortality - I am 70 now and plain to live another 40 years so facing my mortality was awful. My usual way of dealing with the unpleasant is to ignore it. Well, I am not accepting it but I am going to try to finish little projects that I feel are important that if something happened before the 40 years are up, I won't regret not doing them.

One fear I have is making too much money. Yes. Can I believe I even said that? It's almost blasphemy to even think something like that in capitalist society where we spend the better part of our lives accumulating wealth. And we must do this, regardless. So, when do we reach the threshold to say enough is enough? We can always make more and do something good with it, right? Something catastrophic could happen and it would come in handy, right? We could be spending more time on an assortment of things unrelated to wealth accumulation. All the above is good pondering material, but the biggest fear may be that obtaining the things money is a means to becomes easy and nonchalant. And, of course, the flavor of those things obtained becomes diluted. A large chunk of life comes in jeopardy of losing that 'spice' piece of life itself. Well, I can think of worse fears, and try to be continually aware of this and eternally grateful to be in this position.

I constantly fear that I am underqualified for the position in which I currently am, at work. Regardless of the position, that fear consistenly nests in me, embedding itself in most of my (work related) thoughts. I don't know if I can overcome it soon; I just have to try my best, know that I can do no better, and let reality decide for itself.

I think a fear that holds me back is that if I ask for what I want that I won't get it or will receive a negative reaction for asking. Why bother, I guess, if you're not going to get what you want. The problem here, though, is that by suppressing my wants I've transformed them so much that they are unrecognizable, they've accumulated in my psyche and been turned into psychic diamonds of depression. Repressing my feelings just leaves me feeling sad. This year, I want to work on asking for what I want, and not be afraid of expressing my opinion.

I'm afraid I just don't have enough time. Life will pass and I will not have been able to focus on the things that mean most to me because they don't bring in money...I'll be too old to hold a job and have no income so my quality of life will be severely limited. I'll miss something key, I won't notice something important (good or bad) as it's happening and it will be too late to either prevent it or take advantage of it. That I won't figure out how to live my life as an artist, or that I'm not really an artist because I haven't figured out how to live as one yet. That I'll reach my death bed (is it even going to be a bed??) and wonder why I couldn't figure out how to do what I wanted. How do I plan to let this go or overcome it? Good question! By realizing that I have to trust that I make the best decision I can with my knowledge at the time and no one can expect to be "all-seeing", that in fact the mystery of "what happens" or arises in life is as it should be. By realizing there are mysteries upon mysteries and we are along for the ride. By realizing that I am creative in so many ways depending on where I am at any given time in this journey, and that my vision of "being an artist" may not be based in reality but what I've read or observed or been influenced to think based on other people's lives. I can also realize that, by continuing to focus on being present in the moment, my concept of "time" and "having enough of it" changes dramatically for the better.

Fear of becoming irrelevant/useless/out of touch and not having a place in the world because I don't have a career on the up and up. I plan on continuing to explore and making something I can sell.

My fear right now, is being alone with a 4 wk old baby. I think to overcome it, I have just breathe & take my time.

I'm always afraid of never being enough. Not smart enough, not queer enough, not straight enough, not memorable enough. It's caused a lot of problems with my homework and sometimes it makes me insecure in my new relationship. As far as "too queer, not straight enough" goes, I'm going to keep in mind the time I sleep texted my boyfriend "I love you I love you I love you". My subconscious knows what I feel is real and not performative, so I'm going to try and keep in mind that my feelings are genuine, and my boyfriend and I both know it.

I'm afraid of being wrong, and that means I don't weigh in on things - i'm afraid to put my opinions forward in case I'm wrong. This also makes me very protective of "being right", which can make me defensive. I'm trying to voice my opinions more freely and to NOT CARE if I'm wrong. Brush it off. My husband does this when he's wrong and it always makes the things he's wrong about seem unimportant, or like details he just doesn't think are important for him to know the answer on, or oh oops he was wrong about this one thing. He does it so lightly that it seems like he's never wrong because he doesn't care when he is. I'd love to adopt more of that attitude moving forward.

My fear is being made to look foolish or less than others. I know this comes from being brought up as poor whites and being made fun of as a child - including a particular teacher. I don't have a college degree but was successful in the business world. I know that my worth as a human being has nothing to do with education or wealth. I have to remind myself that I am a child of God and there is nothing that can change that. My plan of daily reading the Bible in chronological order will be a constant reminder that nothing on this earth needs to make me fearful. Fear is not of the Lord.

My fear has always been that I am unlovable and unworthy. I have frozen, I have refused challenges, I have undermined myself. And I have (largely) stopped. Hallelujah!

Fear of declined physical health. Fear of loss of use of my legs. Fear Of mobility stability. Keep moving walk every day, do yoga, rest when my body tells me to. Try to get back into the pool

I'm so afraid of the future. I'm at such a crossroads and I wish I could see a snapshot of my life in 5 years to know that I'll be fine. I will be fine, it just takes a lot of convincing... The next time I read this answer I'll be 30 (THIRTY!), likely in a new job, and who knows what else. Godspeed, future me.

I think I am fearful of making art even though that's what I want to do. I can find many excuses to avoid it and then kick myself for avoiding it. Sometimes I wonder if my tendency to busy myself with mundane tasks or to avoid things by making some excuse that I've done some task and now need to rest or recreate is laziness. Now I think I'm realizing it's fear. How to I plan on letting it go or overcoming it in the coming year. The only way I know how to deal with a fear is to recognize it as a fear and just go through it. Like when I was afraid to climb ladders above the first floor and one day just did it. Like it must feel to jump out of an airplane the first time. I need to make the idea of making art as exciting as what I might feel jumping out of an airplane.

I am scared I'm wasting time. I know I'm young and have my whole life ahead of me, but time is already going by so quickly. I hope to be able to enjoy every moment without worrying to much about the future.

My fear that I have is making the right decision if I have the right partner with my girlfriend. It's limited me because I've Im not sure if I want to spend the rest of my life with her. My plan to overcoming it this year is to sit down with myself and ask what am I looking for in a girl? Do I see this relationship that will grow together? What's the hold up of me moving forward? What am I waiting for? Brainstorm 10 big ideas and what are the solutions to these problems? Sit with rabbi geffen and Marder and see what they say.

fear of failing and looking stupid!!! Worrying about what other people think. It's a work in progress, I am going to be speaking in front of a small group and see where it goes from there.

The current opportunity is to face the unknowable & the unknown. Fear in the time of 45. I plan on becoming more vulnerable & looking for team vs. my historical "I'll go it alone, because I have, I can, I know what to do & how to do it!" That has limited me in the past to playing small & safe. Now is a time for courageous community to arise together. Let's dance & sing our way through this challenge! Are YOU with me?

I'm afraid to live my life authentically. I'm afraid to ask for what I want, to go after what I want, to do what I want. I'm always putting other people first. I'm always caring for others, making sure they are ok, and then I get to myself when/if there's time to do so. I have already started, little by little, to put myself first. If I don't, who will? If not me, then who? I am worthy of it. It is ok to do. The sky will not fall. My life might actually improve! Imagine that! I plan to continue with my 12 step program, with therapy, and reading books that help me love and value myself enough to put myself first, for the first time in my life.

A fear I have is never being satisfied with where I'm at - a fear that I'm not enough, that I haven't tried hard enough or that I'm not fulfilling my potential. Instead of pushing myself harder I think I need to work at being content with where I am and who I am right now. And stop beating myself up about it.

I am afraid of getting cancer or heart disease and dying (relatively) young. This fear was somewhat quiescent in recent years because I was in great health, taking good care of myself, and allowing myself to be as much in denial as possible. However, my dear friend was diagnosed with cancer this summer, and it forced me to face the fact that I had lapsed in my focus on self-care. Also that I am getting close to the age where my mom died of lung cancer. While I don't think I can ever completely let this fear go, given my family history, I have started to ramp up again on being vigilant with medical tests, and getting exercise and eating a healthy diet. I think that is the best I can do to help overcome my fears, and it is well within my grasp.

I fear sounding stupid in front of others which often keeps me from speaking at all. I'm trying out for a moot this weekend. If I get one then I will have to push myself out of my comfort zone, but if I don't get one at least I tried. I'm also doing QLA this year so likely will have to appear in front of a board/tribunal/small claims court at some point.

A fear I have is not being able to make good on my pinky swear that this online effort we are building will produce. I plan to work my ass off to make it happen, and keep meditating and working on shifting my thinking to a success mindset, rather than let the fearful thoughts have much bandwidth. I'm also fearful that I will not find someone who I can love and adore, who loves me in the way that I both long for, and am intimidated by. I really want that in my life. I want to be loved and wanted, and when he looks at me, I want to feel him looking INTO me, not just at me. And I want to feel safe and loved like I can rest in his gaze and trust him. And he will let me realize the full breadth of my ability to love another... I plan on overcoming all of this by actually loving myself in that same capacity... and I can tell I'm on my way.

I don't know that it's a fear...although it must be since I avoid it at all costs. I have a fear of confrontation and I hate disappointing people. As a result, I will let people walk all over me, I typically don't tell people when I'm upset with them, so I end up letting it fester. I end up building resentment towards others or situations, find myself withdrawing into myself and getting depressed (not clinically), and end up becoming a grouchy person that I don't like. In the coming year, my word is "courage." Courage to say what I need to when I need to and to stand up for myself. Courage to face confrontation, no matter how icky it makes me feel.

Fear of failure very often freezes me, which then causes me to fail. This is not a healthy cycle, and I would like to address it in the coming year. I have very low self-esteem, so this is very challenging for me, as I see everything that is not a 100% success as a failure. I want to learn to embrace the gray area of life and not look at failure as an absolute.

Fear of how I appear to others. Not just being me and not caring what others think. I will continue self love and acknowledge my gifts and talents.

I avoid judgment from family members, professional service providers (doctor, dentist, PT therapist, house cleaner, car repair person, librarian), and participants in activities I lead. This limits me by making me avoid being my full self in any context: I don't share my baaad good ideas, say what I really think, ask what I want to know, express the full range of my creative intuition, or bore people with my knowledge of science and mathematics. Thus I do not find the people who would enjoy all of who I am. I don't see "plan on letting it go" as a way to quell this fear. Planning just hasn't worked out that well for me. This is a holistic difficulty embedded in all my relationships with the outer and inner worlds; it doesn't seem like an incremental step by step problem. I will open myself to the Inward Guide (as much as I can), look at my fears rather than allowing them to shape my life beyond my notice, and allow transformation to arise from deep within.

My fear of failure, of failing others in my life that I care about. I often want to take what I consider a risk in life, in ministry, etcetera, but I hold back fearing failure and especially if I feel as though that failure would negatively impact family, friends, and so on. In some way, I seem to need to give myself the permission I give others to fail. It will need to be done in small steps, but I hope to be able to make that change mentally and then be able to act on it, too.

I have a fear that I'm viewed negatively by a lot of people. It makes me afraid to put myself out there and do some good. I might need to nourish a new social circle.

I have if year of being judged by people. If either of being judged as a bad person, I suppose in the poor taste, as a person with an imperfect body etc etc I feel very insecure about my thinning hair. I have a fear of going out in the light and in the wind and the fact that my scalp me show, and I have this fear of how I would be judged by people. I plan to overcome this fear by being less judgmental of other people, and also less judgmental of myself. I plan to be kinder to myself and love myself a little more.

I have a fear of staying in my job the rest of my life and being unfulfilled. I have a fear of never getting married or loosing weight. I plan to pray daily to love my job and choose to be positive. I also plan to develop relationships with my students and colleagues to achieve this. I plan to flirt and put myself out there with Christian men I meet. I plan to date on eharmony or wherever else I can meet Christian men. I plan to eat healthy, smaller portions, and exercise regularly and not stress!

I'm slowly getting better at getting things done, even if it is just linear progression. In terms of fear, it may be whether I'm making the best use of my time, for myself with a balance of getting things done and enjoying life, and then using my time in the best ways of helping my family, friends, and community.

I am fearful of little but I'd say I'm afraid I will lose my temper at work. It is so stressful there and I'm trying a new tack of either not speaking or spinning everything positively, which takes an inordinate amount of work for a pragmatist, however it is the only way to survive. My fear is that my ability will fail me and I'll speak out angrily...this would NOT be good. So I have to step up my game on deep breathing, faking it until I make it, etc. Go ME! :)

My fear of being seen as soft and fat weak and not useful. To overcome it I will train to be useful in times of service. To be strong and adgile. To be fit and healthy. To overcome obstacles by having the power and speed. To grow up.

I am so scared of what success will fee like. I have limited myself so many times in the past. I have dropped out of school countless times, I have gotten fired or left jobs because I couldn't stick it out. I have gotten in my own way too much, it really sucks. I want to make the necessary steps to accept myself being successful and what that will feel like. I want to be able to finish school and get a real job and feel amazing about it. I want to take on the world and be confident that I am not just faking it, but that I belong there.

I don't really have any fears. I have a strong relationship with God and know that I am loved and being taken care of. I do have lots of things that I worry and stress about but that's not the same thing.

I'm afraid of committing to things for long term. I'm going to be getting over this next year because I don't want to move a million more times. I want to be somewhere and stick around for awhile, unless it's a miserable situation. I need to leave this place even if it scares me because I know I need to grow; then maybe I can return.

I'm still a bit scared that people won't like me. I hope to let go of this through continuing to interact with a lot of people and get feedback on the way I interact.

This question is so tough for me to answer, because I am simultaneously afraid of nothing and afraid of everything. I walk through the world unafraid - I stand up for myself and for what and who I believe in. But I'm also terrified of the changes I see happening all around me, and I feel helpless and hopeless. At least for now, my plan is to go with the punches and take everything as it comes, and to surround myself with folks who have my back and will fight and work alongside me.

I have fear and worry about not getting a job that will be satisfying and where I can make a difference. I have fear that I will not have enough money to support my family. To overcome, I need to have faith that all will work out and that by worrying about money drains my energy. I will put all that I can to move forward.

Ah yes, the fear of getting hurt. This is my biggest one. I put huge walls up so I don't get hurt. It's easy for me to do this, and I've been doing it for so long I don't even do it on purpose anymore. I've been working on opening up more. I really have. But it's hard, especially opening up to someone who might not stay. That's the hardest part, I think. The uncertainty.

Fear of kids being alone as adults. Not sure how to let go of it, but I try to reshape my lens so that I see their happiness and contentment where they're at and recognize that MY definition of happiness may not be what they need.

It's hard to put it into words. I fear being unable to support my loved ones - or maybe it's more that I fear being a burden on them, given that they're fully able to support and provide for themselves. This limits me mainly with regards to my own mental health. I know logically that I contribute to our household and care well for my loved ones, as they care for me. As time passes and our love grows and we don't hurt each other, I know I'll get over this fear naturally.

I have a fear of disappointing people, whether personally or in business - a little gift from childhood that I’ve carried into adulthood. I have to honestly admit that it is truly exhausting at times. There are other times that I get to the point where I become apathetic towards people or situations that I seem unable to please. Once I was able to identify this fear, I make sure to strive to do my best, and if the outcome didn’t please someone, at least I take comfort in knowing that I have given it my best. Learning that you can’t always please everyone was a slow lesson to learn.

Not exactly a fear but an observation that I am not happy with. I noticed a noticeable tendency towards misanthropy within myself. It limits me in enjoying other people. It distances me from them. Usually it happens during the first weeks in a new country, then it recedes. I have to find out what triggers that putting-down of people in my mind. One reason is when I feel tired and overwhelmed. Knowing the times when it happens would allow me to change something about it, since I dislike myself in this unsociable state.

I really have a fear of men telling me what to do, or disapproving of what I am doing. It makes me hold my breath and get dizzy, and I avoid those men who make me feel this way. Since this includes both of my closest colleagues in a department in which I am chair, this can be a pretty serious problem. When I feel cornered, I tend to get strident and lash out, which is counter-productive. I have tried to be more chill, even carrying little talismans with me to remind me to center, but it doesn't always work. Part of the problem is people who are passive-aggressive, because I tend to call people out on stuff, and the passive part gives them deniability. Anyway, I keep trying to work on better conflict-resolution, and trying to meet things head-on, but I have found that men have a way of gaslighting me, and making me feel like I am overreacting, or imagining things, but I know I'm not, because I have it independently verified. So, I hope to learn better coping mechanisms, particularly since I no longer really drink.

Fear of failing. I just keep on trying. Honestly, the need to be successful, and not fail, gets me going every single day.

'Fear' is no longer the kind of boogey-man in my life that it once was. I may still experience "hesitation (do I really want to eat this mushroom?)," "genuine concern (shit! that bus is about to hit me!)," or "oh, crap, here we go again (relating to anything cyclical, like a medical treatment or holiday get-togethers)." But 'fear' no longer paralyzes me like it did in my younger years. I won't even name it 'fear' any longer. G-d answered my request, when I was about 10, that I wanted to "experience everything" - that continues to be my path, right G-d?

Fear that I'm not good enough at my job makes me insecure and defensive. I'm letting it go by remembering that 1) showing up is half of it 2) acting confident is the other half 3) there aren't many people in my life smart enough to call my bluff 4) the ones smart enough can decide for themselves, I don't need to tell them I'm inadequate Aside from attitude, I'm documenting my efforts and successes so I can provide them if questioned.

I guess getting older alone, it scares me. I will date and who knows..but.

Well my worst fear last year came true, Trump became our POTUS. The damage his lack of knowledge, divisiveness and total self absorption create is frightening. Now my greatest fear is how much damage he might do, and whether we will ever recover. Calling out to God for protection and relief is all I know how to do. I support organizations trying to protect us, and sign petitions to manage the damage, but it feels too little. May God help us all.

My biggest fear is rejection. It has stopped me joining in, stepping forward, trying things, speaking out loud,for as ling as I remember. In thecoming year I will try to take small steps towards putting myself out there.

I have a fear of figuring things out too late. This often causes me to overthink too many things, and I can get tied up in knots. I'm trying to be more brave, more sure-footed. I'm working on sorting out which decisions are worth meticulous thought, and realizing how (in)effective all that figuring is in the end.

I fear loneliness, though I love my time being alone. I think that I fear deep emotional involvement, since it hasn't worked very well for me in the past. I want to let it go and overcome it by allowing myself to be more open and authentic.

I have a fear of heights, have had for most of my life. I try to talk myself out of it, and end up frozen when I subject myself to situations where the fear is ascendant. The only thing I can think of where I was limited by this is when I went out on a fire escape on the fifth floor to listen to a concert. It was a steel mesh landing, and I forced myself to walk over to the step and sit down. Two minutes later I realized I couldn't do it, but I couldn't move either, at least not to stand up. I crawled back to the fire door only because I was NOT letting my co-workers come back from lunch and find me stuck to the fire escape! Other than that, I have a bit of a phobia about attending events where I know no one. I'm not sure why. I don't think it is fear of strangers. Maybe it's so many strangers in one place. It's limited me in that many times I pass up an opportunity rather than grab it because there will be a crowd and I would be alone. I'm working on it by pushing myself to go to Temple services even though I know almost no one there.

I fear our country will devolve further into chaos with the inept dictatorial kleptocracy of president #45 I fear nuclear war I fear environmental despoliation I fear armed neo-nazi groups will become even more emboldened I fear the complacency and apathy of privileged, fragile White people I fear that the drug-infused rape culture of our country will harm my children and their generation I fear powerlessness I don't plan to let any of these things go because I can't and shouldn't. I/we/they must resist.

I’m terrified of college. I’m terrified that I’m not god enough for it. At the same time I know I can do this but that doesn’t mean I’m not terrified. I have to get over this in the upcoming year because of all the work that’s been done getting me into school.

I have no such commitments. If the fear is justified then something needs to be done to remove the justification. Then there is nothing more to fear. If the fear is not justified, then it does not exists.

I have a fear of missing out. I like lots of information, and that's fine, but it turns out that I really don't have to know everything and do everything. I am working on handling time better to concentrate on what is really important to me.

My fear of Trump and his supporters grows daily. If he dies in office of natural causes, there are already conspiracy theories that he's being poisoned, and many of his supporters are crazy and own guns. If he is impeached, he's likely to resort to stirring up his supporters, many of whom are crazy and own guns. If he survives his term in office, the damage he could do is hard to fathom, and could take decades to undo. This fear makes it difficult for me to have rational discussions with some friends and family members (on my wife's side!) who still support Trump. It makes me look with disdain on people who sport Trump slogans on themselves or their vehicles. This fear makes me not want to travel to certain red states where I'll be in the minority. This fear makes me question the future, and whether I should still be flying the flag at my house.

I feel like I've allowed a lot of fears to limit me; fear of falling in love and having a broken heart; fear of putting down roots and buying a house; fear of being sued at work and not expanding my horizons. We grow when we face our fears and we get through the fear by breathing. So that is my focus for this next year; just keep breathing. Breathe and baby steps. Start with friendships with men and slowly open my heart; meet with a realtor and see where that leads, interview for medical per diem work and take it one patient at a time -- trust myself. This year is going to be so magnificent.

same as last year I guess my worst fear is being limited by my aging - I have less energy & more aches - I plan to just keep going to my limit whatever that is

I have social anxiety. I think I've put myself out there more than I thought I ever could but I'd like to get to a point where I could do toast masters or something to help my conversations become more natural.

I am nearing the age of retirement and fear I will not not be a good retiree. I I'm working own having a retirement fund that will be helpful to keeping me sane during retirement. Things like travel, visiting family, and maybe even completing my college degree.

Store. The store the store. My grandparents left the store to my predecessors. That gotall reconfigure to the two boys, girls were left out. Then when my uncle died I got 12 1/2% my brother got a 12 1/2% of my cousins bought him out. Because the family ties sentimentality and feeling obligation of commitment to the past I stayed in. When they bought out my brother they gave me a whopping 2 1/2%. I was the project manager because I live where the project is and they live in Manhattan. It has been a cluster fuck since the word go. The contractor was a turd I wanted to fire him because I'm the minority shareholder I had no voice in this. Took a lot of time a lot of money and a lot of aggravation. I jumped through my asshole to get this done. Cashed favors to get this done. The majority stake holders did not listen to me and make poor decisions and I'm really pissed off the place looks like a fun house. I want out I want them to buy me out. I know they think that their place and they deserve it because they do not know the family history and do not know how the girls my mom and aunts got cheated from their portion. I am just so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I don't know if it's of poor financial choices because it should be able to Make money in the future for my retirement. But I am afraid to keep my mule hitch to this wagon train. They do not understand why I am so angry although I have told them why. They have lived a life of privilege. I am female and I am a construction worker and they don't pay any attention to what I had to say about the construction project I'm just done.

My only nagging fear is that when the Navy makes us move, it will end my career. All I can do is continue to work on improving my French but I have no idea what I will do in Ottawa.

My mom going too soon. I"m not sure I can or want to let it go or overcome it. It's hard to process. Maybe I should start now.

I don't have fears that limit me. Don't get me wrong. I have tons of fears. I guess a fear I have is the fear of failing. Fear my adventure will be shorter than I like. Fear I will struggle with Spanish. Fear I will not live up to the expectation I have set for myself. I will overcome this by pushing myself. I think I am going to give up weed for a while. It will help me be more productive and focused. I will continue to put myself in situations that are uncomfortable. I just have to try to keep pushing myself.

My limiting factor is not fear as much as worry...about everything. Therefore, to compensate, I over plan, over organize, over control. This year I plan to try to be more flexible and let others take the lead.

I have a fear of disappointing people. But I've found that I'm trying to live up to irrational standards. Luckily discovering that meant I left a job that wouldn't work out long-term. I just want to do my job and satisfy my clients and patients. I can't make everyone happy, but I know I do my job well and I can't let fear of someone maybe someday saying they're not happy. Just deal with today and go from there.

My fear is always something happening to one of my children or my husband. I try hard not to let it get to me and take it all in stride.

I fear I will never find my place in a community, and that I will become grossly overweight or diabetic. It was limiting when I knew very little of my depression, anxiety and Hypomanic states and the effect on my health and the strain at work. It was limiting when I thought I could choose to be not queer. I did not know myself, or understand social dynamics. I was living in authentically and very stressed, and loosing sleep and developing pains. The plan for the next twenty years is to be fine with being queer, live within my means, now that we have achieved that. I plan to continue to monitor mental and physical health to optimize it! I feel so much better and accomplish goals when I am. Healthy. I will continue to seek song, volunteer opportunities, and maximize fitness routines and outcomes. This is the best I can do. I had given up on being myself. I am back with a plan that makes sense. Where Kell and I go over time is an other question. Either she will get affectionate, or not. I very well may seek affection elsewhere. I don't know. That has caused problems , before, so I need to figure out he emotionally safe way to be held and caressed.

Now that my son has been diagnosed on the autism spectrum, I'm sometimes afraid of what the future holds for him. Overall, I know he'll be ok, but will he want to or be able to participate in group activities? It's limited me in what activities I take him to. Maybe I just need to try it more and see what happens.

I think I have a very strong fear of failure and this is what prevents me from finishing things, writing, serious photography. I always felt judged negatively as a child and I believe that to be the source of this fear. I keep telling myself to just start already but then I become paralyzed. This is very frustrating and anxiety provoking, so I don't do it so I can keep beating myself up. What possible good feeling could come from ongoing beration?

That I am going to be alone for the rest of my life. not sure what I am going to do to overcome it.

Fears: I am going to get cancer; my life will be too short; my business won't grow; my books don't take off; I am not maximizing my potential; I waste time and am not as productive as I should be; I am not doing enough for others; Aaron's dangerous career and him seeking more danger. Danielle's happiness; that my face is too wrinkley; that our country will be nuked or terrors stiles comes closer to home My worries are many and I try to keep them at bay by moving ever forward and keeping the ones I love close and not ending the day without expressing my love for my husband. And lastly, tying to be grateful for each day I do have !

I want independence. No can tell me what to do. Or when. Anything that encroaches on that I fear. And resent. Is there a way to let that go? I don't know what it is, other than to acknowledge it is going to happen, incrementally and I will deal with one day at a time.

I fear what is happening to my country. I fear for the democracy and for its values of inclusion and freedom. However, we have seen the resistance work and I am beginning to understand that it is not all on my shoulders. I will continue to do what I can but also to remember that there are many people working towards solutions and understanding what the problems are.

Still trying to let go of the life long one. Some days are better than others. Another fear I'd like to let go of is a more general thing. Worry and anxiety tends to intrude in my life daily and steals energy away from doing what needs doing or enjoying where I am/what I'm doing/who I'm with. I worry about money, security, the kids, our marriage....It can be endless. I want to practice mindfulness better and let myself just be where I am, doing what I am, and with who I am period and not be constantly looking into the future (or past).

i fear peer approval and pressure. i am trying to let it go and / or overcome it by surrounding myself with people i trust and to be more forthcoming with everyone i talk to.

Fear of talking to a woman I am attracted to.

Same as last year but I'm not sure I'm limited. It's more about changing perspective than conquering fear.

Fear of not being who I was meant to be, the identity I have and walk in being a product of my parents and not a product of what/who I was supposed to be and the ideas and dreams I was born with.

I fear being seen as a fool or laughed at for my shortcomings. I’ve tried so hard to make myself competent at things and to appear as if I had a normal life. The fear keeps me from going against the grain and from giving myself the slack to be a normal human being. I will work on it by trying to lighten my internal critic and by seeing myself with more charity.

Still afraid of being broke, of not having enough to live on when I'm older, of having to work (full-time) "forever". I always worry about losing my job (when I have one). This isn't an entirely irrational fear, given how things go these days. Keeping in my that I'm tough, resilient and strong, and have successfully weathered bad times before is how I plan to overcome this fear and (hopefully) let it go once and for all.

I am afraid of not having enough money to get through any serious illnesses or problems and having to become dependent on my children. It comes along with not having a spouse anymore and not being able to work and bring in a steady income. Money, or lack of it, determined where I moved and how I plan for my future, but I don't let it intend to crippled my life and I will find was to have a satisfying and productive year ahead.

I'm not afraid of nothin'!

I think there are two but they are definitely related: FOMO and imposter syndrome. Oddly, the FOMO leads me to accept positions and opportunities that then my imposter syndrome tells me I can't handle/didn't deserve/am going to royally fuck up. In this new year, I am going to be more thoughtful and less knee-jerk when making a commitment and tell my inner voice to STFU.

Fear. My fears change by the hour, my mood, my temperament, the weather. Let it go. I am getting too tired to be afraid anymore. Its too exhausting to keep up with fear.

I have a fear of flying. I've used it as an excuse to not save up enough money for far away vacations. I'd like to save the money to take a family vacation that requires flight so my almost 7 year olds can experience being on a plane

Same old fear of travel. This year it has kept from going to Nevada where I had been invited all expenses paid to visit a distillery for a weekend. I was planning on going, but when my wife's father suddenly needed surgery, I decided to make that my excuse. As it turns out, I could have gone since his surgery didn't happen as soon as I expected, but now I am feeling like I won't ever make the trip. Every time I think about these kinds of trips, I find a reason not to go. It has happened several times now with trips to Las Vegas, Boston, Houston, New York City and now Nevada. Each time I found an excuse not to go. As I said in an earlier response, I think I'm going to have to take short 1-2 day trips by myself next year once a month to build up my confidence. I just have to figure out how to pay for these excursions and where I want to go.

The fear of getting older and/or getting sick and not being able to care for Jared and/or leaving Sandi alone. It's the main reason I'm still working (68 years old) is to spike my retirement and great medical insurance. Jared will never get better and we're the best to care for him and he'll never live anywhere else. We'll need the $$ for private care eventually.

Being vulnerable and authentic with people (in person) is my biggest fear. It has limited my relationships with people. I will strive to live my life genuinely and openly without fear of how people perceive me. I will begin by taking each opportunity to be vulnerable as a new moment in which I can create the possibility of being vulnerable and authentic. I will live and be authentically me.

Hmm, fears. I don't really think of the occasional anxiety I feel about the future of my relationship with Michael as a fear but I guess it sort of is? I feel deeply ready to have a serious discussion about our future and goals and a timeline. He, very clearly, isn't there yet. That is both totally understandable and even reasonable! But it makes me feel squishy and a bit anxious to think the possibility of things not coming together the way I want. What if he doesn't want to get married? What if he doesn't want children? What if his timeline is way more stretched out than mine? I think these fears are both totally understandable and not necessarily grounded in reality. I've been practicing patience and using the data in front of me to guide my actions. I see him investing time, energy, and emotion in our relationship. We talk about things (good and bad) as they come up. We've discussed our personal financial goals. I've shared "I love you" and we've talked about that. I know he needs more ramp up time and I'm working to respect what that means, enjoy the place we are in together right now, and also protect and advocate for my heart and desires.

I am afraid of looking stupid. I am afraid of admitting that I don't know something. I often pretend like I know something rather than just admitting I haven't heard of something or don't know how it works. I don't know why I do this exactly. It's not always something consequential. Although actually I think I do it MORE when it is something consequential, which is probably worse. I think I have a fear of people not thinking that I'm competent which I try to assuage by acting like I'm competent in every arena. This is of course impossible and not even necessarily desirable, but there we are. I would like to work on letting this go in the next year, at least in the work setting. I think there are times where I missed out on learning things or having an in depth conversation because I pretended like I already knew something. This is also anxiety producing. As I enter into a new job in the new few days, I will work to be authentic about where my strengths lie and where I still need to learn. Needing to learn something doesn't make me stupid or incompetent.

Being alone. I've stayed in relationships longer than I should have, I've jumped into relationships sooner than I should have. I think that when I do things for myself and only me--Moving to ARKANSAS five years ago, wonderful things happen. I want to try and be more independent in all areas of my life. I want to do things when i want to do them--I want to prioritize myself. I want to be more selfish.

I am scared of not being good enough and not knowing enough. I'm scared of people thinking I'm incompetent or stupid. I'm also scared of making the wrong life choices, both in career and romance. I'm worried that the choices I make will end up leaving me more unhappy. I'm scared that if I try to pursue my dreams I'll end up losing any stability I have currently.

hahahahahha dating hahahahahhaha Going out more and getting out of my comfort zone/letting my guard down!

I am constantly afraid that I'm not "enough" - good enough at my job, a good enough friend, family member, partner, citizen of the world. I want to hold on my drive to improve while letting go of the fear. If I never give myself a chance to be "enough" I'll always hold myself back.

Aside from the return of my cancer (extremely low possibility; nevertheless) or a blood clot complicating my health/life (also extremely low possibility; nevertheless), I have to find more/deeper meaning in my life. I don't always feel the passion others see in me. I plan to worry less and relax my spirit more.

I constantly worry about the future. Perhaps life coaching could help with this. Also, I want to find the right career opportunity.

