This giveaway is now closed.
Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to the winners!

Welcome to Day 5 of my week of giveaways!

Today’s giveaway is a big one. It’s a life changer, actually. It’s already changing my life, which is why I wanted to share it here with you.

So many of us are afraid. We know that we are afraid, and we’re trying to push through our fear and leap into our dreams. And sometimes we do exactly that. But sometimes we get stuck – our fears run deep, and we realize that we might need some help working through them. That’s where I am right now. Thankfully, I knew just who to turn to: my friend, Tess Marshall.

Tess is definitely an expert on fear – she has devoted her life to helping others conquer it and live boldly. She writes the super popular and empowering blog, The Bold Life. (If you aren’t already subscribed, I definitely recommend that you do.)

She recently came out with an e-course that is designed to help each of us push through whatever blocks are keeping us in our comfort zones. It’s called, Take Your Fear and Shove It (which is exactly what I plan to do with mine)! It contains over 150 pages of exercises, lessons, and stories – compiled from years of Tess’s own experience and also her experience with counseling others.

This course is amazing. It’s already helping me, and I’m still working through it. I couldn’t wait to tell you about it though, and Tess couldn’t wait to give it away! 

She truly wants to help as many people as she can.
She knows what it’s like to be afraid. So do I. So do you.
So let’s say, “Enough already.”
Let’s give ourselves permission to be bold and strong and shove our fear aside.
We have lives to live!

Here are 5 reasons why you will love this course:

#1: This course provides you with the tools and techniques you need to push fear aside and live a life of more beauty, humor, playfulness, and meaning.

Fear robs you of that.

#2: Take Your Fear and Shove It is designed to provide you with what to do and how to do it, in order to be bold, play big and shine bright.

Fear is confusing, controlling, and all about, “I can’t, I won’t, or what if.”

#3: This course offers directions on how to be inventive, authentic, and simply positive about your future, regardless of what’s going on around you.

You can’t do that with anxiety, shortness of breath, and a mind spinning out of control.

#4. This course is designed to take you beyond your excuses, procrastination, and worries.

You’ll be able to fully embrace your brilliance, be in charge of your own life, and go beyond what you think is possible.

Fear doesn’t teach you that.

#5. Take Your Fear and Shove It includes action oriented steps to improve your mental, emotional, and physical state.

You get the same tried, tested, and the most effective techniques needed for life-changing action that I’ve used with clients, both as a therapist and as a coach.

I sat down with Tess to talk a bit more about fear – hers, mine, and yours. And (not surprisingly) her answers got right to the heart of it all. Please read the interview below, and then keep scrolling down for the amazing giveaway.

We are all afraid of something. Whether it’s the fear of failure. The fear of success. The fear of intimacy. The fear of abandonment. The fear of rejection. The fear of not being loved. It seems that it all comes down to self love and feeling whole within ourselves. Would you agree? This is a big question, but from your personal and professional experience, what would you say is a great first step toward loving ourselves again?

The first great step to loving ourselves is to befriend ourselves. We all need healthy doses of self-compassion. It’s necessary to give ourselves the same kindness and gentleness we would offer our best friend. We need to connect to ourselves by taking the time to rest, restore, and renew ourselves, in beauty, nature, and silence. We need to honor and celebrate ourselves.

It’s important to begin small. Five minutes of journaling, mindful eating, or walking is more powerful than one may think. Done regularly it’s enough to calm your fears and clear your mind. My course, Take Your Fear and Shove It is filled with steps to free yourself from fear in order to live your dreams. The course is life-changing. It’s everything I’ve learned on my own journey and the tools and techniques I’ve share with my clients as a therapist and coach over the years.

My new Kindle book, The Soulmate Solution: Attracting the Perfect Life Partner, is based on self-love. We can’t give another the love we aren’t willing to give to and receive from ourselves.

If you want true love, begin with yourself. The more self-love you can grow and then share, the more love you will attract. Your soulmate will be drawn into your love and light. Become the love you want receive! The love I give and receive from my husband will be identical to the level of my self-love. Nothing more and nothing less.

What are you the most afraid of? What steps are you currently taking to break through this fear? 

I think I have two major fears. It’s a tie! The first is fear of failure. I want to earn a steady income from my writing. If I can’t I’m going to do something else. Bloggers put an enormous amount of time into their work. If I can’t make a good income from it, it doesn’t make sense for me to continue. I would rather combine traveling and volunteer work than sit in front of a computer for the next 20 years! This year I chose the word “Create” to help me with my financial plan. It’s going very well so far!

