Security is not having things; it’s handling things.

If you knew you could handle anything that came your way, what would you possibly have to fear? The answer is: nothing!

Remember that underlying all our fears is a lack of trust in ourselves.

Every time you encounter something that forces you to “handle it,” your self-esteem is raised considerably. You learn to trust that you will survive, no matter what happens. And in this way your fears are diminished immeasurably.

Pushing through fear is less frightening than living with the underlying fear that comes from a feeling of helplessness.

Patience means knowing it will happen… and giving it time to happen.

“It’s a problem” is another deadening phrase. It’s heavy and negative. “It’s an opportunity” opens the door to growth. Each time you can see the gift in life’s obstacles, you can handle difficult situations in a rewarding way. Each time you have the opportunity to stretch your capacity to handle the world, the more powerful you become.

The fear will never go away as long as I continue to grow.

You may be surprised and encouraged to learn that while inability to deal with fear may look and feel like a psychological problem, in most cases it isn’t. I believe it is primarily an educational problem, and that by reeducating the mind, you can accept fear as simply a fact of life rather than a barrier to success.

When you blame any outside force for any of your experience of life, you are literally giving away all your power and thus creating pain, paralysis and depression.

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.

The knowledge that you can handle anything that comes your way is the key to allowing yourself to take healthy, life-affirming risks.

For some reason we feel we should be perfect, and forget that we learn through our mistakes. Our need to be perfect and our need to control the outcome of events work together to keep us petrified when we think about making a change or attempting a new challenge.

It is a paradox. The less you need someone’s approval, the more you are able to love them.

Taking responsibility means never blaming anyone else for anything you are being, doing, having, or feeling.

As I began to do things on my own, I began to taste the deliciousness of an emerging self-confidence.

For many of us, the people we find most difficult to praise are the ones closest to us—our mates, our children, our parents, and sometimes our friends.

The biggest pitfall as you make your way through life is impatience. Remember that being impatient is simply a way of punishing yourself. It creates stress, dissatisfaction, and fear.

If you don’t change your direction, you’re likely to end up where you’re heading.