I fear fear. And self doubt. This year is going to be about doing and about being "good enough". Taking initiative and doing what needs to be done and letting life happen.

Still really the same fear- financial security. Part of it is being in sales where you are only as good as your last sale. I brought in a lot of business in the last year-which is good but have to keep pushing.

I'm afraid of letting people down, but I am working on learning how to say no to people. I have so many different passions so I like being very involved in multiple organizations but I am afraid of not being able to please everyone in all of them. I plan on focusing more on myself and what I am capable of, rather than what others want from me.

I fear that my lifelong journey to positive mental health may limit professional, personal, physical, and spiritual possibilities. I not know if this is a choice or a necessity. I separate my worthiness from my willingness, but I would like to learn more about creating a sustainable path.

A fear of rapid change. I find it to be paralyzing, making it difficult to enjoy the here and now, because I'm too worried about the impending future. I think that each period of sustained change has been better than the previous period. I'm expecting another season of change, which will perhaps be the one where I get over it.

Fear of driving on freeways. I’m not sure, beyond buying a car and driving every day, how to overcome that. It’s something I would like to change, though.

I'm reading Brene Brown's "gift of imperfections" right now - so that's on my mind. I think the fear of not being enough is the root fear that limits me (and probably most of us). At my core, I know that I'm worthy of love, I am enough. I want to rest in that knowledge of enough and let go of the fears of unworthiness. This will be a lifelong journey of letting go, I'm sure.

I fear that even if I wanted to go back to work, I wouldn't get a job. I'm slowly slipping away from employability and my restricted schedule prevents progress. So I guess I better get published

I can see last years answer to the right of this text box - and sorry to say it, the future is still my biggest fear in life. I'm just the kind of person - and I hope this doesn't make me selfish - that desires many things. I crave all aspects of life. There is nothing more tortuous than monotony, nothing more terrible than the status quo. I want to challenge everything! I want to try new things every day, and I want to learn, but the future scares me because there are so many ways I could mess that up. I could take an office job I hate as a temporary solution and end up stuck there for my life. I'm frightened of the choices I have to make in the next two years of my life - where to go to college, what for, how am I going to pay for it. It's terrifying. Hopefully it will turn exhilarating by the end of next year.

I don't usually hold onto fears, or rather I should say that I don't usually let me fears stop me, even though I have many. I am very direct and up front with people about all sorts of things, BUT I still hold parts of myself in reserve. -- usually the parts of me that are most insecure and vulnerable. I hope that this has not been what is preventing me from finding more like-minded women with whom to play and work. Will have to see how it unfolds....

I feel like my whole life is built on fear right now--fear of hurting myself, fear of being unsuccessful in life, fear of letting people down, fear of not knowing who I am anymore, fear of not having a job, fear of not having enough money, and so on. One of the things that I just talked about in counseling is finding a balance between doing what I have to do, doing the uncomfortable thing, working, sacrificing my comfort, pushing myself harder and being compassionate, taking my time and taking a break, having fun. I so often tend toward the first part--pushing myself to do all the things all the time and trying to be perfect and push past the pain because I don't want to be weak. Yet, I rarely push myself as far as I think I should and end up getting upset with myself. So, I want to let go of the fear of not doing enough. I want to let go of the fear of giving into my disability. I want to let go of the fear that I'm going to get lazy. I'm going to do that by trying not to assign a value to a certain activity (e.g., doing PT is better than resting.) Both activities have their value--which one is going to serve me better at this moment? Which am I going to get more out of based on current circumstances? I hope this gives me more perspective and helps ease the anxiety that comes from not doing everything all the time to the maximum limit.

Fear of dying and or being forgotten. I'm not sure so can let it go or overcome it. I just need to learn to deal with it and embrace it. I can't let it take over my life, but I can't ignore it. Fear of the unknown. What happens after we die? Once I'm gone, all the things I'll miss. Will we ever meet aliens? How many generations will my family survive? So many questions I'll never get answered.

I am afraid of failure. Not sure what that exactly means, but I think it has something to do with having to quit my business or with raising serial killers. In the coming year, I will just power through this fear.

I'm 38 years old. I've never had a driver's license. I am afraid of driving a car. My professional and social life has been limited by this. I want to conquer this fear.

My biggest current fear is not making enough income in my new business and having to return to corporate life. Sometimes, this becomes a self-fulling prophecy and I don't market and prospect enough or as deliberately as I can. When I get into this self-fulfilling loop, I sometimes feel like I'm not good enough or have the charisma to pull it off. I will overcome this by setting aside more planning time and setting standards for how much time I spend in each type of marketing/prospecting activity. I will be tenacious and reflect on my current and past success and surround myself with people who believe in me.

I fear for my children, for the polluted planet we're handing down to them, for the warmongers and devastating weapons of mass destruction, for the misogynists, for the bigots, for the xenophobes, for the overpopulation, for all the shit that humankind has made nearly no progress in overcoming, for a society rife with hate, teeming with greed and selfishness, violent, and addicted to ever heightened entertainment. How does it limit me? I suppose it calls me to action, which is not limiting. But, as I approach that age where I would like to rest easily beneath my fig tree, I see that dream evaporating. What will I do about it? I don't yet know. I suspect that Mother Nature will be judge, jury and executioner--whether by toxic exposure or nuclear holocaust. I am in a very dark place in time.

Just now I have the fear that I'll be depressed and not coming into a positive state of mind. But then I just want to love my grumpyness, because seeing all the good is easy, but admitting to the bad things is hard. I have a fear of being looked at like a sexual object, but I'm afraid patriarchy won't do me the favour to kill itself. So I'll just let my fears be there when I need them, and when I no longer need them to protect me they'll say goodbye anyway.

The consequences of my fear of being seen, being "too" big and showing up is that I created a low financial glass ceiling for myself! My low income, in my own business, reflects how I have held myself back, my gifts and talents. The deeper fear is that I am not fulfilling my life purpose. I know that I am but I feel I can offer more to more people. The deepest fear is being reviled or even destroyed somehow if I'm seen. I believe this is a tribal wound.

Surprisingly, I got over my fear of "never being good enough." I know that I'm good at whatever I set my mind to. However, I still have the fear of changing myself. This fear has limited me from succeeding and going beyond my goals and reaching my fullest potential. I guess I'm afraid of what will happen if I change or what change will look like once I actually succeed. I plan on letting go and overcoming this fear by embracing change and just going with the flow. I will be committed with what I really want to do with myself and my life.

I am scared of letting my mask slip, of people thinking I can't keep up or can't do something. I've invested so much time and energy in presenting a certain life and lifestyle. I am independent. I am strong. I am full. Those things are true. But I never let it slip for a moment. I think it limits me because it means there is no room to let people in or show any venerability. I wonder what people really think when they look at me. Over the coming year I want to make space, let myself relax and let people help me.

Damn, what doesn't bring fear and limit me? Just noting that I responded similarly to this question last year. I strive for the "fail faster" mentality, yet am frozen by such simple choices as where to eat breakfast. My fears of failure, of hurting others in my life, of wasting others' resources spent on me and wasting my space on this earth... these fears Blow. How do I move forward? FAIL FASTER, write it on my wall, and then do it. Or is it, by slowing down, being more thoughtful, that I can let my fears go?

I really try hard to let go of all my fears. I know most are unfounded & are only created by my need for control. My hope is through the coming year I'll get even better at letting them go.

I have a ton of social anxiety. I am super scared of saying the wrong thing all the time, and I find myself overanalyzing every social interaction since I moved. I need to stop this. I need to find someone I can feel safely vulnerable around, so I can release some of the internal pressure around needing to be liked. Because I don't have anyone here who I know for sure likes me. But I will. I have to. Right? I'm also super claustrophobic. Need to seek some professional help for that.

I'm not afraid.

My greatest fear that I will get ill and not be able to care for my husband and myself. I have scheduled a visit to the cardiologist and endocrinologist to be sure I am in good health. And, I will definitely lose the weight I have gained.

I am afraid of people I love dying. I have lost almost everyone significant in my life within these last 3 years. It has limited my happiness. I'm often more comfortable at home not socializing. I don't want to be close to anyone. I am so devastated and raw. How do I plan on overcoming it or letting go? I'm not sure. I really wish I knew. I have started forcing myself to go out. I even started working again. It's with children which I love. So I guess even though I don't have a plan...I am moving passesd this. Or at least trying to.

I turned sixty this year and I still have the same fears -- losing any of the people I love, most especially my children, and my own death. It used to inhibit me so much more than it does now, especially about travel. I was always terrified, mostly on airplanes, and now, though airplane travel has become so much less (potentially enjoyable) I almost never even take a xanax and return to my pre-flying-fear childhood/late teens when I welcome time on a plane as an opportunity to read pretty much uninterrupted. What other fears limit me? Failure, success, losing weight, not losing weight, hurting myself (which gets so much easier with age)... The list could go on. The main thing is that I will continue to travel. And regarding a fear that I did not bring up yet, most of my concerns about travel now revolve around A and his physical limitations. He might not have survived this year if he hadn't gone to the hospital when he did, and I was (as I usually am in a certain kind of crisis) calm and organized about dealing with it. Having it as a constant background when we travel alone together, as we are doing now in Hawaii, is a different matter. How will I cope in a foreign setting if something goes wrong? I've already tried to think through the possibilities and prepare myself. I do that. A legacy of my childhood and care-taking nature. I wouldn't call it precisely a fear but it's a background to much of my planning and thoughts about the future. Which brings up something even bigger which is my very serious and daily-considered fear of being tied to this person who is not well. I have swung back and forth from being given a life with so many more possibilities than I had in my previous relationship to a life with so few options, and I think about that daily. Do I get out before/when/if it gets bad? How do I live with myself if I leave? I ask myself this question daily, often many times a day. My children, family, friends all see it as a bad relationship for me, especially because I've gained so much weight since I've been in it, and in so many ways they are right. I suspect they think I am being cynical about it and am using aspects of the relationship for my own purposes (travel? an excuse to binge on all kinds of things that are bad for me?) and I suspect that daily myself. Yet I stay. Inertia? Ethics? Golden Rule? Guilt? Love? Care-taking? Honestly, it's hard for me to tease it all out and I could probably use some counseling about it from a therapist who doesn't see being in a relationship as be-all-end-all evidence of mental health. This year was pretty awful, what with the medical crisis, hospital stay etc. This trip to Hawaii that we're on offers daily proof that we have moved into a state of disability. Before he made excuses for not doing things. Now he admits he is limited, which I suppose is at least more honest. In any case, we are now about a third down the slippery slope. I don't believe he'll be able to climb back up too much (and the doctors have pretty much said so), but the question for his life, and mine (which is what I'm trying to consider here) is how far and fast he will fall with the next crisis. I seem to be blocking that fear admirably, in that I don't panic about it or let it stop me from doing much. And still.

I have been dealing with my fear of success, which I think stems from my fear of responsibility. Having grown up feeling responsible for my family, for various reasons, I looked at adulthood as an escape where I only had to be responsible for myself. So I have run from any opportunity that presented a chance to have any kind of long-term responsibility. This has kept me from pursuing passions I have because it has kept me poor. I'm ready to accept the responsibility that money brings. I had a fun time in my 20's, now I'm ready to have a little more stability.

I'm always really afraid of letting people down. Sometimes this fear leads me to try things I wouldn't otherwise, so that I can do my best to make people happy. Other times, it means I don't say no to things when I really should. I've been getting a bit better about being honest and vocal about my needs so that it's easier to say no and not feel like I'm letting people down if our wants and needs don't align, but it takes time.

I still fear death. And I have awful anxiety/fear that a loved one -- my husband, my children, my parents or sisters -- will be hurt in an accident or fall ill. I know I'm getting to the age where my parents' and even my own generation will be facing illness. It's going to hit close to home for me sooner or later. It frightens me. I have not come to terms with the circle of life -- that is, the death part of the arc. I struggle with it. I don't know how to overcome it.

I think my fear of being alone: of going through Life alone (with a capital A), of not being partnered up,of not having intimate companionship, of not being shown love and affection from a partner, has limited me by making me feel jealous of EVERYONE who has that one thing that I want and I get into a very tunnel-vision mindset where I don't see all the joys and privileges *I do* have to appreciate. This year, I joined a meetup group that runs on Tuesdays. I'm so used to doing all my tri-training by myself and it can be pretty isolating at times. Running with a group has helped me as an athlete and socially. I chat while I run, which is a good indicator of my fitness level; I meet new people and get to hear their "origin stories" and what brought them to participate in the activities I like; I feel more motivated to run on bad-weather days when I know others will be there with me. It's meditational and social at the same time. I'm gaining perspective on Life and being reminded that everyone has their shit; they just deal with it in their own individual ways and we can't gauge what someone's traumas are/were based on their outward demeanours all the time. You never know what others have struggled with or are currently struggling with just by virtue of their outward-facing persona. It's been a blessing to meet new people and force myself to be more social. This year, as my sister and her family go on their adventure to Italy, I need to expand my real social networks and make connections so I have outlets for my loneliness and more people to call on if I want to feel connected. Plus, it'll help lessen the burden on others (like guys I date) to fulfill my wants/needs and give me options for when I need a Plan B. :-)

My health. I'm trying to not let it hinder my daily life but it is hard.

I have a problem with control. That was what the eating disorder was about. That's what the emetophobia is about. That's what my anxiety is about. So I've gotta continue on my journey towards not needing to overly control anything. The more I try to control, the more I fear losing control, and the more I'm ironically NOT in control. So I am going to keep doing small things every day to challenge myself, feel that little bit of fear and do it anyway. I don't want this fear to stop myself and my husband from having a family if we want one, and I'd like to be able to make that decision with a clear head, not out of fear.

I am afraid that it will be difficult to conceive. I know abstractly that it a possibility and it's okay. I still have fear. Letting go of it would enable me to enjoy this year with Matt before having obligations to children and enjoy working for what may be my last year of work for several years. I know it's normal and human to have fears, and I don't expect them to go away. I just hope I can make the most of the time I have rather than wasting much time with worry. I think acknowledging the fear is a good start.

I wouldn't necessarily call it a fear, but it's definitely an anxiety. When trying to have a dialog with someone about a subject on which we disagree, I get very uncomfortable depending on the other person's demeanor. Sometimes it feels like they aren't really listening to what I'm saying, but just waiting for their opportunity to speak, prove me wrong, etc. I tend to exit those conversations quickly. Perhaps this year I can learn to stay, tell the other person how their demeanor is making me feel, and see what happens next.

I'm afraid being stuck in this place - terrible work situation and being very alone in life. I haven't let it limit me, in the sense that I continue to make every effort to find a new job, be active and build relationships, but the fear hangs over me like a cloud. All I can do is to keep trying, and that is what I plan to do in the coming year. Not sure how to let go of the fear, though.

Fear of rejection. I've just got to do stuff and if I get rejected, learn from it and move on. Grow.

How my life would be impacted by marrying someone who isn't Jewish. At this stage I don't know how I'm going to get over it.

I'm trying not to worry that I haven't found the one I want to marry and start a family with. I'm going out and dating and seeing whose still out there.

Fear and little emotional energy for rejection and being excluded. Too much of this, its humiliating. I find myself spending more time alone, it's easier than being turned down, it's caused me to give up on Sil, Julie & Maggie, I miss them all so much but I can't keep knocking on doors that don't get opened. I'm looking into events in and around the area to attend and hope to meet new people.

I am frightened for my grandchildren. I worry about drugs, sexual assault, kidnapping. There is so much of this in the news these days it's hard to overlook it. I let go of it by having faith in God and trusting that most people in the world we live in are good caring people. I have to "let go and let God" as they say. And I pray for their safety.

Agoraphobia, it prevents me from being fully present most of the time. I'm taking baby steps to get used to opening up to new people.

My one and biggest fear is never finding that person with whom I will want to have a baby. Especially because I know I am ready to have a baby - and I wouldn't mind having one soon. It looks like just the father is missing. So I am terrified that the years will continue to go by, and he will be nowhere to be seen. And I will have to end up becoming a single mother - my limit is 35. This fear is not really limiting me, but it does bring me down. I know it's irrational and I am only 28 and it's totally normal to be single at this age - at any age for that matter, I just really don't want to be single anymore. I have no idea how to overcome it. I guess after New York, once I end things with Dan, I will re-read that "27 reasons" book.

I'm afraid of letting people down. I like to be known as a dependable person, and when I let people down, I feel awful. I plan on overcoming it by really focusing on the promises I make to people, on not over-promising myself, and on making time for myself so I can accomplish more for others in the long run.

A very new fear was spawned last week... I've always felt like I was a good parent. I spend a lot of time with my son. I work very hard to be present when I'm with him (not on my phone, or computer). And we have fun together. He's a sweet and sensitive boy who loves to play, but also is generally a great communicator. He's very loving, and he knows he is loved. We have a great family support system in place... for my half of the family. His father travels for work, and has been gone more and more. Now his dad is selling his house. I moved out of that house 3 years ago... when my son was 4. So I doubt he actually remembers us being one happy family in the house, but I think he at least KNOWS there was a time when that was the case. Now he feels like everything's changing, and I don't know how to help him. Then about a week ago, for the first time ever, his teacher reached out to me to say he was struggling. He's always loved school, been a great student, incredibly participatory, very helpful and positive in the classroom... and he was refusing instructions, and worse, harming himself. Not seriously... but much as a toddler might... Starting with sort of hitting himself on the head in frustration. And I don't know what to do. I know there are people who know what to do, so I'm trying to get that sorted... reaching out to his teachers and pediatrician for therapist recommendations. Reading books and talking to other parents. Talking to his dad (who is halfway through basically 6 weeks of travel). Talking to my parents. But, while a rational part of my brain knows I'm trying to help him, and care for him, and want the best for him, and while I know that some behaviors during a difficult time at 7 years of age may pass.. I can't help but feel like I've failed him somehow. And that is terrifying. I don't know how I'm going to overcome it. But I am a rational person who believes in science and in action. So I will continue to research, and take whatever steps I can to help him.. and hopefully that will at least make me feel like I'm doing something. I don't know.

I don't really have any fears to speak of any more. But I do sometimes lack confidence in my abilities, and yet spirit always shows me that I can do more than I think, that I am perfect just like I am. I may not be the most beautiful, but I am relatively untroubled, and for that I am extremely grateful.

I have a fear of not being prepared if I should lose my husband. Although he is younger than I (I always said we were going "to go" together), he has a stressful job and doesn't always get consistent, good sleep. I'm worrying more, especially with all the latest medical studies. We've stopped/started so many times with handling this, again because of his schedule which is totally opposite from mine. I believe this is something we need to do together, but I guess I could do the research and planning and hope we have time to review together. However, this brings up resentment that I have to do something that should be done as a couple. I just want to feel taken care of, particularly in areas that concern me.

My biggest fear is often that I will not be liked by others. It is a very strong fear that has caused me to not step out of my comfort zone, not ask for help and generally bend over backwards for people at the expense of myself. This is an unrealistic view to have on life because it will never happen. I just have to keep up the self talk that if I am keeping on track with my values that I have to do what I have to do.

I fear a few things, house stability, financial stability and now I fear how my aging parents will be next year, I'm not sure how well will I overcome this issues I think I tend to live day by day and try to think I will be able to deal with the situation as it arises

I have/had a cockroach phobia. This past year I finally met with a hypnotherapist and have had two sessions. He recommended that I see him for one more session before my next trip to Florida. That trip will be this Thanksgiving and I do plan on having that extra session. I really do think it's possible that I could not be scared of roaches anymore based on the earlier sessions. I've excited about being reprogrammed and getting rid of this irrational fear!

I fear that divorcing my wife, no matter how bad our marriage is, will hurt our children.

My biggest fear is that my knee will go out. I WILL be losing weight this year, though, and I know that will help.

I am afraid that my husband will be hospitalized. I know he will be in good hands, but I worry about what happens to us. I haven't taken a job I really want because I won't have childcare if gets sick. I am slowly trying to take the hours I want, and hoping for the best.

I have a fear of the way my life is starting a new stage in which everything is in danger of contracting -- empty nesting, the threat of my career winding down, the waning of my energies...ughh Only way to overcome is with gratitude + energy. Keep putting it out there and committing to things even though I wonder where the energy will come from...

I have a fear of abandonment and rejection, I've found. I'm terrified that my wife will wake up one day and go, "Get out." How I plan on overcoming it...? I don't know.

I fear that I will totally lose my hearing. My Hearing aid and CI help me so much that I hope that there will always be devices to help me. Seeing other people with hearing worse than mine thriving despite their hearing loss is uplifting and provides positive reenforcement.

My greatest fear is to be isolated and alone. To be imprisoned and limited. How has this fear limited me? I can be too sensitive to feeling excluded from others when in reality other people are just too busy with their own life. Also- I get angry at my brother and sister in law because they are so distant. I think my brother cares about me but doesn't show it. I worry that once mom dies I will never hear from him or see him ever again. We live in different parts of the country and I won't fly down once mom dies. He has never visited us. So chances are I will lose my mom and brother all at the same time. Just the thought of this is sad and depressing. I also hope my children won't forget me. They are so busy with their own lives. My plan is to keep busy with work and temple. To work on maintaining friendships. And I'm hoping to work at being in my grand daughters life. She is only 6 months old but I hope she gets to know me this next year.

Loss of control, affects my relationships and my performance and view of myself. Swimming lessons are helping, asking for help is helping, accepting that I can't be the best at everything is helping. I am learning.

I'm afraid of failure - which necessarily means that I'm afraid of trying, especially when it comes to creative expression. I'm afraid of disappointing my parents with my life plans - of letting my dad know how confused I am. I'm afraid of committing to something - anything - a person, place or career path - because if I give my all, and then it fails, where does that leave me? And I'm afraid of my depression - of this thing that lurks inside me, ready to destroy my life. My plan for the coming year is to be bolder. To pursue my writing - even when that means facing up to my own limitations, accepting criticism from others (which I need to seek to become a better writer) and perhaps most of all staring down my depression, anxiety, exhaustion and all the other stuff clogging up my brain and deciding to work through it, rather than trying to ignore it and seeking refuge in someone else's story. I'm going to dare to try.

I'm concerned about being discriminated against for being an immigrant. Ain't nothing I can do about it but protest, and that may make things even worse, but then again, I'm already a target, so?

I fear running out of money, but I'm getting over it. I feel that soon I'll be able to let go of my money insecurity and be much more free. Living with Merle has shown me that you don't have to live in fear.

I have fears regarding my children. Will they thrive? Will they embrace joy? When they go low I sink and find it hard to go forward with other aspects of my life that are going just fine. I plan on sharing this issue with my wife and trying to find joy together and not be brought down as far. This is a tough one.

Last year's fear of how I'll do in my new bookstore job were pretty thoroughly put to rest today. I got my performance appraisal, and it was glowing, to say the least. I continue to worry about my children; I don't think there'll be any "letting go" or "overcoming it" in the foreseeable future. (Or ever.) I'm anticipating our retirement (in two years) with eagerness but some uneasiness. What will this next chapter be? And where? It's not a preoccupation, nor is it particularly stressful (yet), but it is disquieting.

Fear of what can happen to me if I continuing not having money to pay my daily life. I am studding more and more to see if I get a gut job, even if I know that with 58 years is not easy to find it, especially in Brazil.

I have an overwhelming fear of rejection, which is why I have been avoiding dating since my breakup and haven't even thought about showing my scripts to someone else. It gets to the point where I fear I will be rejected when there are no signs of it, and it seems to take over my life in my work, my love life and sometimes even in my friendships. How I'll get over it? Good question...

I'm afraid of being hurt. It has happened to me so many times that I probably shouldn't care any more, but I feel more fragile as I get older instead of more resilient in certain ways. Heights. Circular motion. Personal betrayal. I say I just won't take it, by the truth is that I fear it. In the coming year, maybe I will open myself up to more hurt. It may bring me closer to the man I used to love.

That I am a fraud and nowhere near as talented as I think I am. It stops me putting pen to paper: no output, no failure. Overcoming? By following the good advice that you just have to work at it, that your first efforts will be shit, embarrassing and insipid. But eventually your talent will catch up with your taste and you will only find your voice by speaking it (that is to say, writing a lot and writing every day).

I'm in the final stages of getting rid of being afraid of dying. It's a big one and has influenced almost everything I do. It took time beyond good test results and doctors' reassurances. It took time coming back from "making my peace". I will die someday. I know this. But it doesn't have to follow me around so much. It doesn't have to be so heavy. Five and a half years post leukemia. That's long enough to carry such a load.

The fear is about the control that my husband has had and continues to have over my life, and the lives of our children. The way he distorts reality and seems to enjoy engendering fear in me and in others. Also how he uses any tool he can as a weapon. He'll create lies and justify them down to minute detail. How even now at times I try to see the things I loved about him, because I want to be a forgiving and loving person. And how he would love to continue to take advantage of this in me. It frightens me when I see these traits of his in our children. This is perhaps scariest of all. Overcoming it by finishing this law suit, the divorce. And demonstrating and explaining my reasons to our children. So that they may wisely choose how to behave in their own lives.

As I transitioned from Corporate Life to an entrepreneurial lifestyle, I had fear around making enough money. It limited me by making me too conservative with my offerings. I've overcome this by doing deep work around my faith and beliefs around where things and money come from.

That I'm not enough. Not good enough, not pretty enough, not doing enough etc.. It makes me second guess myself, and makes me anxious about social situations, my house isn't clean, I can't pull off a cute outfit. I'm going to stand out. It's bull. I can do, go, be myself. And if someone doesn't like it. Tough cookies.

I have a fear of being me. And I have no idea how to overcome that. Practice, I guess, in small ways being more honest, being more free.

I have done well withdrawing my funds and enjoying life so I need to continue doing so with few tax consequences. FEAR that I will lose touch with my older brother since he is moving over 2000 miles away. Not sure how to handle this since I feel abandoned by this whole ordeal.

My 2 biggest fears are the well being of my kids, that unfortunately is not within my control to overcome or totally let go ( my wife has a say in that too). For me personally its my employment, juggling what amounts to 4 jobs a week is without question a daily challenge. I am actively taking steps to streamline where possible the demands upon my time, letting go of harmful & stressful surroundings that lead to my increased uneasiness with my lifes journey. Overcoming for me is found in the delight of embracing new pathways & enjoying the passion for sports that supplement my income. Many hurdles have come before only to be overcame, financial health is another that will be conquered for sure,

I'm afraid of the prospect of having children. To be honest, I don't really want them. At the moment. I'm open-minded about this. I realize my feelings may change. Other people my age are getting married and having children. I don't feel the pressure. But I do wonder if that will ever be me; if I ever want it to be me. I'm too selfish for children at the moment. It's hard enough to make the compromises living with one other person, let alone two or more. The problem with children is that, once you have them, there's no going back to the way things were before. I'm not sure if this has limited me. We all get there in our own sweet time; or decide to wander down a different path. I guess it makes me more reluctant to ask Fran to marry me because there might be a pressure lurking there somewhere to start thinking about children. I guess we really need to talk about this to find out how we both feel about it. When we were on holiday in Kefalonia this year, we went through the 36 questions we used at the beginning of our relationship to get to know each other a little bit. I had read something that claimed these questions could help any two people fall in love. It kinda worked! Anyway, these questions would be a way to have some serious conversations about our life together. There was one question, towards the end, that we weren't able or willing to answer: "If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven’t you told them yet?" What I was thinking about, but never actually said because it didn't feel like the right time, was that I was thinking about asking Fran to marry me. Not then and there; but sometime in the future. I'd want her to know that I was at least thinking about it if I was going to die. She also had something she was going to say, but she decided against saying it. I wonder if it was about marriage or kids. Or something else entirely. I haven't really pressed her on this since. I could tell she was uncomfortable and conflicted about it and less willing to talk unless I opened up about what I was thinking, too. How do I plan on overcoming this fear, this reticence? I guess we'll talk about it again when the time feels right. But the time will probably never feel right. It's probably just one of those things you have to force yourself to do; and then when you do it, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about. I fear it could be the beginning of the end of our relationship if Fran wants kids and I don't. It came up very early on when the stakes were low. I know Fran wants children; but she is also exasperated, like I am, with other people's kids. I'm happy with cats for now. I wonder if she's more ready than I am.

Fear of pain and being not able to move

I think that I have a fear of letting people get close to me and of me falling in love and being expected to have sex. Or, maybe the fear is all to do with having sex. That might be why I've allowed myself to get fat so that no one will want to be with me or have sex with me. It's something that I need to explore and to see if there is a route for me to overcome it.

I’m afraid of embarrassment. For example, during high school wrestling, it was my very first year doing it (or any sport for that matter) so I didn’t know any moves. During practice, I hesitated doing the moves because I was afraid I would do it wrong.

I get overwhelmed by large tasks. I hope to conquer this anxiety that I get and realize that I am able to accomplish what needs to be done. I have to realize that I have accomplished such feats in the past, and that i am still capable to do them now when needed.

Recently I have seen that I have a strong fear of failure, and this is how it manifests: Fear of being a destitute fragile old person. It's easier to stay in my stable job than to take the risk of leaving. Fear of being inadequate; as a friend, facilitator, parent, partner and activist. It's better not to try. Fear of my work not having the impact I want it to. It's easier to blame. I plan to get over it by outing myself. Declaring it. Putting it on the table so it is visible to all. Normalizing it because it's probably pretty common. Life will be better if I stop protecting myself and share my vulnerabilities.

I'm still afraid of being alone, but mores afraid of being totally independent. I've always had someone to catch me if I fall. I don' have that anymore. It's paralyzing me from buying a house. Every time I think I'm ready, I come back with, "but what if I lose my job? I'm a woman over 40 with Resting Bitch Face wrinkles on my forehead. My hirable days are behind me."

I am afraid of growing older. I have no idea how to get past this short of dying! I'm hoping to gain insight in the coming year.

Fear of myself and selfishness and letting people down. I need to not worry about those who don't matter and worry about those who do. Deeply

I'm afraid to confront racism because I feel like as a white person I don't know enough and can't compare my experience and don't want to make assumptions about people of color or speak for them. But I appreciate the quote "white guilt leads to silence". I have to push myself and be okay in the discomfort and with knowing I'll make mistakes. Being actively anti-racist is too important to let fear or ineptitude hold me back.

Fear of my children driving.

A fear I have is what other people think at work. It has limited me by coming across as more awkward than I am, and not speaking my mind, and also. turning into a cog in the wheel. I plan on letting go of it by speaking up and realizing this shit doesn't matter because I am me and that is it. I also have a fear of things getting worse with my mom. I will wait and see what happens.

I have a fear that I am not good enough or that I am not worthy. It has limited the universe from sending me opportunities that are better suited to my true talents. I don't know what it is that I have to do to overcome it. I don't know that any plan that I would make would be valid or actually work.

fear of opening myself up to the pain of rejection or not being rejected. take a chance/explore/listen to the 'whispers' the universe offers me

I'm very much afraid of failure, so much that I spend too much of my time doing things I don't enjoy in order to succeed. I hope to let go of that fear to start enjoying life more!

Feeling not good enough. Pushing myself forward to show that we cannot let our fears stop us from getting to our fullest potential.

As I have written in previous years, I am not a high risk person but I am not concerned about the ways in which that limits me, because I do not feel that I am missing out on anything that would be of high value to me. If I look at the question a different way, I would answer that what I fear is the possibility of loss, of the people I love, of my physical capabilities, of my comfortable lifestyle, etc. There is not too much I can do to prevent the future losses that life may bring. I just try not to think about them, or dwell on them, very much, and hope that I will find the strength to deal with them when they do come.

I have always had a fear that I will be judged because of my low voice. I plan to talk and sing out despite this fear in the coming year.

I had a lot of fears about not being loved, or valued, or important enough. I feared that not being a primary partner meant that I would never feel loved enough. That has changed. After a year in my relationship, I am beginning to trust that love. I want to continue to build on that trust.

Same old fear as always: fear of being unwanted, unloved, shamed. It has made me misinterpret relationships and go through bouts of depression and anxiety. I don’t know quite how to overcome it. Part of it will be trusting more and more in my relationship with Peter, getting farther away from the last bad years with Tom. Part of it will have to be work I do inside my own head and in my prayer life.

Sometimes, I fear that I am following the mental health state of the Merwin side of the family. This involves a moderate level of dementia. I understand that tobacco use is one of the life style items that has been shown to be a common factor in those with dementia. So, I am getting psyched up to quit. At this point, I have picked a date.

I have a fear that I am never going to be good enough. Right now I literally can't write my paper. I got a C on my chemistry exam and I am rocked with fear that I am never going to be able to surpass that initial bad grade. I am a kid from a poor community, I am destined to fail. If I fail won't it be easier since that's my path. I am rocked by these feelings like no one really expects much so who cares. I am going to prove them wrong. I am going to finish this fucking paper. I'm going to talk to a professional and actually get some help.

