Everyone wants to achieve some measure of success in life. But there are some people who are afraid of taking the risks needed to achieve the rewards of success, which limits their potential and actually kills the thrill of living a full life.

If you think it’s the fear of failure that holds people back, this isn’t always the case. Sometimes, it’s the fear of success that allows us to sabotage our hopes of achieving a particular goal. In fact, there are some people who, when they are just on the brink of something wonderful, suddenly walk away or end their quest without explanation.

This fear - the fear of success - is altogether different than the fear of failure, yet it holds the same power when the going seems to get too tough, or when the light at the end of the tunnel is clear, but the thrill is more in the journey than the final destination.

If you experience a fear of failure (or of success), there are several things you can do to fight that fear. Below is a five-step self-evaluation process that will help you figure out what you’re afraid of so you can fight the fear head-on. 

1. Determine what it is that is holding you back. What is the ultimate fear?

2. Re-examine your life and try to pinpoint the first time you experienced this type of fear.

3. Talk with a friend or a professional who can be objective about your situation and shed light on what’s really getting in the way of your goal.

4. Make a list of your previous “failures.”  Write down what stopped you from succeeding and note the reasons why you consider these to be failures.

5. Review your list with an honest assessment about your fear. Self-realization is important at this point. Once you determine why you failed, you can then understand the fear behind it. Was the goal too difficult to reach (fear of failure)?  Or, perhaps the success was too difficult to handle (fear of success)?

True fear is a genuine feeling that something negative will happen, not a make believe excuse to avoid taking action. It comes in all shapes and sizes and can lead to anxiety attacks, panic attacks, generalized anxiety, and the overall belief that reaching for that brass ring will yield nothing, or worse, doom. But, by following the five steps outlined above, you can fight the fear of failure (or success) head-on - and win!

As a member of 5 Minute Self-Help, you can get the personalized support you need to succeed. For just $5, you get access to great tools and resources and unlimited coaching. There’s nothing to fear about that!

Have you ever said to yourself, a friend, or a loved one, “My life is great. I have nothing to complain about, but I just feel so sad!” Everyone experiences feelings of depression, anxiety, and sadness once in a while. Although most people can pinpoint the cause of their blues, such as experiencing hard times, needing more money, receiving bad news, living with rainy weather, or even having hormonal changes, some people feel sad or depressed without really knowing why.

I recently had lunch with a friend and when I started listening to the negative stories I was telling her about the current state of my life, I had an epiphany: I was stuck in a sad cycle that was creating a steady stream of negative thoughts in my mind!

When feeling sad leads to day after day of feeling blue, it’s time to take self-help action before full-blown depression sets in. So I created a plan for breaking my sad cycle in just three days.

Day 1

One Day 1, I decided that, instead of being sad, I was going to be wealthy! In a small notebook, I wrote down a list of the many ways that wealth touches my life:

• The money in my bank account
• My beautiful family
• My lovely home
• My home-based business
• My generous clients
• My just-for-emergencies credit line

Throughout the day, every time a negative thought crept into my mind, I stopped what I was doing and read through my wealthy list. By the end of that day, my veil of sadness was beginning to lift.

Day 2

On Day 2, I decided that, instead of being sad, I was going to be wealthy and grateful! In my notebook, I wrote down a list of the many things that I’m grateful for.

Just like Day 1, every time a negative thought crept into my mind, I stopped what I was doing and read through my wealthy and grateful lists. By the end of Day 2, I realized I was no longer wallowing in sadness. In fact, I was beginning to feel hopeful about my future again.

Day 3

On Day 3, I decided that, instead of letting sadness creep back into my life, I would focus on sharing joy with everyone I came in contact with. In addition to reviewing my wealthy and grateful lists, I looked for ways to spread joy to others. Here are some things I came up with:

• I waved to the neighbor getting her morning paper and to the kids waiting at the bus stop by my house
• I held the door for an elderly woman at the post office
• I smiled randomly at strangers (and they smiled back!)
• I hugged my kids and told them I was happy to be their mom
• I answered the phone with, “Good morning!” and “Happy Friday!” instead of simply, “Hello.”

By the end of Day 3, I actually felt lighter in my body, as if the weight of the world was no longer sitting on top of my shoulders. I was also eating healthier because I didn’t crave comfort food.

Each day since then, I choose another positive aspect of my life to focus on and look for new ways to uplift others. Sure, the bills keep coming in and the housework still needs to be done, but worrying about them only makes me feel sad. And I would rather feel wealthy, blessed, abundant, and grateful! Depression is a serious illness that should be treated by your doctor. But if you’re feeling blue, try my 3-Day plan for breaking the sad cycle - before depression sets in!

Hay House and TUT are two great resources for books and DVDs that can also help you break the sad cycle. And if you need a little one-on-one mentoring to put this 3-day plan into action, the personal life coaches over at 5 Minute Self-Help are awesome. the cost is only $5 and they can help you stay on track and truly beat the blues forever.

Stress at work presents a significant challenge because you have very little control over the environment and the anxiety it causes. Stressors can come at you from a variety of sources, including the people you work with, your physical office setup, and the type of work you do. Short of changing jobs (and probably finding yourself in a similar situation even if you are making more money), avoiding everyday stress at the office just isn’t possible.

So, how do you cope when you feel like you’re at the end of your stress-at-work rope? It’s easy. Just incorporate these three simple strategies into your work week.

1. Take a Walk

One of the most basic strategies for stress relief is physical exercise. But you don’t need to go out all for exercise to be effective against work stress. A brisk 20-30 minute walk up the street or around the parking lot will work wonders for relieving a stressed out state of mind. When walking, avoid planning your next task. Instead, allow your mind to relax and your thoughts to float by like the clouds in the wind. When your walk is finished, take a few deep belly breaths and perform a few stretches. You should feel relaxed and re-energized. Oh, and before heading back to your desk, grab a tall glass of clean, fresh water to hydrate your body’s cells.

2. Catch a Catnap

Power napping is another strategy that provides almost instant stress relief at work. But the key is to not sleep too long or you’ll end up feeling worse instead of better. On your lunch or afternoon break, slip into a quiet conference room or out to your car. (Make sure you won’t be disturbed.) Set the timer on your cell phone for 15-20 minutes.

Sit back, close your eyes and allow your mind to go blank. If you have trouble stopping your thoughts, try focusing on a single word or simple phrase, such as Relax, or I am relaxed. The point is to doze off just long enough to give your mind and body a much-needed mini-nap. But if you aren’t able to fall asleep, the short meditative break will be almost as refreshing. Give yourself a few minutes to snap back to reality before heading back to your desk.

3. Stay Away from Stimulants

When you experience stress at work, it’s common to reach for an extra cup of coffee, a diet soda or a candy bar as a pick-me-up. But those quick fixes are doing your body - and stress level - more harm than good. The stimulant effects of caffeine, chocolate and sugar increase your heart rate and cause your muscles to contract. They actually add a heaping helping of tension onto your body before they wear off with a crash. Avoid artificial energy bursts by preparing healthy snacks to take to work and choosing bottled water, caffeine free herbal tea or vegetable juice as your drinks of choice. By avoiding caffeine throughout the day you may even sleep better, which allows your body to recuperate from the day’s many stresses and prepare for the next round of stress at work.

For many women, stress management is a life long endeavor. You can get some really great tools for managing stress, including the full length e-book, Less-Stressed NOW!, for just $5 over at 5 Minute Self-Help.