I don’t consider myself a particularly brave or fearless person. I have a lot of fears, hangups, discomforts and various sources of nervousness and trepidation.  But I am also a big believer that everyone has the capacity to control their fears, and that by facing your fears you can push yourself out of your comfort zone and into something new.

It is with that in mind, that I tackle my new 30 Day Challenge for the month of October.  For the next 30 days, I will be examining my fears.

To start with, I have mapped out my biggest fears and discomforts, which runs from the practical fears like financial risk or getting lost in the woods, to the fairly stereotypical fears like heights, to the admittedly rather odd like my intense fear of rats and mice.

According to an article about the science of conquering your fears, some of the ways to become more courageous include:

• Be vulnerable
• Acknowledge your fears
• Expose yourself to what you fear
• Think positive
• Manage stress
• Practice courageous acts

Another article highlights 33 Powerful Ways to Overcome Fears, and some interesting techniques I had never heard about.