Fear of swimming. Plan on getting lessons and finally conquering it.

I am afraid that I don't have anything to offer to my students. I am afraid that I can't make a difference in the face of staggering inequality and injustice. I am afraid that my relationships with my kids are going to erode, and that I am going to lose them somehow. I am afraid that my body is breaking down and that there is nothing I will be able to do to prevent chronic pain from taking root. I don't know if I am capable of overcoming any of these fears. Instead, I need to use them to motivate action. If I'm afraid I don't have anything to offer my students, then I need to work hard to make sure that I do give them something that they can take with them into the world. If I am afraid that I can't make a difference, then I need to find the small spaces where my skills and talents will effect change. If I am afraid that my relationships with my kids are precarious, then I need to invest time and energy into maintaining them, but also allow them latitude to grow and change. That will take trust. As far as my body is concerned, I know that when pain is uncoupled from fear, it becomes bearable. Perhaps a better way to look at it is to recognize that chronic pain is inevitable for all of us, and that my task is to care for my body as best I can so that I can minimize the pain.

I'm afraid of living someone else's idea of what my life should be like. I want to live, not just survive and exist. I want to do the unexpected and not live by expectations. I don't want to get to the end of my life having wished I had made the big jumps that others only dreamed of.

Easy answer, heights. But it has never stopped me. I even have a legitimate reason for my fear. I feel 12 feet out of a tree house when I was very young. I landed near large rocks we were dropping down. I had a bad concussion, but otherwise ok. When I'm high up, I get weird sensations and my thoughts go straight to death. Still, I regularly ride roller coasters, go up high towers, climb trees, and even jumped out of an airplane. Hard answer, death. Not sure how it limits me, other than keeping me up at night and causing the occasional anxiety attack. And why overcome it? It's inevitable.

I am afraid of being exposed, of being hurt again, of not being enough and not being loveable enough. this fear has shaped my choices and my life to this point. I am moving past it- putting myself out there... i have nothing to lose...

Fear of food...how silly is that? Mind over matter, mind over matter, and I shall overcome.

Fear- I am struggling at times with the fear that I am Not enough. That I cannot make enough money, I cannot care for my son enough, that I cannot keep my home organized enough, that I cannot get enough respect for my work, that I don't do enough- This fear that I am lacking and not enough drains me. My plan or this next year is to continue my path of recognizing my power, my strength, my bravery, my skills and to build on it through community and connection to persons like me.

I know this entire 10q is about my job this year, but I'm afraid that I won't find the right job for me. I'm afraid I won't be able to find something that I truly love to do with the education that I have. Then before I know it, I'll have wasted 30 years in a mediocre job that I really didn't like. I hope in the coming year, I will figure out or at least be closer to figuring out what I'm supposed to do.

Fear.. I'm focusing on Gods promises to and for me. I will not speak evil bad or fearful over myself. Go for those dreams and live in the moment.

With cancer ever. In the news, I fear it strongly! I have a mammogram yearly, so far so good. Until I get that notification that it's all good, I'm a nervous wreck! Of course I worry about my family's health, but not a freak fear! I worry about one of my daughter's because she has road rage. My grandson drives and guess what? After driving/ riding with her fro all his years he has it too! Yes, HUGE FEAR! Will e interesting to see this answer next year and update howit went.

I fear that I'll end up poor and all alone when I grow old. This fear has made me fearful of losing my job and also fearful that I'll never find someone I love to spend the rest of my life with. On the fear of losing my job, I am in a good place now and as long as I apply myself and put on my best attitude and show my stuffs, my potential in this company is unlimited and this can be the safe haven for the rest of my career. On the fear of finding my true love, I believe there are many good catches out there who will be very interested in me if they know I'm out there too. I just need to be more visible and sociable and my true love will fall on my lap any time soon.

The fear I have is that I won't be hired into a professional tenure track position, or there will be some conflict associated with wherever I end up getting a job. After going through a season filled with 40 rejections and 1 interview/hire, I think my skin will be a little bit thicker this time around, but I have a lot of anxiety about future employment uncertainty. The best thing I can do is just keep applying and being okay with the rejections.

I fear that even as I continue to exist physically more and more in this world, I will find myself more and more to be empty, alone, and devoid of purpose and light altogether. I fear that when I no longer have the easy escape as an empty shell of an eating disorder, or the calming out of an early death, I will be alive and still devoid of anything that makes me want to continue cultivating a large and complex existence. I fear that as I become whole and real physically, which I have not remained as in a long, long time, I will never find my "people", my "place", my "purpose", or my "light". I fear that without finding these, this life will not be worth fighting for. I have decided that I am ready to fight, for love and life and my very breath, knowing that a life takes a long time to create and patience and perseverance is key, but my god, how I'm scared I will be waiting and waiting until I realize that my life was never really worth fighting for. All that being said, I am ready to give this life my all, be patient and kind with my hopelessness as it waxes and wanes, and trust those who have walked this path before me. I will take every action in my power, so that at the end of each day no matter the outcomes, I can wholeheartedly say in truth that I did my best.

Fear: Being alone aka not finding the "perfect" wife. This fear has limited me so much in so many regards and I am just now realizing. I have spent so much time worrying about women and how I feel about them. I have spent so much time figure out who to love that I have sheltered my love through friendship from so many people. I still have no clue how I can let people know I am not interested in them without seeming cocky or hurting them. I really need to let this go and realize that I will be just fine with or without a spouse. Do I still want to be pursuing someone? Heck ya! I would love nothing more than to be reading this next year with the love of my life. However, if I am not, know that it's ok! Love yourself, love Jesus, and you have everything you need.

My greatest fear has always been poverty. I think it's called Bag Lady Syndrome. The idea of working my entire life and winding up with little or nothing is terrifying. And I can't imagine being dependent on my daughters! I haven't always made the best financial decisions. I've sacrificed my retirement savings to pay for my children's education. I withdrew money from my 401k in an unsuccessful attempt to save a house I loved. And I used the gains from equity stock grants to pay off my debts, my husband's business debts and keep our family afloat financially, while continuing to go back into debt. I had to admit to myself that I needed to improve my financial knowledge. I also had to admit that I when I was unhappy or frustrated I shopped to make myself feel better. And while I looked good on the outside, I was unhappy and hurting on the inside. Getting honest with myself was hard, but I did it. And I continue to work on myself everyday. Prayer and meditation help. And so does having honest, crucial conversations with my husband. Because my second greatest fear was of him leaving and me being alone. Once I realized that I could take care of myself financially and not just survive, but begin to thrive, that fear was gone. While I may not have everything I want, I have what I need and I express my gratitude for that every single day. It's liberating.

This is a difficult question to answer this year. Having come through open heart surgery and having endured a year of Trump as president, is there anything I fear? I hope in the coming year, I will continue "letting go" and trusting that, as Julian of Norwich wrote, "All will be well, and all will be well." At the same time, this does not absolve me from taking action on behalf of the poor and vulnerable, including our Earth.

I think I have to write the same answer I wrote last year - I am afraid that people won't see me as legitimate, which is very limiting for me. The issue is that I often have trouble seeing myself as legitimate. I worry that this causes me to do things in order to prove my legitimacy, even if I don't want to be doing those things or even if they're not wise things to do. I have done some really good work on this in the past year, and I want to continue working on it in therapy and in relationships. Ultimately, feeling legitimate due to outside validation only goes so far, and I need to know that I am legitimate even when others may challenge that.

I did something brave this year - something brave for me, though probably not for anyone else. I jumped into the pool from the edge (feet first, natch). That probably doesn't sound like much, but it is the first time I've ever tried that. It was hard. The things people fear aren't always the things that are the most dangerous things in their sphere, are they? Perhaps tellingly: I haven't done it TWICE. I proved to myself that I could do it. I don't feel like I have to keep doing it. I did it. I've done it. One nice thing about getting old: you stop caring too much about what other people think.

Well, now that I have finally (almost completely) overcome my fear of my mother, I suppose I need to tackle another fear. But maybe I don't. Maybe that's enough for right now. After all, that was the truly crippling fear. Maybe I'll be able to overcome my fear of swimming in deep water? Who knows, but it sure sounds like something to try. I don't know, I may give this one more thought and revise on vault day.

I have always had a fear for being found out that I wasn't who or what people thought of me or of who I wanted to and pretended to be. I was always running from my past! I am now trying hard to have my past be a part of my present and to allow it to make me more whole by freeing up all the energy it has taken to hide and run from it!! <3

Keeping healthy. Exercising and regular checkups.

Terrified of not having enough income to cover expenses. Don't know that I've really been planning to address the fear, itself, directly. Hmm...

A fear that I have is not doing well at something. I usually make sure not to try anything that I think I'd be bad at doing. I don't really have a plan on overcoming it, currently.

The fear that no one wants to have the same kind of fun that I do and that the fun I desire doesn't exist. This is a relatively new fear, so I need to find my fun and people to do it with me!!

My ultimate fear is regretting things i am letting go. I have yet to decide as i would say it but deep down it feel likes i have decided already but just scared to let go of things. I plan to stay strong and positive and handle things maturely.

My fear is that an unexpected illness or accident will happen to Carl or the kids. I will keep my gratitude journal going. I've not written in it for months. Maybe that will keep me grounded.

I fear a couple things...that Amy will die young which i can do nothing about. I also fear some time an airline seat belt wob't fir me....for this i have total control...lose weight

The fear that I have is that I have chosen a wrong decision about my last relationship... This situation limited me in everything... I don't want to do many plans that I've had planed, sometimes I don't want to do anything with someone else... It's hard to let it go.... The plan for the next year, is try to manage my thoughts, I want to think in the things that I want for myself. Try to do new things that I had postponed for my life. And I'll try to think that it was not the best, but a good decision. And finally think that it is fine doesn't mean it doesn't hurt.

I am afraid of making the wrong choice. I'm afraid that I don't know where I am supposed to go and am just reaching blindly. I plan to ride out my decisions and to see where I can grow and be with what I have chosen.

I'm afraid of how many fears I have. I feel like I let my anxiety overwhelm me too much and too often. I'm working on calming that anxiety. Through meds and through therapy and through just trying to psych myself up to be better and live better.

I am afraid of a friendship becoming more dependent on me than I am happy to give. So I am stepping back from a relationship that has been pleasant. This friend is quite a bit older than I and they have started needing help for medical issues. Dad is 92. I also have a husband, 2 grown children and 4 grandchildren who I want to be available to. I know it is selfish but I find myself resenting expectations that I can be a go-to person for someone besides my family. I'm not sure I want to overcome it.

I become afraid of opening myself up to others and putting all cards on the table both emotionally and spiritually. Something I definitely need to work on as I don't always let people close in - I tend to put up walls and barriers. I need try to let go of the fear and just keep taking chances.

I’m afraid of failure. All my life I’ve been pushed and pushed and pushed to be the very top of my class and sports and things like that. However, due to this, I have a deep feeling of despair surrounding failure. I have yet to take my drivers test because it’s not something I can mentally beat my way there. It’s completely different than anything I could do in school and I’m terrified of it. I want to get past this. All I want is to move on and not necessarily be ok with failing, but to use it as a way to thrive.

I have the fear that people will realize I am not as talented/capable/skilled/good as I try to come off as. This fear keeps me from taking risks. I am going to go forward with the acknowledgment of this fear and I am going to remind myself that it is merely a fear, not reality.

I am concerned that the remnants of the Vertigo I had in January are still affecting my balance. I plan to seek more treatment or find exercises to help me more fully recover so that I am not limited physically. I am also concerned about my Blepharospasm. There was talk of an experiment at Penn Med that might help. I am hopeful that I can encourage my doctor to pursue it for me. It would make an enormous difference if it worked.

I have a fear of admitting to others about what I believe, especially when I know they disagree. I plan to practice talking about what I believe with people that I trust in a way that is honorable to contrasting beliefs, then get up the courage to explain it when it comes up with friends who disagree.

I fear failure in work, of not being able to feed my family. It's stopped me from taking chances on career advancement, or of setting up my own thing.

Fear of Failure. It makes me not implement ideas since I might be caught out as not being competent. In the next year I will implement a series of actions where I'll have to confront that fear.

Fear of death inside ... "Allow it and be at peace my love"

I fear having to go to court for my lawsuit and having my good name besmirched even though innocent. I will let it go by having faith in the justice system and the members of the jury.

I'm afraid of getting old and dying, but since that will certainly happen, my plan is to live the best life I can, pretty much every day.

The only fear that comes to mind is of not being "good enough" to meet Cyrun's engineering needs. But with my guidance taking us to the solution of the thread-loss issue and then the dictionary issue, I proved this fear to be wrong and I also eradicated the big challenges that were plaguing A7 from the start. This fear is no longer a problem, but mostly because the stimulus is no longer present, more than that I have mastered it. But, to not short-change myself, I have become better at being confronted with unknown challenges both at work and in life and still keeping an even keel.

I fear people disliking me. That inability to make waves is a barrier to almost any undertaking. To really accomplish anything you need to piss some people off. As rule I can't do it, and I can't do it on an ongoing basis. I can't keep pushing back over and over again on the same issue. I will always give up first.

I am forever afraid of not doing ‘enough’ and losing someone to suicide. I see that this fear is mostly irrational, but after losing Dave the irrational possibility is so vivid and real that I can’t shake it. It feels like the responsibility is mine, not to let it happen to another person I love. It’s an ongoing battle between my heart and my head. To remember that I can not control others, that no matter what I do, others will make their own choices and choose their own path. I choose to practice peace and calm, and release my attachment to control.

fear of technology... has kept me from using photos and creating with them. Want to get back to making albums and sharing photos again!

Today I am feeling good, but there have been several times in the last year where I have been suicidal. I was feeling so overwhelmed with feelings of being unloved, worthless, wasting my time, that I was going to be alone for my entire life, the pain was so severe that I just wanted my breath to stop. I fear going into that place again. I fear the look that I get from family and friends when I try to tell them just how bad it has gotten and they are so overwhelmed by it that they can't cope. I have to keep reminding them that I am only telling them because they have asked...and that I am trying to honor myself in being honest with others about my feelings. But people cannot lean on me all of the time....I sometimes need help too.

I'm afraid of everything. Relationships and ppl not liking me. Being sick......everything. Hopefully this will be a start to a new me....

I am afraid of making people sad. And I probably make people sad by avoiding doing things that might make me happy because I care more about avoiding making people sad. The challenge is to do what might make me happy, without worrying about how ANY OTHER PERSON will react or respond. It could be planning a trip to South America which I expect will cause my parents to worry, or leaving the city we all live in, which I know will cause my parents to worry, maybe more about themselves than me. Or something smaller, but small happinesses accumulate into large happiness.

That my depression or grief or whatever it is that I feel because of my sister's death will consume my life and I'll get sucked into the abyss. Is there any overcoming or? Letting it go? That sounds trite and stupid.

Honestly, I don't believe I have a fear... however I am a huge procrastinator. Why? It's just laziness. I eventually get to all the tasks I want to accomplish, but I don't see a problem with doing them in a few days verse right now. Perhaps I'm not procrastinating, but rather lacking the motivation to actually do it. How do I plan to overcome this issue in the coming year? I'll think on it and answer it tomorrow.. Perhaps I just need to understand or discover the importance of achieving the task at hard in the beginning and why it made it onto my Todo List to begin with.... Maybe set up a reward system for myself...? Like I said, I'll have to think about this and get back to me at a later date.

That I am not going to heal from car accidents I've had. I've begun therapy and am planning to focus on what I can do, where all of my strengths lie.

My fear is rejection. I dont know how to overcome it but I want to speak up.

My fear I cannot put into words, to painful

I've been afraid if never finding my life partner, getting married and having kids. It has stopped me from fully enjoying my life. I plan to face every day with no fear of being alone, and accepting my life as it is. Because it's a really good life.

I have long held a fear of anger and conflict. While there is an up side (I tend to be good at conciliation), there is also a downside. My fear can keep me from expressing my own needs, or even getting in touch with them. It can keep me from offering honest responses to those I love, from providing feedback that might prove more helpful than just appearing to go along.

That something needs to be done correctly or perfectly in order to be acceptable to others. Fear of not being good enough and being rejected gets in the way of taking positive action, and achieving my dreams. I'm committed to overcoming this fear and forging ahead with the imperfect.

I have a fear of success. I have a fear of people finding out about the real me. The real me that's inadequate, poor, irresponsible, spastic, emotional, clingy, needy, messy, lazy and not so smart. I have a fear of always being less than and not quite good enough. I always seem to just miss the mark. I'm constantly paddling to keep my head above the water, but honestly, I just want to just go and :

I'm not sure I have any fears that I need to take on as a project. My fears are part of who I am, and so be it. I've done pretty well in life nonetheless. If I had fears that were more limiting, had more consequences, I might feel differently.

A fear of mine is not being loved. This past year, it’s limited me to not me the best version of myself. I hope that in this coming year I can learn not only to have the self confidence I need, but learn to love myself for who I am and not worry about what others may think of me.

I am afraid of not learning about everything I think I ought to. This encompasses everything from news to science to history to culture and so on. There's so many interesting things in the world to keep track of, and it's impossible to keep up! This fear has only limited me to the extent that I decline activities sometimes in order to read (or listen or watch) and learn. I'm hoping to overcome it by limiting my awareness of the quantity I'm missing. The less information I get "pushed" to me, more I can feel like I can keep up, the less the fear applies.

I suppose you could say that I have a fear of the unknown - where I will go and what I will do after my duty to my father is completed. But I have faith that whatever my future holds, I will be okay.

I have a fear of the unknown. It has hampered my ability to focus on the present and enjoy my life fully. I plan on letting it go by doing things that seem a little scary and seeing what happens. I plan on allowing myself to try something that may or may not work and not beat myself up if I fail.

I have a fear of people not liking me. I'm really shy and I've always been shy. It's gotten better and once I know someone or a group of people I'm pretty outgoing. It's just like getting to know people or walking up to a circle of people you kind of know, that's super scary. I can feel uncounterable at parties sometimes or just at social events if I don't know a lot of people. I hope to become more outgoing and get over this anxiety of people not liking me, or judging me. It can sometimes prevent me from doing fun things, (but only sometimes).

Fear of moving away from 974 Lovell Ave. I plan to be open to guidance about when it's the right time to move. There is a whole lot wrapped up in it for me, things I haven't gotten close to touching inside before. Then it makes me wonder, does that mean I should stay put? Lots of analysis paralysis.

Today I got my aptitude results back: Objective Personality with Ideaphoria and Inductive Reasoning. --- Being objective, I prefer working with and through others to accomplish a variety of tasks. and tend to be a generalist who likes to be involved with multiple aspects o a project, assignment, or task. I am a leader who oversees and directs the actions of a group of people. Due to my Ideaphoria, I produce a rapid flow of ideas, or brainstorming, but this flow of ideas needs an outlet! My inductive reasoning suggests that I have the inherent ability to think diagnostically, rapidly evaluate situations or data, and quickly solve problems. --- With ideaphoria AND inductive reasoning, i sometimes feel restless when my work situation seems statis or inflexible, and I am often happiest when my abilities are challenged in a dynamic environment in which innovation is not just allowed, but demanded! I have a knack for producing a multitude of ideas and selecting the best one for any particular set of circumstances or sifting through potential snags in a new program and creating a workable plan. --- Based on this combination, they think I might find satisfaction in fields in which you develop and implement new plans or policies, not only determining the best option to fit each situation, but also gaining support for my ideas. In general, I enjoy using a broad base of knowledge to be involved with different aspects of a problem or project, using other people as resources rather than dealing with all of the details themselves. --- I could direct or manage a creative team in sales, advertising, marketing, PR, political campaigning, journalism. Lead a group in sorting through ideas in a policy institute, on a school board, or in business, government, or non-profit organizations. Facilitate group discussions in politics, business, or law as a negotiator or mediator. Create a strong collaborative environment in group therapy as a counselor, psychologist, or social worker. Develop and lead team-building exercises in a corporate or therapeutic setting. Instruct or inform others as a teacher, professor, or trainer. My fear is to not live up to my aptitudes. I plan on letting the magic happen and not settling for something that does not FEEL right. At this fragile time, with big goals and a very long term goal, I need to use my gut instinct and trust myself.

I have many fears. I am working on having fewer fears to overcome.

My greatest fear has been letting other people down. For some reason that's my motivator. What I've noticed though is that the more confident I have got - especially in my work position - the less people shoot me down and the more people have confidence in me (a virtuous circle). It's quite extraordinary. In the next year I hope to take this newfound confidence to a new job.

My fear is that my problems are as deep and wide as the Grand Canyon and thus I am afraid to "go there." But I can remind myself that even the Grand Canyon has a river that flows in it's valley, and even the Grand Canyon has a perimeter.

I had a lot of fear coming into last year. Fear of being alone. Fear of not being connected. Fear of death. Fear of taking the next step in development. I'm proud of the work I've done to minimize those fears in 5777. One fear that I still carry though is the fear of the future. If we don't make changes, starting with ourselves, this world will continue in the downward spiral it's in. I need to lead with my actions, so collectively my community and I can face the fear of the future with courage, strength, and unity.

I'm afraid of not losing weight again, of graduating, of not having money, of failing. It gets in my head and makes it even harder to succeed at these things, which I know I can do. Believing in myself and working hard at it is how to do it, I guess. And reaching out, a support system sounds like a great idea.

I am so angry over what is happening with this administration's tearing down the EPA and impacting the wildlife that my great fear is what will happen in the future. I feel unable to have any impact on decisions being made--my letters to my Senators have no impact on them. They are running the party line. We can't just throw our money at the issue. I can't let the fear go--or ignore it. Stuck. Sad. Helpless.

I fear several things. I fear not being able to support myself in the long term financially. I adore my independence which is a surprise to me because I have fought so hard to build a daily life with R. I also fear that R will never come around to having a daily life with me. I mean seriously, three years of the best sex of our lives and he still can't figure out how to build a life with me? Working together helps. I shouldn't complain as being independent has decided advantages. I suppose in the end I fear no sense of closure or completion for our relationship. I have been writing 10Q answers for three years in a row now and reflecting on the earlier questions reminds me that this limbo he has us in has been a constant over the entire three years and I have finally reached the place where I am happy being independent but still love him intensely.

I fear that our country has lost its civility. I am tempted to be bitter about that possibility. However my preferred route is to finish my compassion course and learn how to have empathy for myself and for others.

Fear of the loss of someone I love, even when the relationship is not working for any reasons that make it bad for me or not feasible emotionally or time-wise. I lose myself. I have no ;@&:)3&! idea how I'll overcome it. Perhaps just speaking my mind and seeing how it goes. And... Therapy? Lol.

I fear all the crazy people driving on our roads while they are texting. Just hope they look up in time to see me..

I'm scared of not succeeding/not being appreciated. It limits me in the sense that it clouds my judgement on what is valuable to spend my time on, so that I tend both to exaggerate with commitments and to be kind of short-sighted, losing perception of the bigger picture. More broadly, this doesn't allow me to reach full serenity. Overcoming it is really an ongoing process. I'm aware of it and I feel in some periods I manage to handle it more firmly. It seems that the overall trend is of improvement over time, but there's still a cycle of ups and downs.

I fear that I'm not going to know how long is too long to stay here. I don't want to get stuck in the trap.

Being loved. I dont kniw how to let it go. But i am going to try.

I have no fears. Nothing bothers me.

I have been afraid that if something happens to Stan people will judge and blame me. That has made me nag him a lot, which has not been good for our relationship. And while I would love to say that I am letting that fear go on my own, the truth is more like it's fading because I feel more confident that people know I take the best care of him that I can/he will allow.

No one at all wants me around.... I don't know... lately that speculated fear looks more and more like a reality.

I have fear to fail, to don’t live my life in the way I like, to don’t say what I think, to don’t be me, I’ll figure out what to do

I think I have allowed the bad energy of some very negative people to influence what I think about myself. And, I've absorbed some of that dark juju, and it's altered my self confidence...... caused me to doubt my capabilities and self worth. Now that I have finally established some boundaries, those ugly little teeth have stopped gnawing at me, but it certainly set me back. I ought to have kept Sheila's wise advice in mind....that we always get in trouble when we forget who we are - children of God.

I have been fearing that I'm letting too much time pass while I'm caught up in in my own little world, stressing about little things. I want to get back into my mindfulness practice. That should help a lot in staying present an grounded.

I think the underlying fear of not being good enough.. or being unsure of if I'm any good at what I do.. or good enough. Gut tells you you are.. but there is that underlying fear. So ... working at it to have confirmation. Started a little in 2017, but still didn't step out enough.. didn't really take 'the chance'. Going to do it in 2018. Step over the barrier and say "here I am". What do you think? And then try and foster the " well I care about what you think".. but it's more relevant that "I" care what "I" think!! So bring it on 2018... and when I look back this.. SO hoping that I have grown in confidence .. let go a little of the fear (cause some fear is good)... How do I do this... take myself to a place of being able to measure myself & get feedback. Yahoo

I hope to be less afraid of pursuing my own adventures even if I have to do it alone. I am trying to set goals, and look for way to open.

I fear Judy may be limited from the physical exercise we love to share by her hip and back pain. (And that some of this may be due to over caution-- I am used to pain almost all the time but keep moving regardless). We have always been resilient and creative about finding ways to adapt to what is in front of us. Maybe we will do more yoga together ( we already are!). Maybe we will chant more. Maybe we will go out to dinner, or even meditate together. God willing ,I will continue to play tennis, bike, ski, and hike on my own and with others friends. (Including Peter, now that we won't walk at work).

Love, and physicality. Doing the wrong thing; making the wrong major life choices. Fellowships. Jobs. Obligations. Cities. I can already feel it shifting, because I just have to be in it. All of it - my choices, my feelings.

I am afraid of failure, and of not doing the right thing. It often stops me from leaping. Sometimes I am afraid I don't know my true self and who she is meant to be. That is really hard for me and causes me to doubt many things about myself. I think that I need to lean in and just trust my gut as I move forwards in the world.

I have this "fear" that I will fall flat on my face again and be in a deep pit. I do not feed the fear and do not hold onto it. I also recognize I have ten-plus of being sober and I will add to that one more day at a time. Doing this, as needed, helps a lot to ensure I will survive and overcome.

I have been plagued by the fear that my back injury will get so bad that I cannot continue to work or do what I want to without surgery. It is already limiting me in what I can do, causing me to decline conferences and meeting that are out of town because I cannot sit through the meetings or handle the ride in the car. I am trying my best to combat this with exercise and appropriate rest, but am still fearful that the pain will get to a point that I will have no other option.

I fear a lack of control. I feel as though as soon as I don’t know what is happening or am not in charge of a situation, chaos begins I have to start allowing things to be more flexible and not forcing everything into my strict, color-coded schedule.

a nagging fear if you will is that given the last year, my life will end. My coping has been to work harder on getting projects into the world that will have an impact of the lives of others. The notion of letting go may not be something I do. It leads me to being mindful of the need to live each day as fully as I can

I don't know or a fear that is limiting me. I have several small fears, but not one that stands out

A fear I that I have is the fear that I am not utilizing myself to my greatest potential. Ego aside, mortal life is finite, and to “live life to its fullest,” whatever that may mean, seems like a necessary goal. But I am imperfect and my knowledge and power are not infinite, and so failing to accomplish this objective seems nearly inevitable. But the key nuance is that failure is still not 100% inevitable; one thing I have come to realize is that almost nothing is 100% certain to be 100% inevitable. This caveat does not offer solace or relief, however. On the contrary, it ensures that relief from the burden of the task to strive for perfection is out of my reach. If failure truly was inevitable, then I would not fear it, since the pressure to succeed would be off of my shoulders just as the final result would be out of my hands. But, being limited in knowledge, I cannot know for certain if this is the case. Because of this uncertainty, I am rationally forced to act as though perfection is within the reach of non-omniscient sapient beings, in general. As a Catholic, I know that the only “perfect” non-omniscient human was the Virgin Mary, with “perfect” in this sense meaning uninterrupted perfection, never faulting. Also as a Catholic, I know that a different kind of perfection is within all living humans’ reaches: heavenly purity. While this usually comes after death, it is possible to enter into this state before death, as Saint Francis of Assisi may have done. Who is to say that I cannot be expected to achieve the same, or that not achieving the same is not my fault? I do not know whether or not I should overcome this fear. Surely the will to pursue perfection should stay. But is it legitimate, logical, and healthy for that will to be fueled by fear? Can it be perpetuated by love instead? Surely that would be the preferable and perhaps the only efficacious option. But how would I bring about that transition? How can I make sure that the will remains after the fear is gone? I may need the rest of my life to explore these concepts, and hopefully I will arrive at answers before all the answers are either given to me or locked forever away.

The fear of never being happy again. It has limited my ability to maintain friendships, confront my lying cheating husband, focus at work, and trust anyone. I want to take the leap into therapy. I believe that is the first step to figuring out how to move forward.

I have fear of being criticized and social anxiety. I limit my exposure risks and miss out on potentially fun, fulfilling opportunities. I have no plans for letting it go or overcoming it in the coming year. For many years I have made all kinds of plans for that, participated in therapy, done mindfulness practices, made myself do things I feared, and more. It hasn't changed.

I feel a little abnormal how many of these I don't have a straightforward answer too. Honestly, I can't think of anything!

Helplessness. Losing autonomy... getting too old to take care of myself. Old age is not overcomeable, except by death, and I'm not quite ready for that. Letting it go is as simple as trusting G-D.

I am terrified that I am with the wrong person for me. We have been together for over 2.5 years and I am not sure we are supposed to be together or are meant to be together for the rest of our lives. However, I fear losing him. We are working on our relationship and taking small next steps I hope I know by next year.

I think I have a fear of success and a fear or new passions. I've always identified with what I do. What I do makes me who I am. I think I've been wrong. I think that in order to be happy, I have to let myself love what I love, who I love and let myself investigate new passions and questions that might be beyond who I thought I was. This is really scary to me, but I have to trust that I'll love myself and that I'll be loved by others no matter what I "do."

Tough one! Probably the fear of leaving my job and having that leave a big gap in my life, identity-wise plus of course benefits and financially. To leave what I know at work does scare me and I don't quite know how to let go.

I have a fear that I'm not deserving of having children. It has held me back from using my whole heart to pray for a child the way I should. I think to work towards overcoming this fear I need to remind myself that no one, but G-d, is perfect and that children are too great a gift for anyone to derserve. I should remind myself that praying for children is praying for a free gift, not something that I'm capable of earning.

I have a fear of failure. It's so bad, and I know that sometimes we have to fail to learn, but I do not like looking stupid, and it really holds me back. I need to learn to be okay with failure, and come to terms with the fact I cannot always succeed.

I am afraid of not being seen as good enough. I am afraid that I will not add up to what my employers, wife, kids, want and need and I will be fired, left, ignored. I want to overcome this by working on my letting go of preconceived ideas, by focusing on the moments I have. Though building a spiritual practice. Focus on the thought that I am already good enough.

I fear getting really sick and being unable to work. I fear the financial burden my illness will bring on my family. I fear squandering my life and my talents. My fears have caused me to run in a thousand directions, seeking solutions, then becoming overwhelmed with options and not being able to make a choice. I plan on working more with my therapist, being kind to myself, and trying to life one day at a time.

I have a fear of opening myself up and allowing myself to be vulnerable, emotionally. It comes from so many years of being kept on the fringes socially and professionally, from childhood to college and certainly in my place of business. I don't want to reveal anything to anyone but my closest confidants - it's the Derek Jeter School of Handling the Media...be glib but say nothing. Where that holds me back is in my desire to become a voice actor. Acting means forcing yourself to open up and be vulnerable. I hope to invoke some acting training, but I don't know how else to overcome that fear.

I am afraid of not doing enough, and so I do nothing. I suppose I will plan to do something, even if it's nothing amazing.

I think I have a fear of letting go of old clothes, old beliefs and old habits and I also think if I learn to let go of more of my stuff, I will become lighter.

I have so many fears, it seems unfair to focus only on one. In the spirit of this question, though, I'll focus on my fear of not being capable of handling difficult situations on the fly, physically or emotionally or socially. I have this sense that I'll just flail about and give up, that I need help when things go wrong, that I can't depend on myself to help me. This limits me because it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I believe it and so it becomes. I want to challenge this idea. If I get wobbly on my bike, teaching a class, on a ladder, in a conversation with someone – I want to trust that I'll handle it skillfully. Or, that in my attempts to do so I'll develop the skills to do so in the future. I want to trust myself like I trust others who are just as capable and just as flawed as I am.

