Embracing Fear: How to Turn What Scares Us Into Our Greatest Gift

by Thom Rutledge

Book Overview

It′s Time to Take Back Your Life

Fear takes many forms -- dread, panic, anxiety, self-consciousness, superstition, and negativity -- and manifests itself in many ways -- avoidance, procrastination, judgment, control, and agitation, to name just a few. Whether we are afraid of the dark or being alone, of failure or commitment, of public speaking or flying, fear dominates our lives, affecting nearly every decision we make.

Combining...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0062517759
• ISBN13: 9780062517753
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Great Tools for the mental tool box

I really got a lot of useful tips/reminders out of this book in dealing with stress, fear and panic attacks. It is an easy read and the author has a good sense of humor. All good things when dealing with fear!

LIFE CHANGING BOOK

I read this book as a follow-up to Jenni Schaefer's book "Life Without Ed" since I was fascinated with Thom Rutledge's methods of externalizing our fears or "Bullys" as he calls them in this book, and taking authority over them with the "Ally" we all have in us. I have NEVER read a book that consistently made me nod my head the entire way through. This book touched my spirit and made me realize how we really can be in charge of those voices within our mind that threaten us or tell us what we should have or could have done better or how their way, despite being so destructive, is really the way we should go. It amazes me how many times I have followed the destruction course of the bully only to find myself more saddened by these fear-induced choices. Thom Rutledge is so real, funny and compassionate. We need more of this guy in the world. He just wraps you up from the first page and you truly feel like you're hanging out in a cozy place with him as he takes you on this wonderful journey of self-discovery and empowerment. I will be giving this book as gifts to so many people I know. I feel this book in itself is a gift to any individual who wants to improve the quality of their life with such a simple approach as a change in the way we look at fear. Thom Rutledge has a servant's heart by sharing such great wisdom in such a simple, enjoyable book. You know while reading this book that it is so in his heart to help people and have fun along the way. It's a book you'll want to read over and over again, as it is so life-affirming and encouraging!!

Not an ordinary self-help book

***** This book is a great read all about fear. Specifically, it is about embracing fear---facing fear---rather than running from it, stuffing it, etc. Unlike most self-help books, the author does not presume to be an authority with easy answers; instead, he is a fellow human being who struggles with his own fear and that of his clients. He shares very practical techniques to approach your fears so that you can still have the life you want, regardless of your fears. Fear underlies most if all negative emotions. I found this book to be very helpful. The author asks many helpful questions such as "What would I do today if I were brave?"...leading me to see where my fears stopped me. Another technique he uses is splitting our self-talk into the negative voices of unhealthy unnecessary fear (which he calls The Bully) and the positive voices of what we know with our heads and hearts (which he calls The Ally). This has been really helpful to me, too. He makes the point that we will never rid ourselves of fear, but we will be less and less bothered by it as we learn how to face it. This book differs from an ordinary self-help book in that it is amazingly useful, plus the author is practical, transparent, realistic, and humble. I loved reading it, highlighted it all over the place, and will read it again. It is an excellent value and worth hours of therapy. I would even suggest it in lieu of therapy! I immediately bought two copies to send to two of my closest friends. *****

Recommended for those who normally avoid self-help books

Embracing Fear will be appreciated by readers who usually avoid self-help books. Thom Rutledge, a Nashville psychotherapist, draws on his life and his clinical experience to share frank, irreverent insights into living and growing in today's world. Rutledge distinguishes healthy fear, which motivates us to move forward, from "neurotic" fear, which keeps us paralyzed. We should face fear, he says, but not let it rule our lives. This message is especially timely after the events of 9/11. Embracing Fear deserves attention not only for the main message, but also for the little gems that appear on almost every page. As a reader and writer in the self-help genre, I was impressed by Rutledge's originality. You won't find the usual "positive outlook" bromides here; in fact, we are warned to be leery of the New Age manifestation manifestos. As a therapist, says Rutledge, "I sometimes think of myself as an energy-efficiency consultant."  "Never trust someone who presents himself or herself as the ultimate expert on the human condition." People who want to know their "life purpose" seem to imply there are "answers in the back of the book."    Embracing Fear will be a valuable resource for the thousands of people who face major career and life changes, which are often accompanied by fear. It will also be welcomed by those who are ready for self-help delivered heavy on the realism and easy on the hype.  

A Book For Everyone

Embracing Fear is not only a good read but also it is a book that makes a difference. Fear is a significant part of our lives. Thom Rutledge writes, "Fear fuels our negative and judgmental thoughts and our need to control things. Fear underlies guilt and shame and anger... Fear hides inside seemingly less severe emotions such as anxiety. The objects of anxiety can range from giving a presentation at work to the presence of terrorism in our world. We can be afraid that our shoes don't match an outfit or worry about larger concerns like world hunger." Embracing Fear shows us how to identify and face these fears that haunt us in our day-to-day lives. Once we isolate and identify the fear in our lives, Thom Rutledge takes us through the process of learning how to understand this fear and then eventually move beyond it. This is not some stuffy self-help manual nor is it a new age out there guide book, Embracing Fear is a book that makes sense while you read it and even better the principles and methods work. Thom Rutledge has indeed written a book for everyone.