My other fear is the fear of aging. Over the past two years I’ve witnessed both of my parents die. My dad was 89, and my mom was 90. It was painful to not only watch them be treated differently for the last 10-15 years of their lives (due to their age and our culture), it was also difficult to watch them struggle from the endless losses one faces as they age.

I know it’s natural, normal or whatever. I know I’m supposed to be grateful and blah, blah, but I struggle with it. What am I doing to work through it? I’m honest about my feelings. I’m practicing acceptance. I look in the mirror a lot less. I asked my friend who just turned 82 what it’s like to be 82. She replied, “When I wake up, I’m in pain. My next thought is, I’m probably going to pee before I make it to the bathroom.” I thanked her for being honest and we both laughed.

I am honored to be taking your course and am already learning so much about myself by doing the exercises. You are giving me the tools and coping skills to be able to start understanding and dissolving my own fear, which I am so grateful for. What is your hope that someone will take away and carry with them after completing your course?

I wrote the course in a way that it can be referred to again and again. When we’re afraid we tend to forget what we know. I want people to understand that the power we give our fears is what keeps us from being happy, growing forward, and living our dreams. My clients tell me I get in their head and they hear my voice. If you can remember what I wrote and take the risks and actions you need to succeed, I’ve done my job. The world needs our unique gifts and talents. We can no longer hold back. We know better.

Why have you devoted so much of your life to helping others push through their fears? Why does this mean so much to you?

At my 45th birthday party, my daughter told everyone that she admired me for my strength. I accepted her gift and really took it in. Over the years my friends have said the same thing. In the 90s they told me I needed to begin writing my stories and wisdom down. I believe it’s my purpose to help others believe in themselves and push them forward. We are all strong and powerful. Some people have never discovered this. Others have forgotten. Those are the people I want to reach.

I am terrified of public speaking. I have a feeling that you will say the best way to conquer this fear is to get out there and do it. But…is there another easier way? 🙂

You’re funny, Jodi. Go to Toastmasters. It’s cheap, amazingly powerful, and fun! I’ve never seen a person fail unless they stopped going. You have to practice, practice, practice. You can do this! I still get nervous. Nobody cares. They only care about connecting with you. One last thing…become a great story teller. That’s it.

You offer so much hope and inspire people to be bold. Who or what gives you hope and inspires you to live your best life?

My mom was always my biggest fan. Not when I was growing up because there wasn’t enough of her to spread around to 10 children. After I married, I moved next door to her. Hubs has been my biggest support since I was 17. My daughters and grandchildren rock my world. I know they would do anything for me. I made a lot of parenting mistakes because I was so young. We all got through it and came out better people. I am truly blessed.

I love how in the course you say that by pushing through our fears, we open our entire world up. I have found that by saying yes to life, even when I was terrified, everything expanded. The universe did more than meet me half way – it embraced me because I was now brave enough to live my truth. Have you experienced this as well in your own life – or have you seen your clients experience this openness in their lives when they pushed through their fears?

Absolutely! Now instead of going further into an answer, I’m going to challenge you. Imagine what would happen if you allowed that wonderful speaker to be born. Just imagine. I know that’s your next step! I believe in you.

 Anything else you would like to share?

Thank you. I love and appreciate you. xo
(I love and appreciate you, too, Tess!)

 THE GIVEAWAY

Tess is being SUPER generous and is giving away 3 Take Your Fear and Shove It courses to 3 lucky winners! Can you believe it? This course is life changing – if you’re ready to push through fear, be sure to enter!

Entering is super easy!

1. Become a fan of The Bold Life and Soul Speak on Facebook.
2. Leave a comment below sharing how your life would be different if you pushed through your fears.

That’s it!

Three lucky winners will be chosen randomly on 3/29. They will each win the complete Take Your Fear and Shove It course.

I can’t wait to read your comments! Are you ready to push through your fear and leap toward your dreams? I sure am!

P.S. – There is still time to enter the giveaways from Days 1-4!
Click here to win 3 issues of Sprout Magazine.
Click here to win a copy of the book, Ordinary Sacred.
Click here to win Intuitive Readings from Karen Hager.
Click here to win a copy of the book, I Believe.