I have a few fears that have cropped up. Fear of wasting time and/or spending time on things that are not important to me out of some sense of habit and obligation. Fear of never finding romantic love/a partner. Fear of rejection. Fear of being not enough - or to claim how/who I want to be. I plan to meditate and visualize - spend some time focusing on who I want to be and how I want my life to look. I plan on doing the Artists Way. I will pray.

Fear of disappointing my supervisors has been a pretty big one this year, but actually I don't want to overcome it, at least not yet. It's a motivator for me to do work and do it well.

I have feared being alone with my thoughts and feared being alone. I've stuffed my scheduled with plans and people and projects so that I never am able to sit still and confront that fear. How will I let it go? Taking tiny pauses of 10 seconds and thinking "oh yeah. I have everything I need. I have if anything Too Many friends. My time is more valuable than I thought."

I am holding resentment towards a childhood abuser. I am not sure how to let it go but I feel I need to share it with my husband and I don't know how to.

I fear that my illness has taken over my life so completely that I'm afraid to try to do anything at all. I don't now how to overcome it, I honestly don't. Pain and shame are incredible demotivators. Maybe trying to look to far ahead is part of the problem.

I have a fear of commitment - to a project or anything that limits my infinite options and chance to change my mind at the last minute. I do not plan to overcome it anytime soon. I am embracing it for now, allowing myself to revel in my newfound freedom, now that I am retired, and don't have anyone directly depending on me for constant support. AAAAAHHHHH!!!

I've overcome a good deal in my life, and I think it is more laziness than fear that prevents me from getting what I want. I am really looking forward to a renewed energy with less pain getting me to be able to attain my goals.

My greatest fear is that I will never find a partner to share a life with and that fear has shaken my faith on many occasions. I work constantly on overcoming what seems to be this recurring sadness in my life. Being kind and compassionate helps. Laughing. Meditating. Being focused on personal goals I have set. Working, I need to work more regularly and feel fulfilled in my career. But honestly it gets really hard to be constantly "working" on not being sad and scared, and unfortunately I can't see how to truly let go of this fear without having someone to share a life with.

I now have a fear that I am not creative enough to think of the worst things can get, the worst things that can happen. Whenever we say, it can't get worse - the other one of us loses a job, we need assistance, a family member gets mad at us, or a child needs health attention. I am definitely afraid of things getting worse. I am going to prepare prepare prepare for these worst, terrible things - do well at my job, save money, prepare the house to move, anything, everything, in order to be ready because it is totally completely possible that the worst is yet to come. G-d I hope not. But anything but that will be better and something I know how to handle.

I plan on making a practice of meeting my fears at their roots.There are real obstacles and real boundaries that can be and should be respected but these by no means need to instill fear. Respect yes, information absolutely. There are other fears I have that are not real at all; Believing that I am unworthy of any good, fluid power and love isn’t true for anyone. That I know it to be true. Trying to convince myself doesn’t work.... Meeting these fears at the root does work. I stand neutrally at the joint where where my self and my habits have bonded and just stand with it in front of me. Still myself in the moment. I can shout to myself anything I like but corralling a wild horse takes time. If being is chaotic, that’s okay for the moment. In my experience, only good has come from taking a moment. Actively listening past the voices to quiet. Then the imperative next step is to continue on with the day. Take chances, take consequences - live.

I've had a fear of not living up to expectations or perceptions people might have had of me. I plan on addressing this in two primary ways: 1. In trusting in my abilities, which inherently depends on a) putting the work in to practice, and b) in being present & in turn committed during that practice 2. In trusting in my gut instinct, which would be drawing upon that experience. I'm admittedly still trying to determine how to do this in a measured way, as I realize this is what will ultimately enable me to determine if I've achieved—or rather, begun to go in the right direction of—this goal.

I'm really afraid to deal with financial confusion. I let it go until it gets really bad and there are serious consequences. I don't know why I can't be rational about it, but I am, in fact, very irrational when it comes to dealing with issues around my finances. I know it's a huge problem and it holds me back from living a life free of truly unnecessary stress. I honestly think I need directed therapy to overcome it.

Same as last year: I'm a fraud, lazy, and so on. However, this year, I can look back and see that some of the fears about losing my academic community have not come to pass. So maybe less fearful personally this year. About the state of the world...well, I don't even want to go there.

Being Poor and homeless. It has limited me because everytime I run into financial challenges all I see is poverty at the door as opposed to a new beginning. The only way that I see overcoming it possible is by Faith.

I am narrowing it down.. pretty much the same as last year. I am afraid of being duped. Of thinking that I am in a relationship, but really, I am not. I can't trust anything. especially myself.

I'm afraid of letting go of the "norms", of not having a full-time job, of going down a path where I cannot see the end, of making a "mistake" and doing the wrong thing in my life. The only way to release this fear is to do exactly what scares me - to let go what isn't working. I'm not at peace with where I am - I'm just cruising and complacent. And I don't want to do that. So within this next year, I plan to get more involved with what is important to me and to let go what isn't necessary in my life, even if it is scary as hell.

Fear of failure cripples me. Often. In a debilitating way. I think this year's task is not to let it go, or to overcome it, but to understand how it can be advantageous, and to implement some strategies to use my fear of failure for my personal and professional betterment.

the fear of being not enough. not pretty enough, not girly enough, not sexy enough. not smart enough, not qualified enough. not loveable enough. not wanted enough. i need to remember this is all for me and not anyone else. i am always enough.

Generally, I don't think I'm a very smart person. Or maybe I'm just not quick enough on the uptake which leads me to miss things that in hindsight seem obvious. My fear is that this is going to lead to disappointment, in terms of letting down my family or failing at work. I guess my plan is to find a way to account for this, and to overcome it. I can't get any smarter, but I can acknowledge my shortcomings and be more mindful about how to address them.

I have a real fear of being unable to financially survive. I was unemployed for 6 months. Being unemployed at my age is really hard and during that time I used all my savings. It's hard on the psyche to be rejected constantly and it is hard to move past it. I have a new job where the atmosphere is warm and welcoming and has nearly completely changed my outlook on life. I feel like I have been depressed for years without knowing it. I am also cleaning and clearing and renovating my house to make it a better place. This is also hard and defeating especially after Hurricane Irma. With little financial stability it's hard to accomplish my goals. But small steps are forward movement.

I have a fear of being rejected. I don't anticipate it will go away, but I'd like to give it less power and to also accept it as a part of my history and life experience. Repeat after me: when you're full of flavor, you won't be appealing to everyone's palette.

I'm afraid of so many things it's ridiculous. I'm afraid of not living up to my potential, of 'missing the boat', so to speak. As if my life might pass by without me having done the things I really want to do. I suppose that this has limited me in that it prevents me from being in acceptance and trust. I plan on letting it go by endeavoring to live in the moment, being more present, more patient and accepting whereever I am. I read this great quote by Eckhart Tolle the other day. He said "I have a secret. I don't mind what happens." That resonated with me. I want to be that person. I want to not mind what happens, no matter what happens. And that's one of my goals for the coming year.

I fear that my failures will define me, but I don't think this fear limits me so much as it drives me forward and makes me work harder to make sure it doesn't come true.

I am terrified of rejection and that has a negative impact on my social relationships and forecloses the possibility of romantic relationships. I think I need to work on that more in therapy, remember the lessons I've learned about it, and take more chances.

I fear that we will become estranged from our kids. I fear that we're losing Bryan in a different way that I feared losing Colin. I don't worry that Bryan will die, but that he'll just drift away from us. I have t have faith and keep trying to reinforce connections. I can not accept that my kids will not be an integral part of my life. That is completely unacceptable! I have to figure it out!

I often have a fear that I am letting family members down – not being wise enough – not being proactive enough. It comes from my aging process – now one of the members of the elders in the family. What I could do is have confidence and faith to rely on others in the family – they are all very competent, good people people I could even ask for help and advice from them from time to time!

I fear death. Having lost both of my parents I fear I will die and leave my husband and daughter to fend without the love I want to dole out I them every day or that something will happen to them leaving me empty and longing for them. I’ve tried to mitigate this fear by getting life insurance so financially people will be ok and by trying to tell them how much I love them each opportunity I have. I’ve also tried to live my life fully and give time to people and ideas so I leave something behind. I hope my desire to be more fully present in this next year will also help if only to increase my ability to squeeze what I can out of life while I am lucky enough to live it.

I fear losing my job and not being able to support my family. No matter how much well I do in my job, and no matter how much I believe in what I am doing, I worry that I will be measured against things that I don't have time to do or don't do well (especially publishing). How do I plan to overcome it? I'm not sure I ever will, until I am finally renewed with only five years to go until retirement. So I'm going to continue "faking until I make it," acting with courage even when I don't feel courageous, and trying to do all I really can do, which is to make the best choices and work the hardest I can given what I know and what is possible and not possible for me.

I have a fear of girlfriends leaving me and I think it's limited me because I lead with that fear and see evidence of their leaving me before they even think of it. I think that's what happened in my last relationship, not that I think it should have continued, but I don't think I needed to worry about Julia leaving me and I could have just enjoyed it while it was happening. Because even though she did and we aren't together, and I feared that so much while we were together, I'm fine and truly believe it was for the best. Also I have a fear of not succeeding and I think it makes me not finish things and not follow through with projects. I plan on letting this go and overcoming this fear in the coming year by focusing on daily actions I can take to nurture what I want to happen rather than worrying about what might happen. Like doing standup most days, exercising, telling people I love that I love them, taking care of the cats, checking my accounts and earning money and tracking my expenses, cooking meals at home, going to acting class, submitting myself for roles, updating my website and also writing and publishing letters to myself on it, staying sober so I can follow through on projects, giving love actively

My fear is that I'm not worthy. That I'm not good enough. It's the reason I've never actually started a business. It's the reason I am not super successful in my current career. It's a partial reason that my marriage failed. It's why I don't have a close circle of friend that truly get me (because they never get to truly know me, the real me). I plan on continuing to try and leave this belief in the past and showing myself that I am good enough and that I am worthy.

I am afraid of leaving the comfort of the restaurant industry to become a teacher. I need to get my credentials and just do it.

A fear that limits me sometimes is my fear of being embarrassment coupled with my fear of making mistakes. I think some of my fear comes from being the oldest child, having high expectations for myself and putting a lot of pressure on achieving my goals. This year I doubt I'll be able to let these fears go, however I think naming them is helpful for "lessening the blow". I will pick up skills here and there that will help me deal with them over time, but naming them has been helpful.

My fear is that my husband or myself will become ill, or incapacitated in some way,, I can only work to avoid this by eating right, exercising, and mindfully choosing what we do in our daily lives to suopport our wel being.

I have a fear of being excluded. I do not mind being alone, however, I hate the feeling of missing out or being excluded from something someone else is doing with other people, especially because it leads me to believe I am disliked. I need to remind myself when I feel like this that I am liked or I would not consider these people my friends and that the people who want me around will invite me to come.

I fear allowing myself to be exactly what I want to be. I fear doing the work. I fear what lies on the other side and that I may not have my comforting camouflage/drag to hide behind anymore. I plan on letting it go bit by bit. Trying to be more goal- and schedule-oriented. Waking up with purpose. Waking up on time, period.

Well, I think it is the same as last year - fear of success, and putting myself out in the world in a bigger way. Specifically...to trust my own knowing, that I know enough and can learn what I don't know to have a successful thriving, abundant business. I plan on dong this by making a plan! Something I have avoided. I also have a great mastermind group I just started that will help with accountability and support. I do think I need a good business coach. My most recent programs haven't been that helpful, so I am opening myself up to who can give me the support I need. Also i will hire out support and expertise. Make that investment in myself. I also want to get out of the box as far as networking and who i acn partner with. Not looking for a SAVE but a mutually supportive partner.

I am afraid I have made the wrong choices. I am afraid I am not connected to people. I am afraid that my life will get small in retirement. I plan on living a regret free life, connecting with people by paying attention and planning to do what will bring me joy in retirement.

I am not aware of being significantly afraid of anything in particular. Nonetheless, there is always a mild buzz in the back of my head reminding me of all the possible unforeseen problems or threats that might occur such as international conflicts/war, natural disasters, financial crash of our economy, and of course serious / life-threatening illnesses (to me or my loved ones). Since I don't spend much time actually focused on any of these, I don't have or feel need for a plan. Rather, they serve as a mild reminder to be responsible/cautious and take preventive steps that might protect me/us to the degree that it is possible to control any of these threats.

Fear of being alone and unloved. I hold on to people too tight and don't spend enough time enjoying my own company. I need to take more trips alone, and not just travel- the little things. I am perfectly capable of hiking or going on more photo walks by myself!!

I am afraid of failing. I am currently unemployed, and even though I have substantial severance pay from my last job that can carry my family for months, I feel like I am letting them down. My fear of not finding something is making job hunting so much worse. I am afraid that I will lose respect for myself while I try to sort this out. The pressure is crushing. I am trying to overcome it by making sure I do something every day (however small) to move forward. I send an email to a networking contact, I apply for another position, I volunteer. I'm trying to use the small stuff as leverage to making myself feel like I'm going somewhere at a time where I feel deeply adrift.

I think one of my biggest fears is what other people think of the decisions I make. I feel like I'm doing all the right things on paper to be successful, happy, etc. but I have a lot of doubts about whether those things will truly make me happy and satisfied. I don't want to look back on my twenties and realize all the decisions I made were based off of what others pressured me into doing or what seemed like the right/safe choices at the time. I'm afraid to fail and I think that's what's holding me back from spending a year or so traveling and accepting a job that maybe isn't putting my master's degree to work. I want to turn 30 knowing I did everything I wanted to do and feeling satisfied with my personal successes before starting a family and focusing more on them.

I'm afraid of everything, particularly the future and what could happen. I just keep stumbling along trusting in G-d to keep me.

I feel unsafe, with accompanying anxiety. I also feel that I am one step away from financial problems. I am aware that these two deep fears stem from my childhood. In addition, I know that I have used these fears constructively as motivators in my rewarding adult life. But I hope to let go of much of my current fear with our retirement plans. I believe I have worked very hard over a very long period of time to address them. They will never go away, but I am certain their grip will not be so tight.

I have a fear of dying young. Stop obsessing with death. LIVE NOW!

Financial freedom fears- either I don't spend money or spend frivolously

I have a lot of social anxiety. I get nervous about asking people for anything, regardless of how small or how much it wouldn't be taking from them for me to ask. I am going to continue working on this through determination and obligation and having friends who make it easier for me to push myself to go out more and do more. I aim to learn the art of calling people out with poise.

My biggest fear at the moment is childbirth and the pain associated w it. It has limited my enjoyment over this precious time. I plan on just going w the flow because life is what you make of it and playing good music to drown out the pain!!!

Loss of control - that fear has actually motivated me to go forward with running for office, but can also be overwhelming and paralyzing at times. Keep pushing through... Heights - I don't know how to handle that one... medicated flights, I suppose... still strange how severe this one has gotten when I had no fear at all when I was younger.

I think my biggest fear is never finding love again (or realistically not finding someone that I love who loves me back in the way that I want to be loved). I fear ending up alone. Hopefully in the upcoming year I meet someone. However I hope I don't ever settle just because of this fear. I'll find my one who also finds me to be his one.

I'm still afraid of turning into who I was with Karen. I think I understand more about why I was feeling pressure and not like myself and it had nothing to do with her, it was more about the circumstances and the wounds from my past. I'm still afraid to let someone in all of the way, to be intimate. I'm afraid to be a parent because that's probably the most intimate thing one can do. I'm also scared of letting someone in who would hurt me or who I don't match with completely. Anyway, all of these fears limit how far my relationships will go and essentially keep me at a safe distance from people, which means I never really proceed farther down the path towards being a true partner or father. I plan to overcome this by getting more in tune with myself, my desires, not lying to me or anyone, and continuing therapy.

I'll try to overcome the fact that when I get in front a group I try to be confident but really I'm tearing myself inside of being up in front.

I don't let fear run my life but I guess I have some fears for this country. I would like to think that we won't let it happen, but there is a very real chance that people will start being more and more marginalized, discriminated against, and maybe even rounded up. I have fear of WW III, and having to live in a post-nuclear war environment. I have more hope than fear, but since you asked...

I'm not sure why I'm so committed to breastfeeding. I feel like we could be having more fun time and less boob time if I was willing to combo feed and not make EBF a point of pride. I'm worried that she's not gaining weight at a good pace and that the doctor will tell me that we need to go back to supplementing. I'm not sure why this is so upsetting to me other than it feels like my breasts have failed us, but then I have to remember what a rough start we had. Thankfully, in a few months, she'll be starting to eat real food and this won't be so much of an issue!

I have so much fear of the unknown. I have fear around not knowing what my career holds I plan on letting it go by embracing the uncertainty and working hard to focus on 'doing' instead of being paralyzed in it. DO THE THINGS GIRL, DO THEM!!!!!!

I have anxiety, so I can't even list how many fears I have. They have absolutely limited me, but I've been getting better and better at learning to control my anxiety instead of letting it control me. I hope I continue to be in control.

Meh. Still afraid I'm not good enough. It makes me scared that men I like will reject me. It keeps me from doing things that I might enjoy and fully engaging in my surroundings. I'm constantly thinking about how I'm being perceived by others. I don't have a firm plan on how to let this go except to just say "fuck it." I'm just going to live the life I want and not let the fear hold me back. I'll just have to do it afraid and know that it's just a feeling and feelings change.

I'm quite fearful of my parents growing old. What I fear the most is the slow eroding of their capacities, especially my father's. There are cases of Alzheimer's and senility in my family, especially in my father's side. I think that's what I fear: seeing him slowly disappear. He hasn't shown any signs of mental degradation, only the usual forgetfulness of his age (68 yo) and I hope he'll never suffer as my aunt (his sister) did with Alzheimer's but nevertheless, my fear is there. I suppose the way to fight this fear is to simply live and enjoy every day I have with my parents, not worrying about a future that might or not come to pass. Fearing the Future only prevents enjoyment of the Present, I say...

From last year's list of fears, I've accomplished SO MUCH this year - like a butterfly coming out of a chrysalis. Fears of never being though beautiful, never being loved, not being good enough as a person, employee, friend. All put to rest. Here goes: Michael thinks I'm beautiful! He said so this past weekend (his 50th in Charlottesville). I think he's beginning to love me, too. In whatever way that happens & however it plays out, I'm enjoying it. I'm also really respected at my job, and Sanjay and Peter respect the person I am, too - they seek me out for my thoughts on hard (life) conversations. And my mom respects me, too! This has been a really good year - a really good 4-5 months - I'm so blessed with life!

I fear my inability to commit to something with intention and discipline. My whole life I've been told I can be or do anything and although I still mostly believe that, it is time for me to decide what that "anything" is and pursue it. Part of me has felt like when I know what it is I will go for it with abandon, but you know what - I have responsibilities now and I can't realistically just throw caution to the wind, rack up debt, and do what I want. I have a house, a fiancée, a job, a community, and my own expectations. So my biggest fear for the next year is that I'll squander another year paddling in place and never moving forward. Its time to grow up, move on, and go forward.

my biggest fear is death and bullying. both things that have already happened in the past year or so. and i hope that i realize that its going to be ok in the end.

for being chill for if theres a test or a quiz in school and a way i will overcome this is when i meditate so i can think clearly.

I have been afraid to speak my truth out of fear of rejection, humiliation, and stigmatization. It is a lifelong fear that I am actively working upon and approving. Some days I can feel on top of the world, a true superhero and goddess full of self love. And then, something will happen, someone will say something slighted or my PTSD will be triggered and I will spiral into a cycle of self-loathing, grief, and rumination. I'm not sure that I will ever overcome these fears or patterns of behavior and thinking, as they are directly spurred by my history of trauma and have shaped who I am today. I do believe I can learn to love myself and accept things out of my control.

fear of not being able to get pregnant - and we haven't even started "trying" yet... and fear of not getting back into shape after future baby. I just have to see where the next few months ago and hope that biology works the way it is intended to and then maintain my physical activity to keep my health and wellness in a good place.

I fear making bad choices, especially in business. I don't want to look bad or make costly mistakes, so I act too conservatively. I have been working on it (kind of) and have been trying to do "good enough" rather than waiting for perfection. In the upcoming year, I plan on continuing to try new things and not worry so much about making mistakes.

I am afraid of dogs. I have always wanted a dog, but i can't stand being near one. Don't get me wrong, I mean I LOVE dogs. I am just scared of them. I hope I can get a dog next year.

I have feared failure for so long. But guess what, I'm 40!!! Who cares about failing?!?! Who cares about disappointing others. It's me time, baby! My job is to care for my family and do it well. But not to lose myself in the experience. I've got to get on with things rather than being petrified to let anyone down.

My limiting fear is wanting people to like me and being afraid to deliver bad news. I plan to address this with self education, taking risks and meditation.

I have a fear of my children ending up unhappy. I have to remind myself I am not able to control their happiness and let go. I have done all I can and now it is time to release control.

My biggest fear is that I won’t get it all done, whatever “it” is, there always feels like there is more to do. I plan on spending time reminding myself that I can only do what I can do, and the important thing is to prioritize what matters most. And then to be aware of how I am thinking and talking about the never-ending list of things that don’t get done because there are simply not enough hours in the day.

I fear making mistakes. I would like to lose this fear, let go and take a few chances.

I think I have a fear of completing my book and releasing it into the wild. I want it to be true and helpful and also a literary masterpiece and a bestseller. Chances are good I'll be disappointed in the outcomes of at least one of those expectations. And, even if all four come true, I'm still afraid of the vulnerability I'd have to tolerate, for having exposed so much of myself. It's almost like I'm still inhabiting Beanie's world, and am afraid of the teasing and mocking, and even more, the people who say it isn't true.

Fear of living without fear. Can I just live?

I am afraid of not changing - I am afraid of being in the same place, with the same fears, failures and worries forever.

I have a fear of letting go of people that I KNOW are not any good for me. I know my worth, but I listen to my heart on things that I KNOW my head would not agree with.

That I am not the person I appear to be. Accept myself for who I am

I fear men. It limits me because I don't date and I haven't made having a partner a priority. I actually have no plan. I'm already planning to lose weight, to meditate, be clean at home, manage work. It's so much! No, I'm not going to plan on overcoming this fear. I do notice I have improved. In the past I would have been blushing like crazy over my male co-teacher but because I am so much older than him I don't feel so self-conscious. During our first planning time I felt nervous but now I'm fine. I'm proud of myself. I have come a long way. Something that I have realized is to pay attention to my feelings of self-worth. I am not less than a man. But if I want a partner, which I do, then I must have a plan!

Looking at the answer from last year (my company's future and being a good parent), this has not changed and is probably the most important. However, as I am aging, my mortality is becoming a bigger fear and making sure if I die, my family will be safe. I do need to plan better for this.

My fear is that I am not smart enough or a good enough lawyer ever to move to another job. Be nice to mysfelf and take it one step at a time.

I fear abandonment and rejection and failure. I fear the unknown, the future. I fear that my anxiety will push others away, that I will not have the strength to be kind when I am feeling bad. I fear that I will allow little frustrations and grief to seep into my overall happiness, I fear that I will listen to the negative voices (both those coming from my family, and coming from myself). I plan on focusing on the present to try to overcome these fears. I plan on taking time out for myself to be with my thoughts. I plan on thinking things through before I react. I plan on treating myself with love, no matter what comes.

I have feared losing my marriage and my husband. I have spent too much time worrying about it instead of focusing on my faith and the work God wants me to do. I will gather my strength from God's word and move forward secure in God's love and seek enlightenment by His Grace. I will show love, BE Gods love and give it forward. Accepting Gods plan for me.

I have made progress in grappling with my fear of death, but am still afflicted with anxiety on occasion. I plan to continue to exercise and eat healthfully to give myself the best chance to feel resilient and optimistic.

I fear not giving enough. Not doing all I can. Not being worry enough. I fear failure. Not succeeding. I hate when I work with clutter and mess around me. I obtain the need to clean up and get frustrated by the amount of work it require and how much time it's wasting and how I'm not going to be successful if I'm constantly cleaning up or if everything is a mess.

Fear of rejection has limited my relationships. Fear of loss has limited my sense of community. Fear of inadequacy has limited my confidence all around. Fear of loss is uncontrollable. I need to let it go. (Cue Frozen music.) Fear of rejection...I need to overcome it and I think that's by caring a little less and embracing a little more. Fear of inadequacy...not sure on that one. That may be a lifelong journey.

Grateful that in the grand scheme of things, what I "fear" doesn't seem to be unbearable when taken in faith. I know that " I can do anything through faith" is playing on the Christian Scripture quote I learned as a child. But it is true for all people of faith - even people with very secular non-God points of view that how one views a situation greatly impacts how the situation is handled. My response to this question last year alludes to my trepidation about the then possibility of Trump being elected; trepidation which sadly only increases daily now that possibility became a reality. Yet, I must hold to the idea that I have the ability to not let trepidation and fear overwhelm me. I can strengthen that resolve by surrounding myself with people who believe in our collective will and power to truly commit to promoting ideas and performing acts aimed at tikkun olam- repairing our broken world.

I fear Alzheimer's and I'm not letting it limit me at this time. I'm starting a MIND diet to address, getting back to walking/exercise, fund-raising for a cure.I have a living will. I need to create a 5 wishes type of advance directive for informal use.

As arrogant as this feels, I think I am most afraid of my own success and potential so I may take steps (consciously or unconsciously) to dampen certain opportunities. Acknowledging stuff like this is 3/4 of the battle, so I plan to talk to my partner about keeping me accountable and noticing when I might be headed to a self-sabotage place.

I worry for the future of my country In view of the current political atmosphere. I worry that ethics, civilized living, honesty, Kindness, etc etc Are endangered by having in our now-tarnished White House a boor and a Bully for whom money is the Main Thing. How much Money need one person have? Why is that his most important thing? Extending to his hotels, which benefit in unseemly ways from his doings in the White House; sickening. I'm disheartened all the more Appalling, That a family member of Mine voted for him; & this has upended my feelings about Him and his wife. At a loss. Hard work To keep my mouth shut when in their Company!

My fear of conflict (no matter how minor) has limited me all my life. No more. I'm not always comfortable with conflict, but I'm determined to sit with it and not run away.

I fear failing to realise my potential. It has limited me because I always feel I should be turning my attention to something better, something more true to myself, so don't follow things through. I think if I just accept that mothering is the thing that I should be really good at this year, then I won't be afraid that I'm not doing well because I'll be devoting my whole self to it.

Ironically enough, I let go of last years fear. As for this year's fear, it's that I will be alone now that I've moved on. I know that I am a great guy, and that I have a lot to offer in a relationship, but I also need to work on who I am as an individual to not face the same mistakes in my next relationship.

I fear everything involved with daily life that requires asking someone for something important: A job; money; sex. I live in a 24/7 state of fear and anxiety.

I don't think it's a fear but I tend to ignore problems until they become nearly insurmountable. I'll probably ignore it. Kidding! I don't know what I will do. If I knew I probably would've fixed it already. Therapy may help. So I hope to go to therapy.

The fear of dying alone. Not knowing or having love. A 'one person'. Also, fear exiting before my affairs are in order. How? Proverbial "clean house". I think I'm slowly working that way - with letting some things go. While not a massive effort, it's in the right direction. Recognizing the letting 'things' go might make room for what is really wanted.How do I plan to? One step at a time. One bag or box at a time. And take less calculated emotional risks. No risk no gain. I want gain.

I’m scared my anxiety is getting worse. I’m not scared of having the anxiety or how to help myself - it’s not about the societal stigma of it. It’s the anxiety itself. It’s overwhelming and it reduces me to a completely helpless mess. I feel helpless. I can’t cope with basic situations. I’m scared of P being with me during it and not being able to reach me. Last time it happened I was completely hysterical and scared and I couldn’t pull myself out of it. I don’t want that to keep happening. I had an idea about starting to draw it. I’m hoping that plus a visit to my dr might help.

I'm afraid of a lot. Losing a loved one. Never being able to have children. Not being able to afford children...or life in general. Getting old. But I don't think it limits me. In fact, I think it inspires me to live more fully and be proactive, where I can, in preventing the things I fear. I plan to continue walking forward slowly, carefully, with patience, gratefulness, and love. No matter what.

I have overcome some of my fear of flying this year...hoping to build on this more. My general fear has continued to reduce, I'm feeling much more at ease in life. My fear of spiders remains crazily high however....jeez those legs and the scuttling speed. I think I've just accepted they scare me witless and hope I don't encounter many.

It's the same fear as last year, same fear as always -- that I have no business trying to write fiction, let alone a novel. That I'm mediocre at best, a flop at worst. Can you flop if you don't even publish? Aagh. I plan to keep on trying, keep on writing. That's really all I can do.

I can be afraid of rejection and other people's thoughts of me. In general I just don't like looking stupid or I end up assuming that other people are thinking negatively about me. This means that ultimately I don't take the right social risks, I care too much about irrelevant things, or I end up getting into a sad, pity me, mindset. I plan to not care anymore about things outside of my control. To do this, I will evaluate what does matter to me, what I can control and remind myself to stay focused on that when doubt creeps in. It's my life and I have to own that. I need to be open to whatever is out there and the outcome. I don't want to breathe negativity into my story.

I have a fear of losing my business due to circumstances I did not have the sense to see coming. I don't think it has limited me. I have a fear of my cancer coming back. I don't think it has limited me.

I've been going through an existential crisis for what seems like forever. I want to overcome that shit in the worst sort of way, because it's sucked the flavor out of so much. I'm scared that I'll never get beyond it and that it'll consume me. I'm either going to need to take up therapy again or find some other way to dig myself out. Meditation is helping, but I think I need to rediscover the things that give my life meaning and make those things a routine part of my life--in a way that doesn't rob them of their sacred nature by becoming ordinary.

For such a long time, I had a fear of failure. It was only in this past year that I realized that throughout my life, I will fail many, many times. And that is ok. What matters is not that I fail but that I try and try again.

I have been more afraid this past year than in many years previously. Many of these fears are global--that our rights as Americans are disappearing, that our government and democracy itself have failed, that our environment is beyond repair-- and have left me feeling that any effort I make toward personal growth or professional improvement are nothing relative to all the brokenness in the world I cannot fix. Other fears are more individual. In particular, I worry that I do not have the energy to reach my goals, even if I have the talent and a plan. This year, I am committing myself to taking baby steps every day, even if some days in the dark of winter I can only manage fifteen minutes or an hour of work.

I'm constantly what-if-ing everything. Like one small action i going to be catastrophic for my life. I'm doing better, but it's definitely a process.

My biggest fear, at this point, is losing my job. I need to hang in there another 2 - 3 years to be completely comfortable with our retirement - but I do NOT feel respected in my position, and there is no other position that would allow me to work from home. So I have to keep 'sucking it up' to stay put. But sucking will only work for so long. If you're not respected...you're not respected.

I have a fear of seriousness. It may be rooted in selfishness or a general lack of ever making long term life plans. Now there's someone who wants to start goingnne distance with me, and it's scary and exciting. I just need to trust my instincts and know that I can commit and still stand up for myself.

I can't actually believe it but I still fear saying most of what I think in re standing up for myself when I feel hurt by words or actions of my husband. How often I say to myself, "I am out of here" instead of saying out loud, "ouch, that hurt" or coming up with something adult to say that is my truth and on my side of the street. From the outside people think we have a great marriage and we do. But, I do not let on how often I feel unhappy.

Fear of nuclear war (vague but terrifying). Fear of climate change, roaring back because of Trump and ice melt and devastating hurricanes. Fear of environmental degradation. Fear that we're headed, if not for nuclear war, than for another world war. Fear that we're repeating the past, but this time it's Muslims, or Latinos, or some other group instead of Jews. Fear of the crazy masses embracing nationalism, racism, anti-immigrant prejudice, gun violence and hatred. Fear that my children will have a future filled with unspecified suffering. I've pushed all these fears to the background and try to live my life, but reading the newspaper is a daily test. I have no idea how to overcome it. I used to think it was a personal issue of obsessing about things that are out of my control. Now I think these fears are reasonable and ever more justified. How to constructively respond to the challenges of the world? It's the question of the year.

The fear not of failing myself, but rather of failing my students, often presents me with a lot of angst that gets in the way of me solving problems and thinking creatively and constructively. The fear of not being prepared causes me to stress about things when I don't have time to prep; I need to rely on my improvisation skills and trust myself that I'll bring it when the time comes, even if I have to create it in the moment. The fear of being ugly, or plain, not something worth looking at, can make me feel like I exist "less" than I used to; at the same time, however, letting go of this idea that I'm going to be some kind of art piece for the appreciation of society allows me to exist for myself in a different way. How to let these things go? It is a mysterious question. More and more I take a composite approach to fear. I listen to it. I consider where it is coming from, why it has shown up, what it is trying to do. I take an approach where I try to address those needs so the fear can subside. But I also question those motives, and at times have to supersede them. I have to evaluate and adjust my merit systems. It will be impossible to let go of invalid merit systems if I don't invest in creating good ones.

I have a fear of losing the respect and love of my children, things are so different now and with one in particular we have very different political views -which surprises me. I am not sure how to let it go or how to overcome it when I feel so strongly that Trump is a negative influence for our country and have a difficult time understanding why anyone, let alone my own flesh and blood could be so supportive. I'll have to work on this probably more than anything this coming year.

i fear that i won't do well in school and as a result I wont reach my full potential career wise. When ever a test/quiz comes around i get very anxious and begin to block out those that i love. I also begin to eat unhealthy foods and stop exercising, which only worsens my mood. my phone and social media distract me while I'm studying which forces me to study late into the night. this cuts into the time i could be spending exercising or with friends/family. Hide my phone somewhere while im studying.

I've always been fearful about further rejection from my birthmom but I got the guts to send her a letter during rosh hashanah and really sit with that fear and face it head on. I hope I hear back from her but it eill not conpletely destroy me if she doesn't want to communicate.

I am afraid that I've been out of the workforce too long for anyone to take me seriously and hire me. I'm overcoming it by joining LA Fellows and just going for it!!

I think I write the same thing for this question every year and it really is my fear of not being liked. But maybe it isn't that. Maybe it is a fear of not feeling like I belong and continuing that search for a feeling of belonging. I have a great family and two great communities of people: my work and my workout place. I know that I'm well liked, but yet I still struggle to feel like that's true. All I can do is keep working on what I am working on, which is changing the dialogue in my head and working to continue to grow in this area and keep trying to develop strong confidence.

I think one of my current fears surrounds employment. With having to take corporate finance in the summer, I am a bit worried that I will be miserable over the next summer (worried that this is a self-fulfilling prophecy). A few thoughts on this: 1. Get a bike in the spring and then bike to Brandeis to harness the power of both exercise and the sun...something I love about summer. 2. Try to find some kind of summer employment that involves working with kids to quench that thirst. 3. Give myself a break next summer!

My deepest fear is of rejection. It has limited me in so many ways and caused me to react is strange and inappropriate ways in so many situations. I hope that through a mindfulness practice and daily habit, I will be able to let it go in the coming year.

I fear not being good enough. Sometimes I feel like everybody else knows what they are doing or what they are talking about, and I feel stupid and helpless. However, I know I need to recognize that there will always be people better than myself, but what is important is not others, but the betterment of myself. I want to do it for me, not for others.

I fear death, losing people I love to death or to other circumstances, being unsuccessful, failure, suffering, people I love going through cruelty, heights, insanity, succumbing to mental illness, time, loneliness, the internet.

I've been afraid of the general spread of fear and hatred that has been seeping into this country, and has been pushed hard by its leadership. I've been fighting it passively and actively, but I also need to let it go so I can continue forward on my path. A simple daily reminder to only give it the few minutes it requires and nothing more would be a great solution. That way, I can continue my own personal development.

I fear losing my relationships. I fear losing the friendships that I used to hold so dearly. I fear that the people who I have impacted will forget me. It's limited me because I don't create relationships in fear of losing them. I plan on stepping out of my comfort zone and try to make new relationships.

I have a fear of failing. This has limited me because I just don't try things or self-sabotage.

In 5777 I have been diagnosed with general anxiety. Any of my fears has limited me. I want to over my fears with trust especially with my family.

Fear of judgment. Fear of abandonment. Fear of others thinking I am something I am not.

Definitely have a fear of failure (just like last year!) I'm proud that this year I have overcome that fear and started my own business. I still fear not getting everything right all the time, but I'm finding there is so much to learn that I can't possibly do everything/learn everything all at once. Trying to accept that the whole thing is a work in progress.

I think my fear can be categorized in my health -- physical and mental. My eyesight is deteriorating very slowly as well as my physical health is showing signs of aging problems. My knees and lung capacity have affected my participation in household maintenance and travel. I have seen my father digress into dementia before his death and my sister is currently suffering from dementia due to brain injury/trauma. My mother suffered from eyesight loss the years before her death. I need to overcome my procrastination on exercise and research what I can do and how to expand my capabilities.

I have a fear of not being good enough, of not knowing enough, of not knowing how to help those I love to have the best quality of life possible. My parents are great people and they have done so much for me. I want to do my best to honor them and care for them. My mom is a nurse and she is an amazing, smart, strong nurse with lots of experience. She may be retired but she is still so knowledgeable. I am also a nurse but I don't think I could ever be the kind of nurse my mom was...I provided direct patient care for a short time and I simply do not have the experience to care for her as she has for me. I try my best and will always do my best but I'm afraid that one day it won't be good enough. My mom has recently had surgery and has had difficulty through the recovery. I have had to confront this fear head on...I know that I can handle whatever the emergency may be...I always do. But I just love my mom so much... So how do I plan to deal with this? Well, I have a little more confidence just having gone through this challenging time, her being discharged and then back in the hospital...figuring out how to work her insulin pump and how to change it...even going through a hurricane and having to go without power for 18 hours. It's all been like nursing boot camp. Part of me thanks G-d for showing me I can do this and the other part of me gets angry with G-d...as I know there will come a time that no matter who is around...I won't be able to have her stay. I haven't had to confront these issues since my grandparents died when I was in high school/college. I think I need to plan with my parents & siblings, explicitly, in writing, what their wishes are regarding an advanced directive and living will. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, the way they feel is appropriate and we all need to listen and acknowledge my parents' wishes. No matter when, I will miss my parents when they die. But I want them to know that I will always try to do my best, respect them for the individuals they are, and provide them the care they have always shown me.

Losing my vision or mobility due to MS. Exercise more and more self care.

I'm afraid of feeling foolish: embarrassed, stupid, rejected and regretful all in one. So I don't submit my photos to magazines or competitions or web sites or even coffee shops. It never feels good enough to me, and so I never want to have anyone else see it and tell me it's not good enough. Showing my work somewhere was my goal for this year. I wasn't proactive about it.

That I am missing out on a different life with someone else. I am getting better at putting perspective on the relationships I had and why they wouldn't have worked. Time has been helpful and I hope it continues to be. Right now I hope to continue what I have been doing because it seems to work, albeit slowly. And I need to spend more time appreciating what I have now. Sometimes I have to experience other things to appreciate the contrast between them and what I have.

I've been afraid of being alone, and so have put up with things (not abuse or terrible things) simply to have someone "there" for me. I have come to accept being ignored or having my simple relationship requests distained or denigrated, or having him respond by ignoring me for days. I don't feel supported, but rather that I have to support him. I've been making progress on being more grounded, standing on my own two feet, appreciating the other people who support me in my life. I don't know, this is a tough one.

I'm so ready to be over the fear of being fat. When I weigh a little more it can cause me to feel unattractive. And I don't enjoy food as much when I'm worried about weight--the old anorectic mindset creeps in. Instead of apppreciating my healthy body, I find fault with it. I can remind myself that I am almost 66 years old and have been slender for all of my adult life (except during pregnancy). I can ask myself if there are other causes of my anxiety that manifest as fear of getting fat. I can say to myself: No one is going to tease me about my body now. I can remind myself that I am well loved and attractive to those who love me. Time to let go of this old stuff from early adolescence.

I don't really have a fear...of anything, really. Though I do fear that when I devote my energies towards someone or some thing, I was a bad judge of character and they just weren't worth my time.

I honestly can't think of a fear I currently have. Just the usual one, that I will miss out on something amazing.

I worry about my children, grandchildren getting hurt. I can usually stifle the feeling but sometimes it feels oppressive. When I go to sleep I have a quiet quick mediation that seems to hold the panic back. It is a struggle but I will continue to talk myself down. I will attempt to be realistic in my outlook and continue to plug ahead. It is a scary world.

I am afraid that I’ll be financially ruined and lose my home. I avoid facing and doing what needs to be done to catch up again with my taxes. In the coming year, I’ll talk to my therapist about it so she can help me overcome my fear and do what needs to be done.

I am afraid of failing and it has caused me to NOT achieve those things that are important to me. I plan to try to let that fear go and work toward completing my undergrad degree despite being 'advanced' in years.

I fear the future of our country; I don't want to go to war. I don't like the way the world feels like it's crumbling. Let's pick up the pieces and work together.

I fear being irrelevant to the people I love. The only cure for this that I can think of is to make myself available to those in my life and to show them everyday how much they mean to me. I have three (now elderly) aunts who I have very distant relationships with. They have always been in my life, but I've never felt close to them. As a woman with no children but several nieces and nephews I see the distant relationships I have with my aunts and I want to make sure it never happens with my niblings. More so now than before because they are teenagers and young adults and I want to form that adult friendship bond with them rather than the adult-child family bond.

I have a fear of being alone and staying alone. I am in the process of overcoming it and doing more and more things that I enjoy alone. I would love to share them with someone but ultimately I will be doing my life with myself so I should learn to enjoy my company.

I fear being alone. I fear missing out. It has limited me by keeping me constantly busy, on the run, distracted, engaged with other. Making some time to be with me. Learning to do down time.

A superficial fear is what if I lose all the weight and peiple don't like me. A real fear is husband telling me that if I pursue my faith, he will divorce me. Jehovah's Witness

Fear of losing my memory. Eating right, exercising, being happy.

My fear is being captured by the same abuser .this causes me to not trust anyone,i cant see a way to let it go.trust is earned overcomeing it would be me learning to recognize and study my path. I realy think that will keep me safe.

I am afraid of teaching yoga or finding a studio to teach yoga because I have no experience. I need to find a place to volunteer/ donate my teaching services. That's why I wanted to do this in the first place. Find the TBI community. Speak to some veterans. Ask if I can donate free classes to the synagogue. Something.

Fear of being a fraud. I want to get to know myself (selves) better and create a reasonable perspective, not one based on negative stories I tell myself.

One of my biggest fears I have already had to face and conquer. I feared that my grandpa would never see my get married. It seems silly to think, but I know he would have been so happy to see me walking down the aisle in the church his family built. However, he died this year and I was no closer to marriage than I ever was. Instead, I had to think of all the reasons why my grandpa was proud of me: the first grand kid to graduate from college, the only one to have two masters degrees, buying my first house, and having the courage to leave home to pursue my career. Did he want me to live the in the family area? Absolutely. But he was also proud that I worked hard and achieved the goal of using my education degree. Now, I fear two things: 1) I will get "stuck" professionally. While changing job titles is scary, I will be trying to expand my professional wings as best as I can this year. 2) Growing old and dying alone. Kids were never a top priority for me, I would love to adopt but I don't want to do it on my own. However, the deeper fear to that is that I will never find a partnership like my grandparents or parents have. I thought I had found one, but then he broke my heart. So hear I am, at, almost, 31 wondering what life will look like for me in the next couple of years. Do I stay in Louisville? Do I try out a new city? Or does my approach to my personal life need a massive overhaul? So I am going to have to use all the wisdom I have and can find to get me through this patch of life. And keep reminding myself: I am worthy and my love is worth the fight.

Same old, same old. I don't always do what I know to do; I don't take the steps I know that need to be taken. I really want to overcome this and live up to what I think my potential is.

fear of being over weight... it does hinder me from doing things.... i have used is as an excuse to not do things... I am glad i am losing some now... i need to press into better eating habits... no late night eats...

I fear failing at getting published. Who doesn't? But it prevents me from some of my best writing. I'd like to run with the theme of letting go of what I cannot change and simply try.

I fear success and failure. It has paralyzed me me whole adult life. This year I have allowed myself to succeed at a few things. This coming year I'm going to set a few more slightly harder yet attainable goals and keep succeeding!!!

Same exact fears - dying alone. And by "dying" I don't mean the last moments, I mean the last years as well. Doesn't limit me.

My fear is being lonely. I have been thinking about moving out for a while now. I am an independent person. I am hoping I will feel more fulfilled living on my own. I am going to take the leap of faith and move out!!

Driving the classic cars. I will master the manual transmission and drive them next year.

I definitely have a fear of failure. Sometimes my perfectionistic tendencies get in the way of me being able to finish a project or doing it in a more timely manner because I want it to be perfect. I need to embrace the theory that sometimes "good enough" is ok. Also, I need to know that doing my best is already wonderful and I'm doing great work, just by doing things.

Fear of driving has limited my independence Practicing every Sunday to get my G2

I have no fear today. My fear before was based in forgetting that I am a powerful human being. Today, I have no doubts that I can get what I want and that I deserve it.

My fear is related to my childhood - I allow bullies to have power over me - I am good at fighting for others, but no so good for myself. Working on it through EMDR - I hope this will clear me over time and allow me to put more energy toward positivity and finding my purpose.

Oof... fear... I've had a lot of fears. I think the fear I most need to let go of is the fear of letting myself experience pleasure. I've made a lot of progress on letting go of that fear over the last few months, and it is a continual process. I need to embrace the things that I truly want, instead of what might feel good in the moment.

I have a few fears that are all related to the same thing. 1) I fear that I don't have enough, or the right, skills to move forward in my career as quickly as I'd like. And, 2) the money it would take to acquire those skills is too much at the moment, and I'm afraid it will take too long to earn enough to pay for the programs I need. So, 3) I fear that I will not be financially stable in time to have a family. And so, 4) I fear this will affect my relationship with my boyfriend. I know he will understand if I explain it to him, but I don't want it to scare him. I'm not trying to pressure him into anything, this is about me and my goals, and it's a huge bonus if he wants to continue to be involved in my life, and I will adjust my goals to balance with his. I also don't want him to think I'm prioritizing work and money over him.

I spent a lot of time over the last year feeling anxious about childbirth. You would think since this was the second time I would have been less nervous. I certainly worried less during the pregnancy but was still very worried about the actual birth. Perhaps because the birth of my first child was long and challenging. I did what I could to ease my anxiety. I made sure to read about labor and childbirth, prepare a birth plan, and select practitioners that would respect me and my wishes. But I was still anxious at various times about a vaginal birth, a c-section, and in induction. The ironic thing is I didn't spend any time worrying about what came to pass which was that early on during the induction the baby's heart rate dropped and I was wheeled off for an emergency c-section. They knocked me out and baby was with us within five minutes. I am not planning to have any more children so I should not have to face this particular fear again. Fortunately my intense anxiety about birth does not seem to be shifted to some other area.

I worry about my finances. I am 49 and after divorce, and the resulting bankruptcy. Then on to building back up, and then the economy downturn resulting in a lay off. I am finally getting back up again. I'm gun shy, unsure of how to proceed but I have to move quickly to secure my future stability. It is terrifying.

I fear the people in both my personal and professional life making bad decisions and I vocalize that fear often. This is only occasionally useful in preventing disasters, but mostly it’s just a Cassandra complex. I’m working on letting go of those things that are either inconsequential or completely beyond my control and using more effective tools of persuasion than blunt entreaties.

I fear outlining my fixed income. I also fear outlining my teeth and my wits. I'm not sure whether I can overcome these fears.

I have lots of fears but I guess none of them take up as much space in my psyche as the fear that I am not a good enough mom to my kids; that I am going to fail them in some spectacular way. It's a fear mixed with guilt and shame that I'm not doing enough for them; that I should be engaged and focused on them always, enriching their every waking minute and preparing for them while they nap. That I am doing them a permanent disservice by not doing every little thing I can for them. The pressure of that fear overwhelms me, and in a sort of catch-22, makes me withdraw and do less than should (or is that the fear talking again?). I have to keep reminding myself that it is my job to teach my children independence and self-reliance, and that the way to do that is to let them do things for themselves. I also want to teach them that perfection doesn't exist and its search is a weight that will drown you. In a way, I need to get comfortable with doing less in order to teach them the most important lessons.

I am afraid of losing time with my girls, so I haven't completed the divorce process. I need to complete the process in the New Year, after Christmas.

I've afraid of rejection. It really limits what I'm willing to do because I don't want to look stupid. For example, I wanted to play MTG at a LGS, but was too afraid to go by myself. Luckily, my brother wanted to play so he convinced me to go with him. I found a group I liked and now I go by myself. I would like to overcome it. I think one of the best ways to do that is to pick on activity or thing that I would like to try a week and then do it. So if I want to climb, let's find a place and go do it. If I want to ski, I can do it. I've got the money to afford to do whatever I want, so let's do it. If I could find some good friends to help me, that would be very beneficial as well.

Fear of loneliness. It makes me think that I'm bad at being social sometimes. Which is a cycle. I tried to get jobs that make me be social, and I'm meeting great people. But are they friends that can last a lifetime?

I actually want to talk about what just happens in the middle of my 10Q this year which was kind of scary. I went to the ER with abdominal pain. Was lying on the floor in the robotics room next door to my room and Had to be carried out of school on a stretcher. Through 30 hours in excruciating pain (all I could say was ow... ow... ow...and I couldn't even really make eye contact with people), they finally ruled a bunch of thugs out. It was not a kidney infection. It was not an OB/GYN problem. They did two scans because the first one did not show enough. I had needles in me up the wazoo. I had to drink terrible tasting stuff. I had teams of doctors coming by to check on me including the surgery team. The second scan showed what was wrong I had an internal hernia in my large intestine. It was cutting off blood supply to the rest of it and causing some of the tissue to die. No one knew what had caused it. Perhaps it had always been there since birth and was only now causing trouble. Anyway, the surgery team said they'd have to operate immediately. I'd never been under anethesia before. It was scary. But they walked me through it and I woke up and I was kind of amazed. I had a big dressing on my belly and a tube down mt throat. And I felt so much better. So now I am in recovery. I am 34 years old and never had ANY health issues before. When they opened the dressing yesterday and I saw the incision, I gasped. It it huge. It runs from my belly button to my lady parts. All this is to say I think I have been trough some scary stuff. And you just do it. What other choice do you have? I try to avoid risk when I can but also take a healthy approach and still have fun in life. This thing felt random. I have always been thankful for a working body, and I still am--provided I recover properly. I am a little scared I won't recover properly... my family has been absolutely wonderful. I love them all so much. Mike is currently sleeping in a cot next to me. Angela and my dad have been here for extended periods each day. Bruce and beth dropped off food. Everyone is sending love. So I feel sad but also gratitude for all of the wonderful people in my life who love me.

My biggest fear is losing my parents. They will be married for 62 years this Dec. 6th and are realtively healthy for their age. I moved back in with my parents in 1998 after Cheryl passed. It was suppose to be for a short period of time, however, I am still here. I love being able to kiss Mommy and Daddy as much as I want to everyday. What I hope and pray for is whenever it is their time, they don't suffer and that I have that someone special in my life to help me get through the grief. I also want to celebrate their lives because they are 2 amazing people. It's been way too long since I have dated and I am excited to get started. I will also work extremely hard to get this business off of the ground. I will give it 200 plus energy to make sure the business successful. I want to make enough money to start saving for retirement, fix things in the house, hire a company to completely overdue the yard and buy Mommy and Daddy a new bedroom set. I am so blessed and thankful for the amazing parents God gave to me.

This question is terrifying and I won't respond to it Ok CONFLICT I NEED TO FUCKING GET OVER MY FEAR OF CONFLICT IT IS RUINING MY LIFE

My achillies heel is my terror of being trapped. It wraps its tentacles around my lungs and chest, and squeezes. It renders me helpless and unable to do ANYTHING properly or think or focus until I feel UNtrapped. I have been feeling this terror most of this year, and most horribly the past three months. I'm trapped in my worst nightmare.. I feel trapped in Perth. Unable to find a path back to London. Unable to just leave Deloitte and shake the tree of opportunity. Unable to move out of my giant apartment. Unable to move forward and away. It's been utterly suffocating. I try to unfocus on it just so I can function, but then I'll re-remember, and the oh-holy-god feeling comes back. What this means is that I can't enjoy the here and now. I'm not blind to the face that I live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. My view from south perth is stupidly beautiful. The beaches and coastline are indescribable. But while I feel trapped here, it's merely a guilded cage. When mum was here a few weeks ago she kept saying how beautiful the city was, and I resented it every time. I-fucking-know-its-beautiful-but-i-fucking-resent-my-padded-cell. And I hate the person I've become. Unhappy and bitter and always looking for the exit. I want to enjoy my time here, and make the most of living in such an incredible part of the world. I hope that I find a way to feel untrapped so that I'm free to feel happy and content again. If that's a job worth staying for, or a move back to London, I don't care. Because this feeling of terror is awful, and I know I'll miss Perth one day.

I have few fears. However, I am afraid that I will leave my family a disorganized estate. I want to update my will and I keep putting it off. I suppose that is part of denying my own mortality. But it is very important to me that my son or other family members don't have to take on a big mess to sort out as I had to for my son's father. i can overcome this fear by getting on with getting my estate organized, updating my will and getting rid of any surplus material goods.

Maybe I am starting to think that I am actually getting older now. A few grey hairs here, appreciation for foods I hated before there, and of course the occasional new pain/sore spot. That has planted this seed of doubt in my mind, saying that maybe I should slow down and pursue stability rather than going with my usual eccentric ways. But I want to stay active and stay nutty. And thats what I will do! Times not running out, its just starting up!

I don't think I can answer this. In a good way, because I am afraid, I'm afraid I'm fucking things up for Elliot, I'm afraid that Paul won't be able to deal with his alcohol abuse and depression, I'm afraid that I'm not enough, I'm afraid of Gary, still. But I'm learning to face those fears and just fucking get on with living my best life

I fear connection. Only connect.

9. A fear, or obsession more so, that I have is time. I find it hard to be able to have a day off without a planned out agenda. I think that I have this preconceived idea that my life has to run at full speed or else I am not productive. This does allow me to accomplish a lot, but strips me down to a point of exhaustion. I want to be able to relax on my days off and stress less about what I need to do or where I need to be just to pass the time. I want to live, enjoy that given time stress free. Fully live in the moment with an open mind that will allow peace and positive energy to come in on its own pace. When you free your mind and create open space you allow yourself to find gains that you never could have imagined.

I have been afraid of speaking out - but part of it is that I'm not sure what to say. The vitriol, the racism, the hatred in this country is terrifying. The liberals are smug, the conservatives are condescending. I like having a world where I get to talk with both, and I worry that if I start posting more of my mind, I'll get shut out from both conversations. I'm worried that if I don't start speaking my mind, I nothing will change. I worry that my thoughts are small and don't matter. I am afraid of the hate. My hope is that I'll speak out more - the fear will keep me thoughtful, but won't keep me silent.

A fear I have? At first it feels like I have few. I think more. And new I realise I have many. So many. Swirling below the surface like fish in a murky pond. Of failure. Of repeating my parents' struggles and apparent mistakes. Of failing to provide for a family. Of selfishness. Of my parents dying without me doing the best by each of them. Of never working out a happy space/place in which to work. Of cancer. Of not being good enough. Not imaginative or creative enough. Not diplomatic enough. Not rich enough. Not normal enough. Of people finding out about everything I have ever been and done. Enough. The deeper you step into that pond the more likely you drown in it. At the same time, the more that you deny it is there, the more chance you will unwittingly fall into it. Let's focus on 2: 1: failure, 2: not 'xyz' enough. (1) has limited me by making me hold back at the brink. Making me desist from risking too much and putting too much out there. Of my own true self. I can end up playing in the safe margins of where I think people might like me to be. Pushing at the edge but never diving, detaching, me branching out on my own as I only I am and can be. Overcoming it? Insight. A safety net. Courage e.g. 10 experiments in 10 months. (2) I am how I am. I can work at that. I do. But maybe I need to also practice more radical honesty. Is there an exercise I can do in this space? Find my own voice and express it: publicly, socially, mindfully. To hell with all those people who can't tolerate or connect with it, we're not a good match. Focus in on those places where there is chemistry. And (3) try out something therapeutic. Go see someone or take part in something, outside of myself. PS 4 the dentist...

I'm afraid of being diagnosed with cancer and possibly losing my health insurance because of the current administration. I'm afraid my husband will die because he is older than me and doesn't have the best health habits. I react to these fears counter-intuitively by using ultimately ineffective and harmful coping strategies. I'm going to try to rely on some of my better techniques such as walking, yoga, and maybe more green tea. I would like to get back into a regular meditation practice as well.

I'm afraid to stop moving. To settle down and pick a new place to live and a new job and new friends is just too overwhelming. It feels too suffocating and too final, and I don't have many people in my life who understand that I constantly feel like I'm in transition. I'm afraid I'm going to make the wrong next move and give up this freedom I've had all year as I've traveled. It's selfish I know, but I also feel like I've never lived this hard, and at 32 I can't really go backwards. Living hard is my new mantra.

My fear of my marriage ending is still unthinkably terrible. I hope that Shawn and I are able to find our way. I really really hope that. Therapy and Gottman stuff could help. I'm terrified he won't think I'm worth therapy, which is really on him, but still scares me. Time and date nights and rebuilding trust will help, I hope!

Perhaps I am getting to old for fear...the normal stuff. My fear now is for this country, for democracy, for the division of our people into camps, for the poor, the immigrants and our people of color. I fear for this "pale blue dot," this miracle hung so precariously out in the universe, this marvelous marble for which we have so little regard. I fear for our ignorance, our anger, our egoism...for our souls. I don't think I can let it go, but I must use it to do what I can in the three feet around me, to speak out, to stand up--or kneel--in community with those who are wronged.

Being alone, being forgotten and being unwanted intertwine, forming a kind of mega-fear. It fuels my obsessive checking of social media, and taken away my joy in the present. It's the force behind my interjections that insert myself in conversation as much as my quiet resignations from conversations where I feel not wanted. It's the hesitation and lump in my throat that stops me from going our alone or enjoying a quiet night at home when I could use the rest. I have made some strides on that last point. In the coming ysar, I would like to develop a practice of more purposeful abstention form social media, more intentional alone time, and more conscious forgiveness when others might overlook me. { distinguish loneliness from being alone, intentionally }

Fear of being seen as unreasonable, or unsympathetic to colleagues/ employees can stop me addressing matters as head-on as I should, leading to my frustration, their frustration, the company's occasional stagnation. How will I overcome this? The warm responses to my illness have increased my confidence. I will proceed on the assumption that people expect me to be well-intentioned. I will also ensure that they have the necessary opportunities to voice a counter opinion should they hold one.

Every morning, my husband makes coffee and we enjoy a cup together. We share plans for the day and, more often than not, celebrate our great good luck -- with our kids and grandkids, our home, our relative health. And then he goes for the paper and I wish him luck. He does the same when I leave the house. That used to irritate me -- he's a few years older than me -- until I caught up with him and began to feel equally vulnerable. We could fall, we could have a stroke on the street, etc. etc. I try to march with the gallant ranks of elderly who venture out each day with the same anxieties. As the British say, just getting on with it.

Hmm. I think I have a fear of not living up to my potential. I've already started to let go of it by trying to just focus on the here and now and making decisions that feel right for me. I suppose another fear that I've always had to some extent is the fear of being misunderstood. I know I can't control how people see or think of me and I don't even always care, but there are certain personal qualities and virtues that I hold central to myself and would rather people see and understand those well. In the coming year I'd like to really focus on living my truth and not letting others interfere with that. Just gotta do it.

The fear I have is always not being able to fund all that I'm responsible for and all that we are doing. It is a fairly irrational fear as the money always appears. There is never much buffer but what we need always appears. So this year, I need to relax and trust completely.

I think I still have a wariness of rejection. I can't comment on my success in overcoming said fear. I haven't gone out of my wayouth to be more open or vulnerable to outsiders. I've been opening up to myself. Learning myself. I've unlocked a boss-level comfort in my own skin. I don't judge myself against the success of others as much as I did a year ago. I feel that is the best option for me. I'll overcome my fears by become closer with myself, exploring myself, and loving myself.

I have a fear of loving and needing people more than they love and need me. I have a fear of social situations in Israel. I'm not sure how to overcome these. Maybe just to act as if I'm not afraid, and maybe eventually I won't be. To feel and express my feelings through art, not to obsess about them.

Fear is something that I work continually to bypass. I want to live in trust this year and for the rest of my life.

I am afraid of gaining weight again and I need to stay fit. I need to measure my weight and waist everyday to keep myself honest.

I fear that we are witnessing the beginning of the end of western democracy as we know it. I fear the rise of hatred and intolerance that is blooming in our country and around the world. I plan to focus on the difference I can make within my own small circle of influence. Tikun Olam on a personal scale

I tend to fear change. I fear letting go of the devil I know and trying something new. I fear taking leaps. I have evidence that I can manage change and even that some change is good. To wit, my kitchen. I WILL remodel the bathroom. I WILL welcome and appreciate that change. I will sit on my laurels regarding my job. Or maybe another leap will occur there. Ib nob.

I dread being separated from my husband, through death or I think worse, thru one of us losing our mental/emotional ability. It makes me cry, often in moments when I'm feeling so happy. I can just embrace what is so good right now in our lives and be mindful of that, when I start to feel sad.

Rejection, fear of being rejected by women has led me to not pursue ones that I really like and that I might be really happy with. I think it takes continued action and maybe by listening to my feelings I'll know when I should realy pursue someone.

I have a fear of becoming less attractive and losing favor in all areas. I think it's similar to my brother's anxiety. I think it makes me grumpier than I should be when I don't do things for beauty, I think I spend possibly too much time getting ready in the morning, and I fuss more than I should when I don't like my outfit. I don't know that I can get over this but I do think I can be proactive and "hack" myself into caring less by having clothes I love and going to yoga, which keeps me away from garbage food. It's been challenging having my boyfriend's influence and tech's influence - this is the longest sedentary lifestyle I've had. There are parts of it that are freeing (don't have to bring running shoes on a trip) but I don't think I can shake the fear (it's normal that I have it, I am a woman) so I just need to meet it head on to make the most of my mood and time.

I have feared success. I have no logical explanation. I plan on doing whatever scares me. I know that I am worthy, capable and ready.

I don’t have any fears any longer since my dad had passed. My biggest fear was his holding on to life to increase his days but without having a quality of life. His last days on earth were filled with quality of life and that sets my mind at ease.

I'm scared of playing piano in public and auditioning for certain opportunities (like a pit orchestra) because I'm afraid that I'm not good enough. I have serious impostor syndrome when it comes to piano. I know I'm pretty good, but compared to the people I see play (particularly professional musicians), I'm not that good. I need to remind myself that I am good and that I am also excellent at working hard. So if there is a piece that I really want to play, I can sit down and learn it. Sure, it may take more time than it would for some other players, but when I put on that performance and crush it, nobody will know how much time went into getting it to that state. In addition to practicing, I can also overcome my fear by putting myself out there (i.e. out of my comfort zone) and continuing to push myself. Also, start small! First, play some more open mics. Get together with some friends for more jam sessions. Learn from those. Figure out what more you need to drill and practice. Play for University Players in a show (hopefully) before going to a community organization to see if you can audition for a pit orchestra. Build up to the big goals by starting small and you'll be able to keep expanding your comfort zone!

Fear is a constant presence as I deal with my family and their choices. However, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (phillipians 4:13), and so I take my fears to Him and ask for help.

Haha, still the same from last year, to quote; "Fear of my own abilities, lack of motivation and attention. Learning how to focus, learn to move slowly but continuously." Let's try to continue to work on that.

My fear is my failing health. While in remission I know the cancer exists and I pray and take care of myself and health as best I can. I am just going to keep going in the coming year and NOT GIVE IN, FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

I fear leaving NYC. It limits me because I don't take risks. I keep to my life in NYC and instead of pushing myself to go other places physically, I push my mind. It isn't good for me to stay in the stress and pressure of NYC. This year, I will commit to exploring things on my own and getting the confidence I need to see myself off the island of Manhattan.

I have always had a fear of judgement. It has kept me from being myself and, although I am proud of myself today, I am embarrassed of some traits I've lost because of it. I hope to bring back some traits I've always loved about me and not letting people influence me into hurting others.

Not a fear but a difficulty: It is hard for me to hear things my students from difficult socio-economic backgrounds say and think. About life, women, religion politics. This year I hope it affects me less

I'm scared of failing — what if I go to drama school and fail, and don't have money to live? I've done everything I can to avoid following my dream of being an actor, but it's the one passion in my life that never goes away. It's time to go for it.

Nothing has really limited me. I guess my worst fear would be to have a serious illness. I'm doing what I can to avoid that; I've lost weight, I exercise, eat right, and enjoy my retirement. I also have tests done when I need to (have to get that colonoscopy!)

Fear of success, Fear of failure Fear of not being liked, fear of death... Want to think about this. I'm feeling nervous as we speak. I just bought a ticket for Anja to come up to Vancouver. I'm having second thoughts, I don't know how that's gonna go. I want to fuck her brains out every night and every morning. But I worry about what's expected of me. We're going to chat later today so I want to make that clear when we chat. I'm also deciding to share my life, for reals on Instagram. that makes me nervous. It's the unknown and I want to control. For some reason I started reading horoscopes and signs last night because I noticed that many of the girls I date have my same sign, they're virgo's. Also interesting is that all the girls I've dated and done well with are a sign that virgo's tend to do well with (except virgos, for some reason they work great for me) But Wilka is a Scorpio, Maggie is a Capricorn. Those are the only 2 different ones. Learning that Virgos are very virginal, think a lot are slighly negative but highly disciplined all match me so well and is kind of comforting. I would like to move past the limitations of fear and knowing that I don't have to be and it may just be because of my disposition of being a virgo makes me feel so much better. I'm going to start posting stuff about my life for reals. I'm not staying in a nice place, I'm not hanging out with anyone because I'm focusing but maybe that can be the place I do hang out. For some reason knowing that helped reduce my fear. I have no idea how things will go with Anya, I predict we'll have some great sex, but I can see myself feeling obligated and wanting to get rid of her and getting angry that she's cramping my style. (which is hilarious because I bought the ticket) I think as long as I'm clear in our conversation it'll be fine. This is an excellent chance to make sure I take care of my needs so I can feel good about the time I spend with her. If I'm going to pick a fear to work on this year it will be exposing myself on Social Media. I will overcome it by doing it and getting the data. Just the idea of doing that is exciting to me, cause it's scary as fuck. Kinda cool. I hope by this time next year in addition to my musical being done and produced that I'll have a strong social following of people who don't know me. I don't know how many people that is but I'm guessing it's tougher than it looks. I'm gonna say 1000 followers that I've gained through my posts and updates not through friends, which means I need to have. I just took the first step asking Kristin to have my back and let me know if I post something that is "too much" whatever that means or looks like. I'm starting to get excited about sharing myself. It reminds me that whatever you're afraid of holds your greatest enjoyment and fun. We'll see how this goes!!!! haha I'm already excited! Amazing! I love it! Kram to you!

I am so tired of answering this question. Or maybe I am simply tired of being afraid. I don't know. I am afraid that I am unlovable and unworthy of good things -- affection, fidelity, attention, success. These are old fears, which I have carried with me since I was a small child. I like to explain that these fears trace back to my sexual abuse at age three, but I suspect they are even older than that. My mother tells stories about leaving me alone in my bassinet for entire days as an infant, and about how angry she would get when I would be "happy to see my father" when he got home from work. (Yeah, I'll bet.) In addition to being afraid, it is clear that I have a lot of unresolved anger. I find myself wondering who I might have been had I not been neglected, had I not been abused, had I not been unwanted. But there is another part of me that knows that I can't change any of this now. I can only love myself, choose myself, choose my path forward, and choose to do the work of walking that path. In addition to my fear of being unlovable, I am afraid that I am incompetent. These fears have tainted my job search and cast a pall over all of my efforts. As I have written about in response to previous questions, I get in my own way. I get in my own way, and I am tired of getting in my own way. In reverse order, I plan to overcome by fear of incompetence this year by practicing competence. I plan to write a daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly schedule. I plan to organize myself around daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly goals. I plan to do the hopeful work of getting up and showing up. I also plan to check in with myself about whether I am living in accord with my values, including competence. This can't look like "beating myself up" anymore. It has to be about self-love. Do I love how I am walking in the world? Do I love how I am spending my time and who I am spending time with? Do I love my progress? Do I love my work? Am I demonstrating love and competence in my work? I knew when Janet gave me a copy of "God is a Verb" that what God wants from me is for me to do my highest and best work -- and I knew then like I know now that I have yet to do my highest and best work on this earth. The good news is that I think I have loosened the grip of perfectionism this last year; that I am embracing the art of "done" and "good enough." I do aspire to do work that I am proud of. I don't know how to get around the old fear that I don't deserve to be proud of myself. And here I am going in circles. Regardless, in terms of competence, I intend to make it a practice. I intend to make competence a verb. In terms of my fears of being unlovable and undeserving, I intend to overcome them by looking for evidence that I AM lovable and I AM deserving. I also intend to make loving myself a practice. I have written this in my journal so many times before: It is all a verb. Everything is a verb. Love. Compassion. Growth. Integrity. Competence. God. Myself.

Fear of failure. Know who I am in Christ, how much He loves me, that He knew my failures before I was born and has forgiven them all. Remember the past is past and only the moment counts. Pay attention to what am I doing right now to serve and honor my God. There is so little time left! Is He getting all the glory? Acknowledge and remember that what might look like failure to me, might have been used for God's purposes. If my heart is right in a thing, and I am being obedient, it is not mine to judge.

I have a fear of not being able to take care of self or not having enough money i have fear of being discovered a fraud. It's constant work. No Special tricks. Keep working on awareness.

I have a fear that we Americans are losing our democracy quite quickly. This fear is so real, one not to be "overcome," but to be acted upon, again and again and again. I will not let it go.

I'm not thinking about things like that anymore.

Food. I keep convincing myself that this is the last time I’ll eat xyz and the fear of not having it again causes me to not have it again. It’s silly. It’s irrational. I need to stop.

That I'm not good enough, that I'm an inconvenience to the people I care about. It's limited me because it becomes difficult for me to enjoy something when I'm worried about how the other person is perceiving it. I don't want to force anyone to do anything they don't want to do. I've gotta overcome it.

I do not like to say that I have a fear of anything because fear is opposite of faith and anything not of faith is sin. I do wonder sometimes, because of my wrong choices in the past and what resulted from them, if Rodney is a wrong choice and not from God and that I am going to end up heartbroken or that his length of time in jail will be longer than years I have left. I believe Rodney and this love we have found IS from God and I believe his charges will get dropped and we will get to be together soon on the outside, to get married and serve God together, and live many more years of happiness, until one of us dies. That is what I will continue to believe and thank God for and just live one day at a time. I have concerns about my son and his family also, but I have also prayed and I believe in faith that my prayers are being answered even though I haven't seen it with my eyes yet. PRAISE GOD!!!

Well, my fear(s) have been taken shape of a large ball in my chest for most of this year. A fear that kinda encompasses all of our fears, you know the voice that reminds you how great life is that also means how close death always is too fear of not finding the love of my life before this world implodes, I guess I plan to learn how to overcome the anxiety by learning to live in the now and practice mindfulness and being present more than I already do

I have sometimes been scared to go out and sometimes scared to reach out and sometimes they intersect. I am going to remind my self that I am loved and powerful and it's okay to be scared and vulnerable and that people like me and like hearing from me until I learn otherwise. And if they don't, there are people who do!

I am afraid to feel shame. This is not just because shame is a painful feeling, but, because for me if the shame becomes too intense, it can turn into irrational rage at myself for being shame-worthy, and i may injure my body. So, my brain has quite reasonably tried everything it can to avoid me getting my pervasive basic shame at existing activated. This means mostly, avoidance. Isolating, avoiding being seen, avoiding being close. Hiding, really. I only recently realized this. I am trying to apply how i got over my phobia of driving on the freeway to it. The key components of that were, to first attempt it while with someone I did feel safe with. then, i put in months of practice, increasing how long i was on, and then the amount of traffic, incrementally and consistently over time. Obviously it's less clear how to do this for shame. The first thing i am trying is, taking an improv class. what could be more shame-provoking than performing and having to be seen? yet, improvisors are culturally trained and reinforced to be some of the kindest, safest people to be around. they are inculcated with "yes, and" supporting each other, and people who are mean or humiliating about others' failures aren't well tolerated in the group because improvisers are clear on exactly how harmful that is. plus, if they have any sense at all, they will treat others who fail how they themselves wish to be treated in the inevitable many times they will fail.

I fear I can't find another job and also that I won't keep going on this "changing program" I'm endurig. I plan to letting in go by ahowing myself that I can overcome it and by showing myself that I can do it. Once again.

Fear of failure. I am so afraid of failure! There are lot of things in this life that I haven't seen through, or even started, just because I am afraid of failing. I am starting a business. And I want to go with everything I have on it. If I fail, I need to learn. Then, it would not be a complete failure.

The fear of failure and the worrying about failing at important tasks is always there. I am moving toward an attitude where failure is not an option so that I can focus my full energies on whatever it takes to succeed at whatever task I'm undertaking. I am building up a "can do" attitude for attacking new challenges. Nothing builds confidence like success.

I am afraid I made tbe wrong choice not pursuing theatre. I am realizing I am actually one of those people that can achieve anything they put their mind to, and I think I xould be moderately successful at this point. I keep clinging to a need to be near it and I think it may hold me back. I am going to refocus my efforts and do what I can. Maybe even audition for a show.

Fear of not being enough at work. Im trying to come to terms with my limitations and maybe making peace with them. I’ve recently been discussing this in my coaching sessions with Simone. Not sure if its something so easy to let go. Also a small fear of having kids and I hear so many stories of how couples become distant once there are kids, and I am scared of that, but I hope that wont be our case.

I fear my body breaking down to the point that I can't play sports any more. Never thought that would happen. I plan on fixing joint that can be fixed and getting in better shape to handle getting older. I have some concern about having enough money for retirement, but I usually worry too much about these things.

Fear of being looked down on for standing for democratic principles. The majority of my religious tribe is Republican, and I've often bitten my tongue so keep the peace. However with this new Administration I know that it is important to be outspoken. The true Christian values (of loving our fellow man) are being trampled on by the "alt right", and if I really want to live out my Christianity I will have to take more risks and be more vocal. If I lose friends, so be it. The stakes are higher now.

Now that Trump is our president- no not my president, my biggest fear is he will start wars, destroy our position as a world power, hurt the middle class, and take as much as is possible for himself and the other billionaires. My next biggest fear is he will either step-down or be impeached thus giving us a Pence presidency.

Jeez, where to begin? I certainly have control issues but what I find even more debilitating is the ever worsening anxiety when it comes to any sort of discomfort (like shoes with laces, wearing a belt or tights) and or spaces that I allow myself to be overwhelmed in due to it's location (basements), those involving any sort of sensory overload (concerts, heat, wind, etc.). I would like to educate myself on mindfulness and see if this might help to alleviate some of the stress I feel in situations. If weed continues to aggrevate the situation, I think it is something I will have to eliminate (which is depressing).

Fear of being personally rejected. I can handle my -work- being rejected, but reaching out to high-profile, high-ranking individuals in my chosen field for help just generates resistance. Not as much as it used to. How do I plan to overcome/let it go? Do more of it. But, I'm going to need a plan for that.

My fear is of offending more people than I would like to, and it is a justified fear. I have tried being more circumspect, and will continue making the effort to act on the idea that I everything I think does not have to come out of my mouth.

I'm most afraid to ask for the help I really need, and terrified by either answer. Either I have to give up on a life that isn't working and accept that this IS my life, or give up on a life that isn't working for one that isn't even remotely like this one. I'm not really a fearful person in general (usually quite the opposite), and the struggles of the past year have brought some of them into focus. I guess what I fear the most is losing relevance, usefulness and community standing. I *feel* irrelevant, and that may not be the truth. I fear not finding a way to make my life work without help. I fear listening to the inner voice that wants to give up and just leave. I fear the voice that says stay, too. Still, fear is not what drives me, nor has it ever been. I mean, I just ate pork tacos after midnight on Kol Nidre. It was the best Kol Nidre ever. My congregation is a bike family, and our prayers are the ringing of bells, honking of horns and flashing of lights. And lots of laughter, and teaching children the power of community. That beats shul any day. I don't fear God, I fear the lack of God.

Telling the truth if it's going to hurt someone close to me. I'm close to fearless in my professional life but in my personal life it's much harder for me to stand up for myself and be honest, even with myself. Yoga will help with this and spending time alone. Practice tiny moments of truth and work up to big ones.

I am afriad of failure and I think that is stopping me from doing crazy things. I plan on just jumping into some crazy stuff this year idk

As stated above, my greatest fear is that Donald Trump will do something that fundamentally changes the course of history in devastating ways. I don’t think it is limiting me, and I don’t know how to overcome it.

I fear for my country. I fear for the safety of my children and for my own safety with the blatant surge of bigotry unleashed in the wake of this administration. My daughter and her partner- will they be attacked? My Muslim friends and colleagues: will they be attacked? Everything I am proud of about being Americannhas been brought into question and is under attack. Corruption and brutish hostility rule the day. Things done have taken a terrrible toll and may take generations to undo. The soul of the nation is at risk. That Trump and his grifters and dismantler remain in office horrifies me. In the face of this, I commit to confronting my fears, working for social justice, and using my voice and my vote to advocate for positive change.

I fear the work I need to do to get in better shape. I am lazy and don't want to do it. I need to just commit myself better.

that i am stuck in this. accept my circumstance or change it.

I don't think any specific fear has been limiting me this past year. However, I do think that I am limited (and my life is made harder!) by the anxiety that comes from my perfectionism and high expectations for myself. I'm focused on this right now because I just came from a debate tournament where I did poorly in one round and felt responsible for Malik and I being the non-breaking 4-1; this is not normally something I think about. However, I do think that the amount of stress I feel about being "good enough" (for others and for myself) can sometimes be too much; I think I might be happier if I worried less about disappointing others and that I am a bit too harsh on myself in this area. In the coming year, I hope to release some of that anxiety by reminding myself of the reality of what others can (and can't), do (and don't) justifiably expect from me.

Fear of trusting a man again after loss and betrayal. It has limited me because I avoided getting close to a very appropriate person and although I pay for a dating site, I am reluctant to connect with 95% of the people I see on it. To overcome it, I have to continue to try to be open to meeting someone new and having some faith and hope that there are loving, trustworthy men in my age group who might care for me and be compatible with me.

I’m scared of not beating able to please others. I think another one of my fears is to not be accepted for being my size and ugly. My mom calles pretty but it’s so sad that I can’t really think that of myself. Idk I’m worried

Fear is a difficult question for me. I have had trouble answering this question. I believe my fear of growing old and facing death is now more present since I just turned 70. I found myself with many conflicting feelings - restlessness in my role as mother and wife. More sexual feelings for other men and a tiredness about dealing with my children, neither of whom are fully independent. On the other hand I also at times feel lonely. My husband is still working very long hours and is not home very much, and several of my close older friends are increasingly experiencing some form of dementia. I think this will be a challenging year. I hope to confront these feeling more and resolve some of them.

I have a fear of failing, or at least if not being able to do things perfectly. But it stops me from even trying! I am a very good artist but am afraid to paint. I am very good at the piano but am afraid to play in front of people. I love to teach but am afraid to get qualified as I don't want to be criticized as not being perfect at it when I start my career. It's a huge problem for me as I feel unfulfilled and that I don't follow my dreams. It has led me to being insatisfied in my life and with myself. I don't know how to change though

I have had a fear of a co-worker for more years than I would like to say. She has been vengeful and deceitful with me and with others. Because of my background growing up, this behavior triggers a sense of anxiety and panic in me. She was my supervisor and tried to get me fired for several years. When that could no longer happen, she did other things to humiliate and discredit me on the job. After many years of therapy, I learned to be able to stand up to this coworker, but I still felt terrified of her. Last year, she moved to a different department and I no longer see her on a regular basis. However, I just saw her yesterday at a company-wide meeting, and I had an epiphany. She is afraid of ME. She avoids me, does not look at me and in the past year, she has done much less to try to hurt me. I am not yet sure what to do with this knowledge, but in the coming year, I will want to give it thought. Or maybe it is time to stop thinking about her at all.

I am continually afraid that I don't know as much as those around me - that everyone else is smarter and stronger and more committed than I am. I need to find a way to do some work on that so that I can continue to grow into the best, balanced person I can, at work, as a wife, and as a friend and family member.

I could be wrong but I think I'm scared of change. Which scares me more because it makes absolutely no sense. Ostensibly I love change. But maybe I'm so scared of depression that even a tiny of okayness is better than changing and risking not being okay. Or maybe I'm not scared of change at all which means I can't put my finger on what scares me, and that scares me. Maybe I'm scared of my choices. Scared of choosing. Anyway I want to let all that go, what ever is true of it. I want to be more active in my own life. Emotionally, physically, figuratively, whatever.. I want to take action.

The only thing we have to fear is fear itself .

I need to let go of the fact that failing on day does not make you a failure. I am so afraid of succeeding on one day and then needing to keep it up nonstop that I don't really try. I need to know that failing is just bringing you one step closer to succeeding.

I'm very limited by my own fear of failure. I'm planning to do more to share my clumsiness and my efforts, my attempts. I plan to let myself fail in small ways to prove I can survive it.

My fear is that the world will be destroyed for my children. It hasn't limited me all the much. But that is where I concentrate my activist efforts. It saddens me. What is wrong with people?

As Ted Mann used to say, I just need one more big challenge and success. Me too. I think it is about money, but also I think I need to know all these years of entrepreneurship were on the right track.

That flying thing is still the proverbial "fly in the ointment" pardon the pun...but now my fear is for my children!!! And this world

Fear of success....in the coming year I intend to just do it! Whatever IT is! No fear. I've only got this one life to live & I fully intend to live it.

I fear losing sight of who I am and what I want out of life now that I'm with someone that I want to spend the rest of my life with. Our drives and interests are different in many ways and I fear it'll get to us eventually. I hope in the coming year we can both find ways to compromise so that we feel fulfilled in life and supportive of one another.

sometimes i'm afraid i'm not human, that i won't ever understand or be understood. i'm not really afraid of that, it just is the way of being alive. I also fear I don't work hard enough, sometimes it's true, there's just so much to do

My fear of vulnerability still limits me in many ways. I think the best thing to do is to just dive in head first and be honest with others and in my writing

I really like my answer from last year still: I am afraid of being dismissed and unneeded. I fear that my children and husband (and sometimes my friends, extended family, and various communities) won’t want me around or aren’t interested in the things I want, do, think or feel. I fear that I am not contributing enough, not making an impact, and not helping the world be a better place through direct action. I fear that I will have no legacy, nothing that people will remember me for or share with pleasure and fondness after I am gone. I plan on continuing to wrestle with these fears by loving more and reminding myself to be my best self even when it feels like no one cares or no one is watching (faith not fear!) I will keep speaking my truth in various ways and I will keep helping wherever I feel like I can help. I will add to that answer that I will keep reminding myself of all the good things in my life that I am grateful for (crap or cone/blessings not burdens) and I will continue this year to take it easy and subscribe to the oxygen mask theory of self care without feeling guilty about that.

Imposter syndrome. Getting there.

My fear of conflict, not having validation, not being liked - patience, compassion, peace are what I seek to develop more. I worry that when I am giving I am taken advantage of - I believe I have not fully sought ways to be tolerant and compassionate and strong and safe simultaneously.

Last years answer still rings true. I'm afraid to rock the boat, so I accept things instead of insisting on the actions that could make them better. It's easier just to let the status quo go on, but it has made me unhappy quite frequently. I have fear of being stuck in my less than ideal position, unable to get out and force change.

Fear of failure, fear of never enough. The antidote is to celebrate victories, and to keep working to prove my self wrong, and also to accept "good enough" --- to allow my self the proper healthy growth space to achieve my dreams.

Being TOO mean. And I'm not even sure why I'm afraid of this. Maybe because I'm worried that it means I'm a bad person? Probably from social conditioning? But I really need to be firm about boundaries, and if mean is what it takes, then that's what we'll be doing.

I fear failing among my peers professionally. This makes me less daring in some ways and also prevents me from making the choices that I really want. I'm not really sure how to overcome it but I will try to remind myself more that no one really cares so I shouldn't care what anyone thinks either. Life's too short and I'm too old.

I think I've discovered that my greatest fear is being abandoned by people I love and care about. I think that acknowledging this is going to be instrumental in shifting and changing this.

Fear of failure has held me back my entire life. This year I will step out and try more without worrying about failing.

I have a constant fear of failure. A fear that even with the next degree in Marketing and Social Media Management, that I won't be marketable and I will always be stuck in a dead end job that doesn't lead me to whatever it is that I want to do with my life,

The fear that I have lung disease that we won't be able to reverse. It keeps me from working and totally from enjoying life. I plan to overcome it by being aggressive about getting the right healthcare and by taking care of myself

I fear not being right or good enough so I find it hard to truly met and open up to new people and new situations. This can be limiting in that I close myself off from things that might be rewarding. To overcome this I will just have to practice making that first move. I did that when going to Ghana and that taught me that the hardest step is taking that first step. After that, each step gets easier and reward grows larger. I will push myself to take the first step.

I fear giving up on life. i plan to overcome it by being more genuine in my daily prayer and meditation, continue working with others, spending more time in healthy environments and less time "working".

My fear of vulnerability and rejection has limited me. For months I didn't try at all to date. I am working on it. I bought an emerald necklace that is supposed to help your heart open and stick with the power of vulnerability. On the flip side, I have also been too vulnerable with people who are not actually as emotionally available as they say they are. I'm trying to be more discerning as to who I share myself with, who I spend my time and emotional energy on. Learning when to protect my heart and when to let people in, and who to let in.

Not being good enough. By trying more things I’ve hesitated doing.

I'm afraid that I'm not good enough for my job and that people will figure out I'm a fraud, or incompetent. This year, I'm going to have faith in my education and abilities, and learn to let go of the fear of failure through mindfulness.

My fear has been being undervalued - and not trusting whether it is me or my context. I plan on removing the context so I can see myself in a different context. This will shed light, as the only constant in this change is the me I take with me.

One of my biggest fears is being alone. I used to consider myself an introvert, probably because I was so exhausted after I finished all of my school work and activities that when it came to have social interaction, I couldn't help but feel drained. I now realize that I always feel this intense craving to constantly socialize with other people. When people aren't around in the dorm, I feel this profound emptiness inside. I have been working quite a bit on cultivating inner spiritual health, and I plan to take steps to improve my ability to feel rich and full of life just being by myself. I want to improve my ability to enjoy myself fully without looking outwards for external sources of happiness. I want to put the buddhist principles more into practice and overcome my fear of being alone.

Fear of people deciding I truly am unloveable. My parents were abusive emotionally and otherwise and my trust issues still scar me at almost 39. This year, with my therapist, I will conquer this.

I fear my husband will die and I will have to get my daughter through that experience while I go through it as well and on top of it all be a single parent. I have no idea how to let that go or overcome it as he has cancer and that time can be here any time, but hopefully not for a very long time.

I think I will have to stay with social anxiety. It still lives for me and I don't know if I've really made that much progress in the last year. Much effort must still be made. Still, I am grateful for the close friendships I do have and I think I have grown closer with my daughter in law thanks to Karen's breakthrough conversation with her this Summer.

I didn't ride my bike this year and a lot of the anxiety that I thought I had beat has come back. It's impacted my freeway driving and my social inter actions. My facial sweats have gotten worse and I feel like it is limiting my career. I plan on increseing my physical activity, changing my diet to include more cooling foods and looking into the patch. Acupuncture has helped some.

Some fear about needing something that I've gotten rid of or wasting something that could still be used and filling up the dump with things you've been as simple as a plastic straw that can get rinsed out and used again seems to me to be a weird fear. The best way to let go of it and overcome it is simply take things that are perfectly usable and getting rid of them as fast as I can. Really time to take things to a place that will accept them. If it's the dump or recycle town or food for thought or Freecycle or Craigslist or next door. My plan is to take pictures of the things I don't want and post them on the Internet.

Fear of fear. Of being unloved, of opening up to a new experience or person or to my feelings. Letting go...how do I plan for it? ...when i feel something...do it! Dont second guess yourself. Jump!

Fear of not being "good enough" Focus on my goals, and being present with my family and friends.

A fear I would like to get rid of is the fear of failure/ fear of rejection. This fear keeps me from moving forward and living life to the fullest. I want to expect the unexpected with thankfulness. I want to expect good and move forward believing that.

I'm afraid to say what I want for fear of being rejected. I am going to say it, not make excuses or justify why I want what I want.

I have been working on letting go of my fear of poverty in old age. I have made some progress on this thus far, although the fear has not been fully alleviated. Looking into what my work will be post retirement and thinking about a smooth metamorphosis into that work will answer the fear with thought, action, learning, planning, and hopefully creativity and excitement.

I'm afraid of what other people think and of letting people down. I want to be more confident and self-assured so I no longer need people's acceptance and approval. I need to stop myself from giving a shit about what other people think—I'm almost 40!

Then I'm radio and then I'm television I'm afraid of everyone, I'm afraid of everyone Lay the young blue bodies, with the old red violets I'm afraid of everyone, I'm afraid of everyone With my kid on my shoulders I try Not to hurt anybody I like But I don't have the drugs to sort I don't have the drugs to sort it out, sort it out I defend my family with my orange umbrella I'm afraid of everyone, I'm afraid of everyone With my shiny new star spangled tennis shoes on I'm afraid of everyone, I'm afraid of everyone With my kid on my shoulders I try Not to hurt anybody I like But I don't have the drugs to sort I don't have the drugs to sort it out, sort it out I don't have the drugs to sort I don't have the drugs to sort it out, sort it out Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Soul soul soul soul soul Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Your voice has stolen my soul, soul, soul Soul soul soul soul soul

I'm not afraid of anything day to day (except maybe giant-ass spiders) but I'm just not that brave. I wish I had the chutzpah to travel alone. I'm hoping to overcome that this year, at least a bit. I hope that in the next year I go on at least one trip and that I'm comfortable and have a blast!

I have a fear of being disliked or rejected and it the past I havent always said my true feelings or said something I didnt mean because I wanted to be liked. This year people are going to accept me for who I am and if they dont like me thats too bad I am who I am and I cant keep hiding who I am so someone else will be impressed.

My dear is definitely being scared of what other people think of my actions... Even if I just for a time being so something or wear something... I feel scared that people judge me instantly.. Another fear is definitely being stuck in a job where I don't like it and if I quit I won't make my parents happy... The first fear I plan by listening to my guys and instincts... Other one not really sure how to deal with it... Just go with the flow or if it does happen I'll do something for sure... Tap into my creative side again... 😆😆😆

feeling intellectually below taking steps to further my world views and current events make me feel more up to par

My biggest fear has been that I won't be able to keep the person I love in my life. I'm always afraid of "loosing" him. This year I want to work towards speaking my truth and trusting that IF the person I love is the right person, that my truth and his are if not aligned, at least we can work together to find what works for both of us.

I worry too much. Whatever it is, I make it worse when I over react or over think. Learn to trust things will work out as they will.

Well, the worst happened. I conquered my fear, I stepped up, being that my husband’s eyes are not good, and I finally drove the van. I was not fearful little and then I had a crash, a pretty bad one. I broke my sternum, banged up my legs, and I have been laid up the last month and a half. I have made the decision to drive again because otherwise I will be limited to paying big bucks for drivers because I use a specialized van for Wheelchair.

MY fear right now is that i can't get into the winter program for school to take a class. If i do take the class i worried i want pass it because its a 3 week class. If i don't pass it i wont graduate in Spring and that would suck really bad. I plan to take the class and pass.

I fear losing my job and not being able to get another one making the same salary and offering the same flexibility. I have a fear of not being good enough or worthy of the salary I make and a sense of not knowing what I want to do next or instead. It has kept me from pursuing other career opportunities. Letting go, rather than overcoming it is what I have been focusing on. Instead of being down on myself for not building up a better career I've been focusing on developing other facets of my personality. Bein a better mother, friend, exploring volunteer and performance opportunities again etc.

Two big fears this year: my mum's health, and my relationship with my partner. One or the other (or both) are constantly on my mind, and I don't know how I can move forward with either of them. Maybe I need to spend more time on myself, doing the things I enjoy - but I just can't find the time (or I'm not letting myself find the time).

This is something I've thought about a lot recently. I'm getting older and I don't have family around me so I've got to work hard to have enough money and resources to make my own decisions when I need help. This is because my biggest fear is losing my independence. If I can't choose where and how I live then I don't want to live. I've watched so many older family members whither away in pain and humiliating conditions that I want a 'get out of the world card' ready for when I need it. It's not something I'll let go because I will fight for my independence with ferocity and humour. That's what independent women do.

The fear of making a mistake and trying to jump to something, failing, and needing to pick up the pieces afterwards. Fortunately, this fear is starting to pale in comparison to the fear of not giving it a proper shot. I think I would be more upset of having never given it a shot rather than trying and failing. I think the experiences over the past year has helped me become more comfortable with that fact.

My biggest fear is failure. I was the child in class growing up who wouldn't answer a question unless I was sure I was right. Risking failure was too dangerous. I need to get past this. I have to try things. I have to let others do things and maybe not succeed all the time. I have to put myself out there and see what happens.

My fear right now is pretty much the same fear from last year. I fear that I am a fraud. I will overcome it by facing it every day, by doing what needs to be done on a daily basis, to the best of my ability, and letting the past go. I feel like the tools are in place for me to do this successfully.

I fear failure. I've tried to overcome this fear by being more certain. I'm not sure it's worked.

At this moment, the only limiting fears I can think of are those between me and being fully authentic. Like telling the truth, when I'm afraid the truth may hurt the other person.

I am terrified of doing practical procedures because of my shaky hands. And of how I'm going to survive as a doctor. This has really affected how I approach my learning. The shaky hands I've been working on with medication but I'm going to have to deal with it all pretty soon as all being well, this time next year I'll be a working doctor.

In some ways I think I have a fear of making money and allowing myself to be comfortable. Is that a fear of success? Maybe, but I guess I can work through that as I go... It's a slow process. I want to be rid of this fear of having money, that somehow it is better to struggle financially. I can be humble and good with money as well as without. I deserve to be comfortable as well as any other human. I have resources to not be constantly struggling. I hope I can believe that it's not only ok to have money but can be good as long as I use it well. I'm not sure that I've ever articulate this before. I mean, I even feel guilty about selling clothes instead of giving them away. I need money. My finances are completely strained. It's ok to do what I need to become comfortable. Then I can help others in even more ways.

Growing to old to work and not having enough money to retire on and do the things that I would like to do before I become too decrepit. Change my life style and change my business.

I used to fear failure, now I fear missing out and disappointing myself. I don't know how I'm going to overcome it - I hope I figure that out!

Fear of failure. It's inhibited me in literally anything in life - it won't be good enough, I won't be good enough. I've been working on it lately... Just trying to remember that it's never going to be perfect and just go into it, whatever it is. Just flow. Just let it go.

A fear of being found out... Imposter syndrome! I am feeling particularly doom-laden at the moment. The other night when I couldn't sleep, it was like I was doom island hopping - every time I decided I wasn't going to think about one particular potential disaster, another one would pop into my mind. So here are a selection of my fears: I will lose my job (although - blessing in disguise) and won't get another one. Chris doesn't love me any more. I will make a really bad mistake at work (most of them have been minor thus far) and the consequences will be both far reaching and well known. I'll lose all my friends. Something will happen to my parents or sister. I don't really know how to conquer this! Chris helped me get rid of them when I couldn't sleep by tell me to imagine myself pushing the thoughts out of my body and that worked. Maybe I can find a book or some strategies to help with my anxiety. I don't know - it seems quite difficult to overcome sometimes...

That I won't ever meet someone. I don't know that I can let that one go, but maybe having a child on my own will help mitigate it. I'm trying to "overcome it" by putting myself out there and dating but I've been doing that for years and it hasn't worked. I am trying to be grateful that I'm not stuck in a bad relationship - being single is definitely better than that.

I had a fear that I wouldn't be able to get pregnant, but yesterday that fear was put to rest with. Now my fear is that I don't have a healthy pregnancy, but I am going to work really hard at letting that fear go and just trust God, the midwives, doctors, and myself, that the baby will be okay, that my body is strong and can do this, and if complications arise I need to embrace it as it comes and find comfort in knowing that I will have the support to bring me through the challenges.

I fear that my parents' health will decline while I'm on the other side of the country from them for school. I worry that they will need me but won't feel like they can say so. Even though I tell myself that my sisters still live nearby, I'm so used to being the one who is present all the time that I feel like I'm letting them down! I plan to continue my Sunday phone calls, and coming home whenever I can afford it.

A fear that, ironically, never lessens as you get older is the fear of your coming mortality. It became even sharper this year when next door neighbor Jen died of brain cancer at 42! I was ready for my 98 year old mother to pass because of her age and advancing dementia. However the neighbor went from diagnosis to gone in less than 4 months. What a crusher. I never used to have SADD which effects people who get some depression when days shorten in fall, but I have a bit now. When I lived up north, it was such a part of a north winter that you knew the long grey days would be there. But within a few years of moving to greater Charleston South Carolina with its 275 sunny days a year, I feel the loss of the sunlight in a way I never did. Part of it is the great abundance of sunny days, and part is I am losing yet another year with out curing cancer or writing the Great American Novel. I guess facing it and squeezing more out of each day is the only way to cope.

I fear that Trump, and his cronies, may end up doing some irreparable damage, either by getting the US in a war with N. Korea, appointing a Supreme Court justice who undoes Roe vs. Wade or another similarly progressive ruling, or some as yet unimaginable disaster. I am trying not to let this fear limit me, but rather empower me to protest and work to derail his agenda. I am thankful that there are many others, particularly in my home state of California, who share my fears and want to ensure they don’t happen.

Existential dread of sharing my gifts derived from a long trauma line. A cage that strangles my voice and prayers, and fuels self denigration. Self care as a daily prayer, embracing my daily steps. Finding like-minded community.

A fear that the good stuff in my life is always going to be taken away from me. My shitty job at my old employer went kaput, and I applied for a PhD but didn't get anywhere... but I'm OK with it. I want to be able to just enjoy things without worrying that "I'm not putting my best in", because quite often I just worry about how I might mess up, which stops me from doing things which might improve my life.

Fear is one. As I said last year. It manifest itself in different ways but it is always the same impostor. As I said last year: "It limits your ability to love. Your ability to live. To enjoy the present. To have an adventure. To be truthful and authentic. Love is the antidote to fear." I plan to strengthen my mindfulness meditation practice that I may overcome the illusions of my mind and open my heart to love, let go of fear and pain and give courage and strength to others.

I fear being forgotten, because you forgot me and you yourself were forgotten. Is that all there is to this? Live and disappear? I've become comfortable in the notion that I will record my thoughts and impact the world in the biggest way I can, and leave the responsibility of memory of me to others.

Being irrelevant. Being forgotten by even family. I am not sure how to overcome this. Everyone is forgotten in the end. The most I can do is try to be more creative so that my immediate family knows who I am and what I find important. Try to be more active in their lives.

I am afraid of getting things done. I'm afraid that if I finish or reach a goal then I'm obligated to keep it up and I won't be able to. I'm working on this, and it's getting better. I'm trying to remember that wherever I am, that's where I am, and if I want to work on something I can, and if I don't, that's OK, and if I do it for a time and not later, that's OK too.

even though we are only in our mid-sixties, my fear is having no one to take care of my husband and myself if we both age badly or start getting dementia. we often discuss how to move finances around to ensure that a nearby relative will "sign on" to oversee our needs. not an imminent concern, but we want to have it on the table so there is minimal scrambling should the worst happen.

No fear.

I'm scared of change and the unknown. I'm at a very change-y time in my life right now, having just graduated, but having little direction right now. I'm drifting through life and nearly everything is unknown, so this is challenging me every day. I'm starting a new internship in a week and a half in a state where I've never been, working with people I've never met, and doing a job that I know little about. So the unknown is very present. I'm doing my best to push through the fear, though I'm struggling to feel excited. I'm hoping that during this next year, I continue to take advantage of opportunities that come to me, especially those that challenge me the most.

My fear is the same as last year - that I will be alone for the rest of my life. It has limited my ability to meeting quality men. I tried online dating but to no avail.

i'm sad that 2 grandkids moved away; missing them, and missing the involvement with them, too. Can't wait till things get settled and we/I can go visit them in their new surroundings. Finding time on my hands b/c of this loss; reminding myself not to complain too much - they aren't that far away - it could be much worse!

I struggle with fear of failing, need things to be perfect and worry about saying or doing the wrong thing. Converting to Judaism has helped with this as I have had to learn the prayers in a new language. It is not easy and I am far from perfect. One of the most freeing things was Rabbi Ahuva saying that we should expect to fail; that failing is part of the learning. Need to risk failing more. Need to be satisfied with good enough and done; rather than perfect. Need to acknowledge mistakes and move on, not keep replaying it over and over. So getting the resume and cover letters good enough; getting help with proofreading and then finalizing and sending. This is also where slowing down the anxiety and stress; Despacito - panic, stress and rushing only make it harder. So deep breathing, dive in and don't forget to keep breathing.

I fear losing the love of my life now that I have her back after 7 years. Although things are great, anything can happen. I plan on keeping things new and exciting, keeping the honesty and communication open, learning to trust more and just being thankful for what I already have.

Whenever asked to consider the various fears that I struggle with, I confine myself to trivial fears of physical things such as insects or heights. I am often unable to imagine myself being plagued by more severe, psychological fear concerning my life purpose or my image among others. Perhaps this inability is a fear in and of itself: a fear of recognizing my own fears. I parade through life blind to my fears, even when they manifest as emotions or troubling thoughts; these manifestations are dismissed as moments of ephemeral weakness that does not sprout from any serious problems. This attitude may prove to be destructive in the future, so I hope to dedicate time in my daily routine to addressing this problem through personal reflection and meditation. While answering this question, I struggle to imagine any of the deep fears that are covertly situated beneath this impermeable veil. The blatant reality is that the veil is comprised fear itself. I fear understanding myself and my issues. Throughout the next year I want to develop this understanding stand conquer the fear that hinders my progress towards this knowledge. Often it is said that the first step in almost any process is the acknowledgment of a problem, for how can a solution be reached if there is no problem to solve? Now that I have written about my unwillingness to recognize the imperfections of my character and personality, I can develop an approach to address the issue. Although personal moments of thought are fittingly prescribed by many when one seeks to learn about oneself, I strongly believe that these moments must be supplemented by discussion with others. I am one of many people who carry themselves with a swagger that diminishes others’ opinions. If I hope to see myself and my flaws from a relatively objective point of view, however, I must accept these opinions and reject this egotistical mindset. The ideas of others will build upon my own personal reflections to establish a full image of myself, free of the willful ignorance that blinds me presently.

I live by myself. I have a fear that if I got very ill or fell, no one would know so I would die or become permanently an invalid. (Years ago when I was a college student, another student who was diabetic got a stomach bug. By the time her roommate returned at the end of the weekend, she was semi-conscious and had to be taken to the ER.

I feel I lack some confidence. I make up for it with a thick layer of sarcasm and self-deprication. I think this is what keeps me running away. I don't believe that I can achieve happiness or perhaps even that I deserve it. I don't believe I can gain anything but a somewhat comfortable life. But I want to be more than okay. I want to be awesome. I don't have a battle plan for this war. But I hope I'll win it nevertheless.

I fear that I will become complacent. I still want to try new things and meet new people. I've spent the last several years trying to get out of my marriage, then trying to get out of debt, out of my parents house, then getting a better job... I have now achieved all of things. But now I don't necessarily know what is next?? I now want to continue to find out about me. But I'm not entirely sure who she is.

I fear boredom. I fear being unstimulated, growing fat and stupid. I did gain about 20 pounds this year. I fear that without constant stimulation, I will stagnate, because I don't know how to mindfully engage, and I choose television instead. These things remind me of a very specific person, who is having a rebirth right now, I think, but who has not come to terms with her body. I fear I will never run again, now that I live in the South again. I fear I will never get back to the Northeast. I am joining things, groups, places where people are not graduates of my degree program but do have important and thoughtful things to say. I also believe that meeting people who have graduated from my kind of degree program is pretty damn important. I am naming my fear of boredom and dealing with the shame that brings up for me and for others. I am proud. I am staying in contact with the Julias, with other friends from home, and meeting people I want to talk to here. Grandma says, "maybe it's something you've taken a long time to learn." And I think that is true. So now is the time.

I fear being stuck in one place. I often feel that I have to run away when things get bad, and while running away has led me to amazing journeys such as backpacking trips or festivals, I know that this is not the best answer to everything. "Change is an easy panacea. It takes character to stay in one place and be happy there." - Elizabeth Dunn

I'm worried I'll always be a wage slave, or I'll lose passion for software. The next six months of experimentation are going to be a way for me to learn. What are my true passions? Where do my passions lie? What would happen if I was given 100% creative reign? How will I balance my health with my family, my work and my passions? I truly believe that knowledge and information is the way to diffuse and disarm fear, so I must embrace experimentation and change (in a reasonably safe & sustainable way).

These questions keep leading right into each other. The fear of infinity, of becoming infinite, is that the same thing as the fear of death? I've thought a lot about death this year and have been thinking even more about it in the last month. Our dog Isabel, our beloved companion for the last 13 years, is fading, sick from some mysterious nasal illness, something the vet hasn't been able to pinpoint after all the tests and bloodwork. We didn't get the expensive imaging that would have shown us if there was a tumor in there, because then we'd know for sure, but then what would we do with that? Every day she seems to shrink. Our first month in this new house has been a place of hospice. She's struggled with incontinence, violent sneezing, seizure activity. We struggle right along with her, rarely sleeping through the night. How will we know when it's time to let her go? She still enjoys her food and her walks, she loves to be petted and caressed. Life doesn't set us free from these bodies easily. Our souls are really sewn in tight. I didn't even know how afraid I was of losing her until it became apparent that we were losing her. I like to get on a soapbox about how we need to be more accepting of death, but then when it's you accepting it, well, no amount of advice on acceptance can begin to penetrate the grief you feel. Maybe I fear the grief more than the death itself, watching the transition from alive to lifeless, the struggle of the body at odds with itself. It hurts so much to write about it right now. Somehow death seems easier than the in between. witnessing how death takes it's due. We should be getting more exposure everyday so we'll know what to do. Not just in the simulation of death that we're steeped in, all the faked gory details splattered across the screen. Death pornographied. The real thing and the loss that accompanies it isn't tittilating. But it is a place we need to cross to be complete. Participating in infinity. In spite of how much it feels like falling off the earth. I think the only way to overcome the fear of that void is to enter it. While I know this mentally I do everything possible to postpone the leap into it. When I sing into the void, write into the void, I become aware first of my tininess, my insignificance, the halting flatness of trying to fill such a grand round endless space with my single voice, my own note. Fear keeps it halting. But the void outside of me calls to the void inside of me that matches it, makes me aware that they are the same--the cruelty and indifference of the void that I feel when I don't recognize it inside myself suddenly opens and becomes mine. It's all me emptying into me. Then the perception of smallness evaporates. Then effort disappears and I tap into an infinite source of unthinking truth aging like madeira in the cask of my heart's singing register.

I have a fear of being great. Of truly owning my thoughts and beliefs. I plan to continue to overcome this by sharing my truth and not hiding.

Fear - that PT wasn't the right choice for me. I plan to fully embrace the profession and do my best in it! If I still have doubts after that, then I will pursue something else, that option is always open

I fear that I will be stuck forever. Stuck under metric tons of work and responsibility. Stuck in a body that doesn't make me feel good - emotionally or physically. Stuck behind policies and bureaucracy that make it impossible to dig out from financial concerns. Stuck wanting more and not having time to go and find it. Little by little, by paying more attention to my emotional needs, I think I can at least learn to cohabitate with my circumstances, without being afraid of them. Some I can change, but most I need to make peace with in order to move into a new phase.

I have a fear of speaking up. I have a fear of speaking out against the injustices or transgressions I see before me, especially when it is between students, colleagues, or between my husband and me. I wish I had more time to process and figure out a way to not be afraid about being attacked by the person in front of me. I wish I had more wit. I wish I had more grit.

I have a fear that I will be alone and won't find love. I'm not sure how I plan on overcoming it, except by trying to keep looking for it, and in the meantime, enjoying this time I have to myself while I have it, because I am sure there will come a point where I will miss it.

I've had a fear of making myself sick with food trials for my elimination diet, but I really need to deal with that to get on with my life and have a broader menu. I've had a couple successes recently, though, so I'm going to use that as a springboard for bravery.

I fear that I'm not good enough, or of being an anchor on those I love, or just being a failure in general. I want to trust more in God and really give of myself.

Kidney failure is a major setback in my life. It restricts travel which we have so desired. I do, however, feel that something wonderfully, life changing positive event will change our lives for the better..

I think the biggest fear illuminated for me this year is that I don't really think I'm worthy. Worthy of love, of respect at work, of getting what I want... And it is an insecurity that makes me anxious and timid and certainly not the best version of myself. It inhibits my growth, it puts strains on my relationships, and it is a sad and somewhat painful way to live. I want to continue to work towards practicing gratitude, and recognizing the good in me and those around me, and acknowledging just how worthy I am.

I am afraid of the unknown, the things outside of my control, whether or not I would find a life partner, or now whether or not humans will go extinct. I would like to get more comfortable with not knowing. I'm just starting a book called "The Wisdom of Not Knowing: Discovering a Life of Wonder by Embracing Uncertainty." I also think parenting will be a good teacher of embracing uncertainly and that which is out of my control.

Fear of losing myself. Working on it. G-d help me.

I think I fear losing my job or disappointing people. I fear not being as good as I think I can be, or having other people think I'm not good at my job. I hate to say it, but I don't really plan on overcoming it or letting it go. All I can really do is test myself and ignore the fear.

I spend most of my time skylarking and trying to stay active. Only recently have I stopped to consider the groundwater of worry that bubbles beneath my carefree exterior. Looking in the mirror I see inevitable decline and entropy: skin tags, strange bumps, moles, errant hairs, age spots, puffy eyes, the resting frown of gravity. Whoever said it takes more muscles to frown than smile was under thirty. Do I fear death? Not really. It's aging, losing my sex appeal, becoming invisible, or worse - discovering my flamboyant personality was only appealing when I had the looks to back it up, and now it grates and annoys. This and loss of the ability to produce creative work are things I dread. I despair over the way another uneventful week goes by transparently layered over the previous like a GMO onion, or melting away without imagination like generic margarine. A plan to overcome it all? I guess I'll determine what isn't inevitable and continue to battle it with varying degrees of success. The victories, as I grow older, are no longer splashed across neon marquees, but are more subtle like flowers that bloom at night when no bee notices.

I think the biggest limiting fear I have is my imposter syndrome. I know intellectually that I have the skills my diplomas represent. Emotionally, I'm afraid that I'm not good enough. I hope that broadening my skills into new areas and journalling my successes will help with that.

I fear -- just like last year -- that I'm going to suddenly find out there's a major underlying problem with my health. And then, I'm fearful that health care costs so much money -- and so I'm afraid I won't be able to afford it... and that I could spend thousands of dollars just searching for a diagnosis, when there might not even really be one. And I would go to physical therapy regularly if I was _sure_ it would help, but I just don't know if it's worth all the money....

I think this goes back to question 7 - I'm afraid to speak up or argue. I can get past it when I'm doing it for someone else, but I end up putting up with a lot of nonsense from other people because I'm too afraid to say no. I don't know how to overcome that. But I have to try.

I fear participating in karaoke. It limits me in the sense that I don't do it out of fear of embarrassment. We'll see if I've done it by this time next year. Probably not, but that's ok too.

of making a change for me - going to do it!

I fear wasting my life away working and doing chores around the house. Having a family means giving up the freedom to do as I wish, to travel whenever and whereaver and eat what I want. All I seem to do in my spare time nowadays is grocery shopping and running round after round of laundry. I'm gradually learning to claim me-time and leaving the chores for my housemates. Also, I'm learning to see those things in a different light: it's not always so bad to spend a day pottering about the house, baking a cake and tidying up. Oh, and we're planning a trip to either Brasil or Sri Lanka, so how bad is it really? : )

I'm afraid of my mother. I'm afraid of the influence she could have in my future life and my babys future life. I'm afraid she will want to be a part of my future again and I can't let that happen. i have to protect myself and my baby and all of my other relationships. Letting her into my life would certainly ruin everything i have built for myself for the past 8 years and giving all of that up, including the love of my life, my friends and father. I would love to let that go, but I need to be certain that she won't be making a step in my direction.

Fear of death. Not the pain. Not the process. But the outcome. My fear is that death means obliteration. Nothingness. That there is no soul, just a physical body that dies. I find nothing more depressing than this notion. Sometimes this idea, and just not knowing, causes me significant anxiety. I have learned so much about life, and have considerable knowledge and expertise on my topics. But not when it comes to what happens when you die. While I have meditated many times, and taken classes in it, I have never made it a daily routine. I would like to, and I suspect that adopting a practice could help me with this fear and anxiety.

I still fear that "Jungian Shadow" I mentioned last year. Turns out this is a human thing to be, so that's comforting I guess. Right at this moment I'm always afraid that I either haven't done enough, or that I missed a detail or something that will come back to me in a day or two - something I overlooked that could have been prevented. It’s driving me up the wall! I plan on telling myself what ever will be, will be. To ask myself to know what I’m doing and remind myself to be consistant!

I have been having an ever increasing fear of death these last few years. It just seems to be getting worse as time passes. I have discussed it briefly with a therapist but nothing seems to help me get past these little death anxiety attacks. I guess this year I might see if I can do some more research on my own about how to cope this this particular anxiety.

My biggest fear is failure, which, combined with a strong streak of perfection, prevents me from undertaking projects where I feel I might either fail or not do as well as I think I could. My life is littered with unfinished or unstarted projects. I live in a world of self-doubt. The only way to overcome my fear is to simply start doing the things I most want to do: 1. Start writing and editing 2. Quit real estate 3. Eat right and get more exercise I also need to start reframing my self talk to stop focusing on my flaws and begin focusing on my strengths. I'll be 60 in a couple of years and want to make my remaining years as productive and meaningful as possible.

My fear is not having enough money or income to live comfortably. At the present moment income rules my life and unfortunately is dictating how happy/sad I am with my current position in life. I am working to improve that by seeking outside money making opportunities. I am working every day to overcome that fear, as well as live within my means.

I am worried that I won't be a good husband (and someday father) because I work so much. I think I'm going to try harder to be more present, put away screens and compartmentalize my work better. Maybe read more books/magazines instead of screens so I'll be less distracted, and plan more activities and dates.

I need to stop worrying about what others think of me. There are only two opinions of me that matter, my husband's and my son's. Beyond them, what other people think of me is on them, not me. I need to stop being afraid of picking up the phone and calling someone. I need to stop being afraid of telling people that I love them.

Fear of being out of control. Not drugs, drinking, but of not being the one "driving the car". Not sure this year if it's going to be a focus.

Man, I wonder when I'll stop dealing with imposter syndrome. Maybe that'a the wrong way to think about it. I wonder when I'll better cope with imposter syndrome. I have a feeling it will always be around. I think that I need to taper my interests, focus on just being one thing, I fear that if I can't just say "I'm a stay at home mom" or "I'm a writer" etc, that people won't take me seriously. The truth is I like exploring lots of parts of myself, and that I like to sing, act, write, research, that I like to teach, I like thinking about early childhood, I like exploring mental health, I like being with children, both my own and others, but I need time away from each of those groups too. Maybe it's okay to be all of those things. I give myself permission to be all of those things. I am still afraid of being a fraud, but I don't want that fear to keep me from contributing.

I am worried that I am missing out on being Penny's mom when I am at work. I plan to begin working with a therapist to help alleviate my stress and start to change my thoughts regarding this.

I really try hard not to let my fears live in the open. I live in fear of cancer-reoccurence, and diabetes illness. Maybe also afraid of working hard to get my physical self in shape. Hope to work on living in the present, and taking good care of myself.

I still fear not being good enough and that if I'm not in "control" that my life will spiral into chaos. I am trying to trust in the Universe, that I am good enough just as I am and that while life won't be perfect, I can trust that it will work out.

I fear that I am not meeting my "timeline". I have spent my early twenties fixating on meeting certain milestones at the "expected time". Graduating college, graduating graduate school, getting married, starting a family, moving forward with my career, etc. I am trying to shift my mindset this year to focus on the present and take pride in the milestones I have hit. The pressure of this "timeline" prohibits me from just being, enjoying and celebrating my accomplishments, as well as the simple joys in life. This year I want to be more willing to allow things to fall into place as they are meant to me.

I am afraid to show my art or put it up for sale. I have entered a show and hope that helps me make the leap.

Same fear as always and such a big one, I did not even write it down last year, I just skipped over it, yet it still exists: Fear I am not good enough! It stops me in my tracks and makes me not feel confident. Just not caring so much, it is ridiculous already!

I can't think of a specific fear right now, but I guess I don't like feeling fearful of anything... it takes out so much energy and also doesn't let me move or make decisions. I don't want to be afraid or more so, don't want to make decisions or stop doing something because of fear. I fear the world is becoming a more painful place, and I have held on to the present or the past, and that shouldn' t be so. I should live in the present, without fear.

I've been fearful lately about losing family members since I am one of the younger of the family. I am going to have to over come it with the help of friends and family. I need to let go and let G-d help me with this fear.

I still have a judgmentalism that comes from a place of insecurity. A feeling that I could be "gotcha'd" at any moment. I don't know why. I'm a pretty well rounded and whole person. But I'm still wired to protect myself but pre-judging people and situations. I'd like to let it go by being less afraid to be myself and just take every situation as it comes, rather than feeling the need to protect myself and fear being judged myself.

Sometimes I feel like I have a fear in asking for what I want. Especially when it comes to romantic partners... I don't want to appear to needy or high maintenance so I avoid awkward conversations. My intention this year (being newly single) is to date as much as I can and get clarity on what I want in a romantic partner to truly get comfortable asking for it.

I suppose the only fear I have would be dying alone without anyone to share my life with. I'm not looking right now though so I'm not doing anything about it. I try to be fearless about most other things.

I have always had this fear of failing. But the bad part is that failing for me is simply not being the best. I try so hard to be the best at work and I secretly think i am just so afraid of not being the absolute best.

I think I'm pretty afraid of graduating and moving into the "real world" at the end of this year. Actually, I know I am. It's pretty frightening to know that in a few months, I'll be living in a place where are my friends aren't just around the corner from me. I think I let that fear limit me because I prefer not to think about it rather than confront it. Instead, I want to overcome that fear by leaning into the discomfort, and letting it motivate me to spend my time more wisely and meaningfully. I plan to take each moment seriously and live presently, knowing that these opportunities won't be around for me for that much longer. This year, I want to transform fear into a motivator.

this trip to thailand made me realize how trapped in my comfort zone i was! I was terrified, crying like a child when I realized I needed to come out of it, when I came face to face with how trapped in it I was. I want to overcome how lazy I am sometimes. How much I limit myself without any good reason to be limited.

I guess I fear losing my last remaining parent. I fear being a broke screw up that never realized her potential. And honestly I move past it by loving as much as I can and trying to be bolder in my professional desires

I just got notified of my contract not being extended. I'm afraid of being a disappointment to my spouse. I have always seemed to survive and even flourish and if not just getting along okay, IS okay. It is seldom worth the worry as it seems to be tonight. I think I should accept where I am, pursue dreams (jobs) that work for both of us and be more at peace with myself. Perhaps I should just be more accepting of failure.

I'm still getting to the bottom of what happened in my head to initiate our break, but I think some of it comes down to commitment phobia. I'm absolutely terrified of locking anything in and of making 'wrong' decisions, as though there is only one right answer. I'm scared of getting engaged, and I will not until I'm not afraid, but I don't know when that will be.

I am finally admitting that I have a fear of people balanced by a fear of being alone. I often choose to be alone rather than risk making a fool of myself, but it is a case of the lesser of two evils. And while I have had humiliating moments, I know that we all do. Yet I think I fear them more than others do. Or perhaps what I fear is being left out, not being chosen, the humiliation of exclusion.

Fear of falling Physical therapy and learning to ask for help

I'm afraid of the logistics about going back to work - that somehow I won't be able to do it, or that it will take a toll on the kids, or that my fatigue will prevent me from being present . . . I guess I'm also afraid that just embracing being out of work will mean I won't get a job when I really start looking in a few weeks. But that fear is keeping me from finding other fun and meaningful ways to occupy my time. I'm going to let go of some of that fear and find a good volunteer project and something social to do. Two things. That's it.

I have lost some of my hearing and I worry that I won't hear what someone says to me. I am trying to find a way to overcome it.

In some ways, I would guess I am afraid of dating someone with kids (which I am currently doing). Having never had children of my own, it seems overwhelming and exhausting. In the coming year, I'm going to have to deal with it or break up with my current partner. So I plan to try to spend more time with his kids, and hopefully have more patience for both him and them.

I'm worried about my mom. She is losing her memory and hasn't done that well since my dad died. I know that she is depressed and I wish I could do something. At the same time she is losing her memory and I feel like I am losing her. I should be calling every night and grabbing every second that I have left with her while she still knows who I am and while she is still here. But in many ways I feel like I have already lost her and it is too much after losing my dad and I just can't do it. I need to get over it and try to talk to her more or I am going to regret it when she is gone.

I fear having to give up all the gains I have made in my career just to go back to work. And it will be 10 x harder to make those gains a second time.

I'm afraid I won't live until my 70s, 80s, because of my weight, my diabetes, the long-term effects of my chemo. I plan this year to get better and more specific care for my health, continue losing weight and working out, and also being okay because any of us could die at any time. I'm also concerned that Alex and I aren't always the way I'd like us to be. Sometimes he needs space but he doesn't say that, he's just cold. And we bicker far more than I wish we did. We work on it; I'm okay with it sometimes (the whole Buddhist pain v. suffering), but it does gnaw away at my sometimes.

I believe I have a fear of not being quite what I think myself to be. I haven't thought too much on it, but I think my wave of self-improvement shows that was a rooted cause of many other anxieties and doubts. I hope to be self-confident internally to match my external boisterous nature by this time next year.

I've started being afraid of my body failing me. I'm not going to let that stop me - I'm going to continue to eat well and work my ass off at the gym, and hopefully my body will continue its 43 year streak of keeping me alive.

I still have the same fear related to my physical shape that I described last year, and I haven't done much work to overcome it -- I want to be able to defend myself, to run, to keep up with others, to have the strength to be useful when things need to be lifted, to be physically fit enough to prolong my life, etc. I don't have a lot of external fears, but I have some internal ones. I fear that my friends will be angry with me, or that I will annoy them. I fear that I am overconfident when I think I am right, and that I will adopt the condescending/patronizing qualities that sometimes I criticize in my father. I don't know how exactly to overcome these fears except to be aware of them, to be humble, and to think more before I speak.

I fear loosing my boyfriend. The reasons vary all the time. The circumstances, long distance relationship, he doesn't find me attractive anymore, he will find another girl, I will find another man, ... and so on. I don't know how to overcome this fear. Maybe I need more confidence so I can believe no matter what it will Ben good in the end.

I often fear not executing something perfectly which makes me not try or not go all the way in. I am learning about trust, faith, and forgiveness of and in others, I need to apply it to myself.

PTSD: Fear of another 10 years (or any amount of time) back in serious depression. It limits me when I need to protect myself from going back there. I've learned to avoid certain people. I can't always handle hearing others' horror stories. I care, but I can't care too much. And, I can't solve their problems. I'm so fearful, that I'm not sure I want to overcome it.

That my own selfishness and insecurities will impede my being able to acknowledge the contributions made constantly by my life partner. When I see my ego pop up its head I am working to remember that it’s not necessary.

I truly fear being the greatest version of myself. Thru learning to love and accept myself first thru self care I can get there. Meditation and physical exercise will be a big part.

Doing something without John. Only time I overcame that was Mendocino and then I went back to Maryland. Maybe just take the bull by the horns and sell the house, find us a place in italy.

I fear I will just become more isolated as I get older. As an almost 40 year old woman, I'm limited in who I can be friends with. It's apparently inappropriate for me to be friends with men my age who are in relationships. Single men think I'm trying to date them. Women in relationships don't often want to hang out with someone who is single and single women see you as competition. I feel like this leaves with almost no avenue other than dating which I find to be awfully uncomfortable. Maybe I'll think about dating again.

I had a terrible fight with Ron just yesterday because I asked for his help about cleaning up because Eileen is coming this weekend. After much serious screaming, crying and losing my mind and trying to hurt myself to get his attention (with a clothespin????) I did a lot of talking and did not get the response I wanted from him. Liam was home because of a toothache and he calmed me down. I was so impressed by his demeanor and words, I so love his compassion. I did alot of soul searching after he said that I cannot change Ron, only myself. I have a childhood fear of being seen as uncleanly or messy, stemming from Moms obsession with neatness. I wasn't really aware of how pervasive it is. I feel I live in a dirty house due to dogs, Ron, Liam etc. and I feel bad about it!!!! I thought I had rejected that aspect of Mommy and Marsha's personality. Our childhood upbringing is so hard to let go of. I am going to be more aware of it and try to counteract it, at least as far as needing Ron to support me in my needs in this area. He has his own issues with me asking for help which he has to deal with, but I just need to be honest with him (and myself) on a daily basis so it doesn't build up. I guess I do fear the results of the influence of Trump on the country. I worry what kind of a society we are becoming with a crass, unkind, small minded, anti-science leader. It limits my innate kindness as I feel that those who support him are people I do not like. I want to understand the new conservative type without equivocation to darker destructive patterns of behavior like racism, sexism etc. Let it go? I wonder if I should.

Lately, the fear of disappointing others re-emerged. I have considered this fear in the past and I feel like I have a good strategy to deal with how it impacts me. Yet, I am interested in why it has re-emerged. Maybe I am feeling more protective of others?

The fear of being alone!! Not having my husband want to fight for me and win me back!!!!!! I am a always working on this and trying to figure out how to overcome the fear and do donethibg positive about this

I am unsure of myself in public situations - uneasy speaking up in front of groups, uneasy talking to people I don't know. It limits me in keeping me from making new friends and meeting people. I will try to take small steps to break out of it and talk to people.

One major fear that I have is fear of not being able to meet my children's needs. I am continuing to work on this by getting to work on time, but talking with my husband about making a budget, by communicating with their doctors, and by being certain that they get their medicine. We need to try our best to bring more stability to their life by bringing less chaos (a cleaner house and more routine) into the house. We need to eat dinner as a family and we need to plan as much as possible. I believe a steady schedule will really help.

I have a fear of not being prepared. I keep my car key in my pocket at work so if there is an earthquake or another catastrophe, I can get away. I keep water and other supplies my car and in my office. I need to prepare and then let go. I have what I need, and need to trust that I will be fine and survive

My fear of illness. The physical problems i'm having. Fear that i'm losing my mind and won't remember.. The fear of being a burden and being abandoned... The same fears from my whole life, presenting with a bit of a twist... Giving it to Gd, as I understand.....

Not too many fears, I mostly just need to push my self. I can tend to be a little afraid of change but once I get through it I am fine

I am afraid that I don't know how to deeply connect with people. This fear has caused me not to try. I often avoid more intimate social situations with people I am not close to because I worry that I won't know what to say, that it will be awkward, that they won't like me, that I will seem dumb, that I will try and feel like I'm doing well and it won't be good enough... the list probably goes on. This year, I'm just going to put myself out there. I'm going to do better at not being afraid of what happens if I fail, and I am just going to really try.

I fear failure, but when people talk about fearing failure, I rarely hear my particular fear of failure come up. I fear letting people down. I fear saying yes and not being able to do it. I fear flaking out. I fear my own lack of commitment. Because over and over again I am not able to do it, I do flake out, and I do not follow through on my commitments. It's scary to say yes when even I can't trust myself. Not sure how to let it go. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other as long as I can?

So many! I just worry. Fears that I have: fear of failure, fear that I will mess up, fear that I don't know what I'm doing, fear that I can't be who I really am, fear that I don't know who I really am, fear that I am not smart, fear that I am not... I guess that's what my fear is...I'm afraid of what I am not...I plan to journal a lot, continue to go for long runs, rides, and swims, and sit and meditate--I would love to find a teacher that could help me in overcoming this as well..I think it would be helpful to go deeper into what I already know and/or finds omething to supplement.

I have a fear of starting Rainbow school on my own..actually me leading it. It has limited me because I haven´t been able to give my children what I think is best for their education and I keep perpetuating a fear that Im not capable. I am planning on having a Rainbow School settled in Orange County by September 2018.

I fear being too alone, which I think has stuck me in friendships with people who are bad for me. I shouldn't fear losing a friendship that is unhealthy, since I should ultimately put myself first. I need to realize that I am more than my toxic relationships, and even being alone for a while wouldn't be so bad.

I fear failing as a mother. I've worked hard in the last year to forgive myself and simultaneously hold myself to a better standard. Hopefully by next year I'll feel like I'm doing something right more often than not.

I'm worried. I'm just worried all the time. I think my fear is that I'll always be stressed and that will decrease my quality and length of life in the long run. So I guess I'm worried that I won't be happy so that makes me unhappy. Let it go! Let it go! Hmmm let's let it go through exercise and reading and loving and writing and watching and learning and relaxing and hiking and being in the sun and seeing new places and thinking really hard about myself and not feeling like that's a bad thing.

My current fear is of failure, and limits my ability to work towards my goals. I plan on overcoming it this year by making a schedule and sticking to it.

I fear that my mum is going to be unhappy for a prolonged period of time and it makes me worry about her and her future as it is uncertain at the moment, as is my own. I hope that everything gets sorted in a way that benefits us all and that my mum can be happy wherever she ends up.

I have a fear of letting go. Am I supposed to let go of my fear of letting go? Now there's a conundrum.

A fear of the unknown. I know what I need to do to be happy but I'm so stuck in a familiar rut that making that change seems impossible.

I'm afraid of failing and being poor. I plan on finding a job, a car and an apartment before December. I put my self in sink or swim situations, so moving back home shouldn't be that big of a set back.

I am afraid of running out of steam and just not being able to handle everything. People always tell me how strong I am and I am terrified of the day coming when that strength just.....runs out. Jason and I don't really have a safety net so it is not only my own life, but his as well that I hold in my hands. And I feel on the precipice of burnout almost every day. I have no plans for overcoming it. My only plan is one foot in front of the other, take it a day at a time and sometimes an hour or a minute at a time. I have no choice.

Three fears slow me down. Failure/fear of/to commit, fear of putting myself in new situations, and fear of technology. These limit me from meeting new people, having new experiences and having the resources to be more effective in my life. I think by putting myself in new situations and making a commitment to a different way of life, it will overcome these fears. Perhaps underlying all of these fears is my concern with letting people down or them thinking badly of me. I need/want to focus more on what do I need to do for me in these areas so I can do more for others.

Living a boring life is one of my greatest fear. Trying to get a full time job and settle down more is definitely bringing that out, and I'm not sure how to combat it entirely, but I don't think semi boring has to be bad, especially if is necessary for a while in order to be a responsible adult. So I guess I'll see how I cope with that, and try not to get too restless.

I'm afraid to be 50. This is the hardest birthday I've ever faced. I'm afraid I'll become irrelevant somehow. I will of course not change my goals or dreams, I will not give up.

I've been overcome by anxiety recently - fears of myself, the past, the world, the future. I'm going to focus on the presence, and the one next step ahead. I hope that I can trust to take the actions that lead me to where I need to be, and want to go.

failing and always feeling like what I am doing is never good enough. Always doing my best no matter what

a very hard question. Some fears I have are deeply embedded and not all bad in how they shape me. So: fear of being vulnerable and honest about emotions, especially with people I like. I hope to be better at telling people I care about that I care about them, and to build friendships rather than losing touch as circumstances change. I have one person in particular in mind as I write, who I will lose touch with just as we are starting to get to know each other if I don't work at it, but I'm sure there will be others.

I still have a fear of opening my heart. I try so hard but it is heavily guarded from everyone and everything. I haven't tried to be more vulnerable mainly because I'm doing everything alone all the time in my work and personal life. It's just me and its hard. I plan to overcome this fear by taking time to feel more secure in opening up. With rest I feel that I can open up with one person at a time.

i'm afraid i'm standing in my own way and self sabotaging. i plan on losing the weight, learning the piano, and not making the same old excuses

I'm afraid of Crohn's being so bad that I have to have surgery. It's definitely something that I have to work with my doctors so that I can live a healthy life.

I have feared finally making the move because I am afraid I will hate it like I did when I started freshmen year in college. I don't want to hate another decision I make again. I plan on letting it go by reminding myself everything is temporary. If I move and hate it, at least I can say I tried. I want to get to the point that fear of wondering "what if?" for the rest of my life is much larger than my fear of making the wrong decision.

I am worried that if I transition to another job I won't be good enough, I'll be fired, and I won't be able to support myself (imposter syndrome, reality-based fear given the economy, reality based fear of at-will employment and 90-day trial periods). Continuing to listen to my clients, mentors, colleagues all express that I could be doing more, and striving in larger ways and trusting that I am capable of doing work with new and increased responsibilities. I plan to sit with myself in intentional meditation spaces to incline my mind toward trusting myself. I will also try to remind myself that if something doesn't work out I will figure out how to survive, and transition into something else and not trying and my burn-out level at this point has surpassed the fear of failure. I'm too exhausted at my current job to not at least try to make a change. I also plan on keeping my expenses and rent as low as possible to give myself room to have a financially difficult period.

My fear is that I will not land a marketing or project management job later this year and will remain stuck in my current position until 2023. I plan to overcome this fear by being even more diligent about researching marketing and project management jobs in Colorado.

My health. Knees, left especially, are starting to inhibit how I move and do things. How much can I control? How much will Kaiser be able/willing to remedy? Right hip, hypertension. I'm not really old, but the aches and pains are increasing. And it does limit my choices. I don't go hiking as much, I am thoughtful about extended physical activity. And I can't get comfortable, sometimes, in bed. Sleep is impacted. I fear that more than anything (except something bad happening to one of my children or to my husband). I miss feeling at ease. The result of this is that I put off going to bed, hoping to be really sleepy so I will fall asleep easily. Not good.

I've been seriously burned before. I'm afraid of setting myself up for more hurt. Somehow, though, it hasn't completely held me back from opening up. But I do remain quite guarded in certain ways. I don't know how I'm going to overcome that, but I need to. I think pushing myself to communicate, even when it makes a given situation worse, is the only way I stand a chance.

I fear losing my focus, my discipline, my self-control. I fear that I will respond to stresses or challenges by crawling back into a hole of self-medication and avoidance. But I've made a lot of progress (though not yet perfect) this year, and I'm hanging onto the idea of anchor habits-- my morning routine, as putting on me the right track every day. I want to get up early, do my yoga, do two or three chores, and start working, and that motivates me to not give my late nights to alcohol and/or entertainment.

I'm afraid of being intrusive, so I often don't ask people about themselves even though I want to know (and they would probably appreciate me showing interest). I don't have a big plan to overcome it, but sometimes, I have taken baby steps when I said to myself: "how would I feel if people asked me this" (the answer is usually 'great') or "What would Ines do?", because she is somehow liked by everyone and I think a big part of that is asking these questions. I hope these questions will help me to reach out to more people, but it'll stay hard. (Especially since I have more than once said something I wasn't sure of if I should say it, but what the hell, I don't want to be the doubting and therefore silent girl I was in high school, and than that turned out wrong)

Fear of not being qualified for jobs or being seen as too pushy. I need to push through and advocate for myself. I've limited myself a lot in this area. I still feel like I don't have enough experience,hat I wouldn't be able to do a job well- that I would feel overwhelmed and that they are looking for someone else besides me. I'm also strangely confident in the abstract, but when it comes to putting myself out there, I balk I am not unqualified. I jump into jobs and I am able to adapt and use my skills and my gut in the moment. I need to be less afraid- and that means applying to anything I think I may be qualified for, and really advocating for myself during this process. I am a forward thinking, adaptable, smart person!

I still have a fear of my dependence over what I idolize. I got more involved in my church & faith like I had hoped to this year, but I'm still struggling on letting go of those things. I will continue to work towards letting these things go. I cannot serve two masters!!! I also fear growing old alone. My family is all older then me and I'm afraid no one will be around to take care of me. I have so got to have faith in God and let this go!!!

I have also had a terrifying fear of disappointment, the devastation from it. I noticed that since middle school, I have dealt with it by having low expectations. That way I am pleasantly surprised when things go better than expected, and if things go bad, it's what I expected. It doesn't always work because I think a part of my mind still hope for the best, but that is how I've dealt with it. I am trying to figure out strategies on how to not take things so personally, how every failure is an indication of my failure in life, and genuinely believe that if I don't get something it means it is not meant to be. I am able to think that way on somethings, but I want to be able to expand on it. And trust the universe that there is a reason for the way things turn out.

Fear of presenting myself to the world...actually putting myself out there...taking a stand. I've always been behind-the-scenes or on the sidelines for EVERYTHING. It's time to hold my own space. I plan to launch my website, FB page and blog and be active on the platforms without fear of judgement.

I have a fear of not being cared for. Sometimes it has been paralyzing. I want to overcome it by finding faith in myself and in God.

I have a lot of anxiety and I want to over come that in this following year.

I am scared of showing myself as I am. I always second-think. I am very hesitant. I plan to forget about what others think and just do what it feels right. If I care too much about other people's opinion I get anxious. I am going to put myself first in all my thoughts.

Not even going to mention or dwell on this answer. I let go of fears as they appear, thereby overcoming fears as they present themselves. Amen.

I'm still working on the fear that if I get everything in my life in order I'll die. Perhaps that is why there is still too much clutter here. With the election of Trump and the Republican congress trying to gut all programs I find important / essential / moral / multi-cultural / life-affirming, I fear for the country. I want to spend less time reading the newspapers and more time doing - giving my time and money to important causes, building bridges to people with whom I disagree, working to uphold the values and ideals that make America America for me and so many others. I am not going to focus so much on the craziness of this government, but focus instead on working for policies that will benefit many people and improve their lives.

i think my fear is my own loneliness. i haven't met the greatest people. i'd like to work on meeting people of better quality and ones that i have a genuine connection with

I have more fears right now than I expected as a brand new parent. I am smack in the middle of an emotional roller coaster and don't yet have concrete plans for how to let go of or overcome these new fears. But I know I have the support of my husband, family, and friends to lean on in this difficult yet rewarding life chapter, so I plan to do my best to take it one day at a time.

I have had cancer for 6 weeks now. I am terrified, of death, of my children losing me, of having chemo, of being sickly and ugly and miserable. I don't know how to overcome this fear, I only hope I can overcome cancer.

I hold fear that if I have a child on my own, I will condemn myself to a life of loneliness, because no-one would want to date me. Mediation has helped me to let this go and I need to continue to meditate on it and let in the abundance of love that I receive from so many sources. I need to move forwards into my joy.

Fear of (catastrophic level) losses (not necessarily financial) has always limited the amount of risk I took in life, and in turn the associated rewards. I do not plan on letting it go. I am firm believer that some fears are important in life. I am happy staying below a 'moderate' level of risk to continue protecting the things I love, value, earned, and get to enjoy in life for the short duration that I am blessed to be alive.

Fear that has limited me... definitely being able to express my hurt/vulnerability and different opinion with others - especially my family (from which I came). My plan for overcoming or letting it go... coming to terms with what my responsibility is in the struggle - to own my shit! Putting it out there and allowing the universe to take care of the rest.

I don't feel too clear about a fear I have. In some ways I hav a fear of drudgery- I really get anxious about being unhappy with work, or stuck or whatever. So that can keep me from enjoying "plateau" periods. That's probably my biggest fear - boredom and restlessness. I will keep practicing gratitude, presence, thoroughness, to relax and enjoy these times.

There's always that fear of failing, in the abstract and in the concrete. I play it safe too much, I know. But I need to overcome my stress response of not replying to phone calls/emails.

I grew up with a lot of insecurities. They still get in the way of interactions with others. I have two choices - to withdraw more from social situations, or somehow overcome the feelings of inferiority. I don't have a plan on how to overcome this, except perhaps to pray.

I continue to fear the future when it comes to taking care of aging parents. I'm fearful of losing touch with my KC friends. I try not to live my life fearfully. I want to keep my mind and heart open to new opportunities, new ideas, new friendships in the coming year. I do fear for my country and I'm not sure if that's limiting me or not. I probably should get more involved in making sure racism & hatred don't continue to grow in the US.

Outliving our money. This is entwined with my fear of losing Annie and Arien. I have no idea how to quiet these fears. I just pray a lot.

Generally fear of disappointing men in authority positions in my life. Or thinking I will but it’s really self perception. To let this go, I don’t know if I can. Radical self-acceptance?

My biggest fear is visibility. It limits me in ways great and small, but mostly it limits me by keeping me from sharing my vision for how I want to change the world. I've continued to steadily chip away at it over the past six months, and will continue to do the hard, unglamorous work of doing so. It's often frustrating, and I want to stop when it feels like I'm making no progress, but it has to be done.

My fear is that I am becoming lazier and more inert as I age. I am working on decluttering my house and learning how to simplify my life so that I don’t feel so overwhelmed.

This last year, I really worked on being vulnerable and I opened myself up to some amazing experiences, including a lovely relationship and some new friendships. A fear that has cropped up is being stuck professionally. I’ve tried to apply to new gigs and lateral out, but I’m coming to the conclusion that I need to really spend some time this year focusing on manifesting what I really and truly and purposefully need to be doing in this lifetime.

I fear failure. If one is so afraid to fail, he tries nothing new. To get past that I will become resolute in my thoughts and actions. I will commit myself to learning, reading, studying and becoming knowledgeable of it. I will practice. I will become that subject.

I think a fear of failing. I just have to do the best I can and be ok with whatever happens. If one door closes, another will open

I am terrified about going bald. I feel as though I finally become comfortable with my body, only to find that I was losing my hair. Much of my depression this past year has come from feeling that I am old and that I missed my shot in life. I need to find a way to feel ok about this. Exercise and strength training might help.

Loosing control. I guess the best way to let go is by trusting that I can only control myself, my actions and reactions.

Heh. I'm afraid of disappointing people, letting them down. It limits me because it makes me spread myself too thin, trying to do all the things to avoid saying no to people, instead of focusing on the slightly smaller list of things I really want/need to be doing. It's an ongoing struggle. I'm reminding myself that if it's not a "fuck yes," it's a "no." That helps. I'm afraid of commitment, of closing off doors and paths. Of picking something - a person, a career - and then realizing later on I've made a mistake. I don't like failing! But that's how life works. Sometimes I will make mistakes, and that's the fastest way to learn and do better.

I'm afraid of not being liked. I'm working on being myself, being less vocal, and not worrying about whether people like me or not. Maybe someday I'll grow up.

I worry that I’ve squandered my potential. When I look back on my life, I see far too many instances where I phoned it in or just didn’t try at all. I love being a teacher and am proud of the work I do, but I feel like I could’ve done so much more and gone farther, if I had been conditioned to care. It’s a hill I can’t get over in my life. Why didn’t I put in an effort?

My fear is never really caring enough about anything to actually choose to do differently, do better. Survival used to mean nothing mattered. Life went on anyway. I think I'm ready to care... I want things to matter.

I have a fear of speaking of mind, because then I might say something stupid (and people will know I am not smart) or something mean (and people will know I am not kind). It keeps me from reaching my potential b/c I'm not contributing / holding back. I will continue to explore a thoughtful (and kind) way to express my opinions.

I'm always afraid of being bashed. I don't act fem because I fear rejection and violence. I want to be trusted, and people's assumptions make an uphill battle to that end. I'm gonna fem it up and piss off some homophobes.

Yes I do have fears as I mentioned in #8. And I havent overcome them, yet! Fear of making decisions, fear of taking actions, fear of making commitments, fear of giving love. Also the fear of Failure. The fear of People not liking me or respecting me if I dont get it right. I guess that is why I dont take chances. If I didnt have these fears things would have been different. I wouldnt be struggling with clutter. I wouldnt be afraid of volunteering or going back to school. I would be visiting places I havent been. I wouldnt be alone. I would be taking more risks and chances. I would be in love. I need to fight back in a structured way. I would love to have someone tell me what to do but I need to do this myself. This is the challenge I need to focus on this year.

I am always stuck on relationship fears...I’m getting better but there is still much to work on. I think the best I can do is face the fears, speak up and be honest with myself.

My fear is having my mental health take over my life to the point that I will be unable to function and meet my goals. I plan on seeking mental health care, engaging in self care and being transparent about my needs.

Rights being taken away. Something bad happening to family. I'll work on it by breathing, taking things one day at a time. Putting things in perspective.

The obvious answer is social anxiety, but I will skip that and talk about a different, but maybe related, fear. I am afraid of making the wrong decision. This has paralyzed me in my job search. I am afraid if I apply to the wrong job, I will get stuck in a career path I'm unhappy with. But at the same time, I can't predict which job I'll be happy in. So it's a bit of dilemma. To overcome this fear, I need to internalize the fact that it's never too late to make a change. If I get a job I don't like, I can quit and find a new job. Life isn't that short. If I make a mistake job-wise, it's not necessarily permanent.

I’m okay with being informed by my fears, as long as I don’t let them control me.

I’m afraid of real true vulnerable love. (If you’ve forced me to let you read this again don’t be mad because I’m writing all of this as if you will never see it.) I love Wayne so much but I feel like sometimes I hold back our relationship because I’m afraid to let him know how much I love him and then when I try to tell him I question if he believes me or understands. They say you know when you’ve met your life partner and I couldn’t be more sure it’s Wayne. I’ve never been with someone I could see spending the rest of my life with and with Wayne, I can’t imagine my life without him. But that is scary. I hope that this year I learn how to better accept and embrace my feelings I have towards Wayne.

I’m only just beginning to realize how afraid of getting older I am. It’s not the age that scares me, as much as not accomplishing anything and being lonely linger over me as irrational fears in the “What if?” category. I don’t want to be the pathetic soon-to-be 30-year-old next year so desperately wanting a family, but I also don’t know if I want to be the fiercely independent lady who will probably be alone forever anymore either.

My fear is having no money and not being able to achieve my goals, but barely just surviving. I plan to focus my energy and run a Go-Fund-Me to get my apartment furnished and solve my immediate problems, so that I can start living and making long term plans. Another fear is that if Yuan falling behind. I would like him to be able to attend a Japanese kinderagarden to prepare him for the life in ES in Japan. But I fear that he would not get a place in a kindergarten...

I have a fear of being alone. As in not finding a life partner. As a child, I always sought the approval of my mother; feeling as though I had to prove myself worthy of her love. That extended to men I dated, which caused me to accept a lot of unhealthy things in my relationships. I've had to learn to let go of people that can't or don't love me the way I deserve.

Mediocrity. I'm starting a business venture and something that plagues me, beyond generic self doubt, is the possibility that I will find myself to be as middling competent as my fears suggest. To find that for all my apparent latent ability, I'm just not capable of excelling. I've been told by a number of people that I may have an attention disorder, so I may try medication to address it. Whether the drugs work is largely inconsequential. I will also be working with mentors and colleagues to find a system by which I can navigate the struggles that, traditionally, I have let get in my way.

My fear is that I will fall back into old ways or mistrust with those I love the most. My fear is that I won’t live up to my full potential, in full appreciation for life and my passions. I plan on letting it go by taking action every moment possible in forward positive steps, writing or journaling and working on self forgiveness. I will overcome it by matching my goals and dreams🙏🏼

I'm afraid of my long-distance relationship. I'm afraid of letting Jacob down. Of moving to DC because I want to be with him and giving up InkHouse too soon. Of being in the same city and things not being the same so we break up. Of him not being enough for me because of my constant self-doubts and therefore, fulfilling his biggest nightmare. Of letting him down. Of missing out on so much in Boston because of the effort I have to put into keeping this relationship going. Of figuring out that all of this time has been a waste or not real and needing to come back to reality. I think to conquer this I need to go back to focusing on one day at a time. Or one week at a time. I can't get too ahead of myself with the what-ifs. All I know is what is going on right now and there is only so much we can plan for.

I'm afraid of looking foolish. It's much easier for me to walk into a café or bar in a neighborhood that isn't mine, in a place that I know I probably won't return to, than it is for me to walk into a cute café on my street that I know I'll pass by everyday even if I don't go back. It's harder for me to speak to strangers here in Spain because everyone assumes I'm Spanish until the moment I open my mouth. Whereas in Korea everyone knew from one glance that I probably couldn't speak Korean fluently, so I was much less hesitant about speaking to strangers. This year I plan on pushing myself to be more comfortable walking into unknown situations and feeling foolish. I'm going to think past the moment of foolishness to the sense of achievement I will feel and the enjoyment I might get from a new favorite café.

My biggest fear is not achieving some of the goals I set out. I have in the past been lazy and know what to do but still don't do it....

I’m terrified of failure. It has caused me to close myself off, and not ask for help when I needed it. I’ve avoided doing things that I might be bad at, and I haven’t formed close relationship. I’m in therapy, and hopefully the DBT will help me deal with this. I’m not really sure, to be honest.

I fear that I am not supposed to be a teacher.

My fear is about my financial situation. I want to try to get my financial records in order and try to live in a way that I’m spending less money. So that I can maintain my lifestyle.

I feared that I wouldn't sell a novel that I have been working on for years. Interestingly, I found out just yesterday that my book didn't sell. So, a fear that I've had for so long has come to past. Overcoming it? I'm not quite sure yet. It's gone from being a fear to a full on (don't want to say depression) but I'll say let down. I'm sure I'll let it go by going into my next project, which I'm very excited about. Just need to feel this for a bit first.

I'm scared I will fail in life. It's only been a year since I graduated college and I'm still looking for a job that could become my career. But I'm scared to apply to jobs that I kinda qualify for. I need to embrace the skills I've learned, be on time, and get my professional life ( resume, cover letter, etc.) rehabbed. I've been told I'm great. Now I need to believe in myself.

Aaaah so much to do how to do it and bring my gifts to the table while not stepping on toes (???)

Fear my family's (especially mom's) reaction to my taking off on a pilgrimage which I suspect would be rejection. It's limited me so far in a way that I've not been able to take off on a proper pilgrimage on my own and even he desire to do so gets overpowered by my fear of their rejection. I hope and pray for more courage in the coming year to deepen and follow my yearnings.

I'm afraid of not meeting expectations. I won't always take the risks or I'll ask for permission instead of just jumping for it. I think I can ask for forgiveness later and less permission now - that will allow me to make mistakes but also be bolder with my actions. I'm afraid of ending up alone. I think I flounder and say it'll never happen, but also don't change my actions to try anything different. I need to try new methods this year but also throw myself into things I love and I know I'll attract what I want. I'm only 23, I have time and can love myself now and first.

My biggest fear has been this family situation. I plan on working toward finding happiness within it and trying my best to make it work before I give up. I have faith it will be fine; I love Bryan so much.

***deep breath*** The things that have gone on in my life in the last two, three years in particular (but really, even since I was little). It's like I feel like I'm being pulled, like every shared bond I have with the community and family I grew up around (rural Kentuckian evangelical protestants + catholics) - it's like those bonds, familial and cultural and social, they're all being ripped away one by one. And it's scary as hell and I'm terrified I'm going to wind up alone at the end of this, and it's part of why I keep asking if I should go back to my old life, because it was warm and familiar and comfortable. I think a major reason for my stress issues this past year and insecurity, especially at work, is this feeling like i've already stepped away from my community, I don't have a new one, and I don't have strong enough bonds with friends or coworkers to rebuild around either of THOSE. And ultimately, the negativity feeds back in. If I had a better feeling of belonging and community, I really think I'd be happier

Fear of Trying New Things. Cuz then i don't try new things! And i've tried a few now, love some, sure, and some are ehhh, but just the feeling alone of Trying New Things --- Liberating! More flexible thinking ensues Brain opening / more creativity Yay!!!!!

Fear of dying before my time - recent diagnosis but idiopathic - feeling unsafe and sad. Plan on living my life fully - body, emotions, mind, and spirit. Have a touchpoint/milestone for each: body - getting a specific diagnosis and a comprehensive life style plan mind - writing a success story case study, Imago certification and Birkman certification emotions - being more loving and getting more love as a result spirit - through the practice of teshuvah finding greater meaning and peace

My fear of failure has defined my life for so long and impacted its path greatly. I like where I have ended up, fortunately, but not the road the took me here and, for the future, I would like to look back on my decisions with less regret and personal disdain. I want to take charge of my own life and decisions with the ease that I take charge of so many other things and not be so haunted by the past or what could have been.

I have an intense fear of rejection. From jobs, social situations, what have you-- I hate being told no. I'm trying to start trusting myself more, and not taking things so personally. I'm going to be better for me. Stronger for me. More confident for me.

When it comes to writing, I either have a fear of failure or a fear of success, I can't tell which. I have fear around writing, that's for sure. And it's defined much of my life. I have spun so much loaded, wasted energy around it. How do I plan on overcoming it? By giving it less weight. Giving MYSELF less weight. Like, internalizing, truly, that what I do or don't achieve doesn't really matter. It is separate from who I am. And it is not really even a measure of my worth as a human or the worth of my life. What I have learned this year is that my life isn't measured in success. It's measured in love, gratitude and sharing myself. How I give it, how I receive it. And writing is just another way of sharing myself. People love my writing, I think, because it makes them feel closer to themselves and their lives. When I let myself write, I get closer to my life. I will overcome it by sticking to my writing commitment and staying connected to my Coven.

I'm afraid I don't have what it takes to get to the next level. I don't think on my feet quickly or respond eloquently the way I see members of the leadership team do. I'm afraid my work products aren't good enough. They aren't as polished as some of my other team members'. I'm not sure I'm convincing to myself or to clients about the value of what I do and the skills I bring to the table. I still feel like an imposter. I'm scared about learning a new technology. I have on my goal list next year to work on all of these things!

I still harbor a belief that I am worthless and unlovable. I continue to practice mindfulness. I have started to acknowledge it and continue the conversation with a curiosity: if I wanted to live, what would I do today?

I fear that I won’t have enough to build my home or that I won’t be able to sell the one I live in now for enough to put into the new one. I’m working on trust and believing that whatever is there will be enough and that I will be able to live comfortably and happily with whatever I have.

Fear of not being good enough except being smart and funny. It has limited me to overcompensating in those areas or only doing things within my comfort zone even though oyher people seem to think that I am doing lots of interestinf things it doesn't feel like that to me. I want to spend more time doing less over the coming year; a night jn purely to read, goinf to the cinema alone, always being body positive and making sure that I don't let myself get down about not being enough all the time

Fuck if I know, man. Maybe fear of committing? To an idea. To a project. Bailing in the follow through so that it's always incomplete and can't be judged. Just gotta focus on completion.

The fear of embarrassing myself or being rejected, I don't always go for what I want because I'm worried about what would happen if I didn't get it

A fear I have which is limiting me is a Fear of Failure, of Not Being Enough. This fear leaves me paralyzed in the status quo, unable to take bold chances and grow mentally, emotional, and most of all, spiritually. I plan on letting go this fear by asking to have it removed, asking for help, and by placing my trust and my life entirely in the care of Great Spirit (G_D)

Not going into the work place I think/thought it was my skills holding me from being able to unlock my full potential of energy giving towards this cause.. because I've tried and the lock doesn't just break Not letting my parents and family fully into my life in some very personal ways I plan on letting go of my fears and apprehensions by practicing the things I should be enough to feel strongly comfortable to have a real conversation without non layman fluff

There are a lot of ways I hope to continue improving myself in the coming year, from my health and self-image to my confidence at work and at home, but I can't think of a specific fear at the moment. My fiance makes me feel like I can do anything, even go parasailing for my 30th birthday in Florida (what a trip that was!!), so I hope we keep getting into new adventures together :)

fear that I won't ever be happy. it makes it hard to make decisions because there's this voice always saying 'is that the best choice?' and then you're like hm I dunno what would make me happy and then all of a sudden you're crying on the floor because you don't believe that you'll ever be happy so why bother making decisions and then at that point why are you getting up every day if it's just a series of events that don't lead anywhere? still working on believing that i'll be happy at some point. I think the answer to this question also lies in the answer I wrote to #7. (ftlog when writing answers next year be sure to use only one tab so answers don't get lost--this almost went completely unsaved)

Fear One. Being out in a public place and a shooting starts taking place. People say they refuse to live in fear but I think that's a lie. We ALL live in FEAR! We just cannot let it control our lives & limit what we do. Fear Two. Something not of my own doing going wrong at my college and my not having support of my administration. With my past experience at another unmentionable college, I learned anything can happen. It doesn't matter if you gave your best, you are an excellent teacher, and treat everyone fairly. People are mean. They can hate you and go against you behind your back for a reason they make up. How will I overcome it in the coming year. Just keep going and giving my best. That is all I can do. That is all God requires of me.

The LSAT, same as last year. And that fear came true: fear made me not do as well as I wanted or as well as I could have. It's past now, all I can do is keep my head down and try not to focus on the fear and let it affect my applications. What happens will happen, and I will have to be happy with the outcome and try to keep shaping my future regardless.

My fear I want to overcome this year is "I won't ever lose this weight" or "I'll just plateau forever". I am stronger than this. I've seen progress only to have life come along and my brain help wreck it so I'm back at square one. This has to stop because I can't take it anymore. It's bullshit to treat myself like this and how can I expect to help others if I'm constantly attacking myself in my own head. I want to accept that losing weight and changes take time, I learned this after working out 100+ days and seeing some change (not a ton since I wasn't following nutrition). I can do this I just need to follow through with my actions.

Fear of not being perfect. Perfectionist. Working on it... 80% rule.

I have a fear that we will not be able to afford everything to do with our wedding. I think we are saving quite well for it, but I worry it will not be enough. I feel very lucky and humble that my parents want to pay for a lot of it, but they are doing so much already that I do not wish to approach them for more assistance. I do not wish to approach my fiance's parents for assistance either. To overcome this I have been checking our budget and savings regularly, to make sure we are on track. I also talk about our options to budget further with my finance.

I'm afraid of what the world is going through. I'm really worried that things are going to end soon, and jut when my life has turned a huge corner. I know that sounds selfish, but it really does make my heart ache. The only thing I can do is accept that what will happen will happen, do as much as I can personally and appreciate the things I have while I have them. I can only be a supporter of what is right and sane to the best of my ability. I'm so lucky to be where I am in life right now. It might not last, so I have to enjoy it while it does. There are so many people out there hurting, I can't even imagine. Someday that could be me.

I get stuck in my routine and become complacent. I have a bad habit of being motivated only by fear (of loss, rejection, financial ruin, failure) before I attempt to improve. I want to see life not from a deficit perspective, but from one of abundance. I want to be proactive in developing myself, rather than seeking advancement out of desperation or limited options.

My fear of opening myself up to a deeper relationship with one person. It has expanded my level of friendships, but it has limited me in being true to myself and my own wants and desires. I am seeking mental health counseling, as I work to unravel the barriers I put up. Am I guarding my heart? Am I giving up my "self" to protect the one I love? How do I set boundries to protect myself and still leave my heart vulnerable to possibilities?

Always, the fear of not being good enough. I worry too much about what people think of me. I could rely more on my close friends, to discuss problems with them, to be more open. That would be a healthy and useful thing to do.

I do agree my fear limited my ability a lot. I guess I will try to encourage more to myself. At least I should give more myself with my confidence. I learn to smile every day :)

I have too many fears. I fear of being unprepared, of the unknown, of putting myself out there and trying something new. I plan to just take baby steps and fight through the fear and anxiety. I want to just be able to live my life in a way I never have before.

I think a fear I am starting to have is that there isn’t enough time and that I will not have the chances to see my children happy. I will attempt to live in the moment and continue to send love to eb and Patrick.

I'm afraid of losing connections as a result of my busy schedule, whether it's lack of hosting meals and initiating gatherings with friends in my community, or falling out of regular contact - phone or online - with friends and family. I would like to maintain these relationships by staying on top of emails and social media, hosting or going out monthly (if not more).

The fear of falling into cultural clichés/tropes that reflect poorly on my ambition and drive/ability to contribute to the world. As mentioned previously -- I really want to work on letting go of the internal voices that hold me back. I've long ago articulated the issue of giving equal credence to every interpretation of a given situation, even if some are harsh/inappropriate, especially if they are harsh towards me/in how they reflect on my agency. The best way to do this is likely to do the things I am afraid will confirm others' opinions of me and witness the world not crashing down. Or becoming more confident in things that define me so I am not steering my life to avoid what I do not want to be. (Focusing on opportunity rather than aversion.)

I fear that I am either not enough or I'm too much, and that either way, I'm just wrong. I'm devoted to improving my relationship with myself and cultivating self awareness, acceptance, and ultimately self love. I'm doing this by removing the distractions from my feelings so that I can name the feelings and let them go. I'm letting the feelings go so that I can stay present and be with myself - so that I can be present with others and feel my feelings at the same time, without abandoning myself for temporary / fleeting outside validation.

I've been afraid to really admit to myself or others how much I want to get married. This year, I plan to take more emotional and social risks in pursuit of my goal, and actually track the marriage-oriented actions that I take each week. The first step will be signing up for at least one online dating service and one weekly physical activity, like social dance or indoor rock climbing.

Fear of making mistakes or offending someone continues to hold me back. Way back probably. I just need to continue to challenge this handicap, as opportunities present themselves, and as ready.

My fear is that I will not be able to juggle all the balls that I have in the air right now. It's a reasonable fear since I am teaching 100 students, leading a teaching team of 4, finishing my dissertation, researching for CRI and navigating motherhood... I will overcome this by staying organized and focused.

Fear of failing. Fear of losing what I have worked for and my financial savings for my future in retirement. I fear that my husband's lack of savings and his personal debt is going to exhaust my well planned and saved resources. I have worked hard to protect them from his debts, keeping them separated. I also fear being alone and poor in my old age and no one to speak for my rights when I can no longer. I have no children. And not that having children is to ensure security when you are older. But it does make a difference, some people have children to rally around and watch out for them. And others do not and are more susceptible to being abused or neglected.