Fear and self-doubt are two things that every normal person faces. These are also two of the biggest obstacles to success and happiness.

Some people feel more fear and self-doubt than others. And, some are better at overcoming these emotions than others.

Regardless of where you fall on the fear/self-doubt spectrum, there are many things you can do to rise above these emotions.

Conquer your fear and self-doubt with this process:

1. Identify what you’re actually afraid of. What do you really fear? Most of us don’t have to worry about being eaten by tigers. Our lives are rarely in danger. The most common fears in a modern society are failure and making a fool out of one’s self. Of course, there are others.

* If you want to start a business, but can’t seem to get started, what is your real concern?

* Maybe you want to ask out a coworker on a date. What is the real fear? They certainly aren’t going to hit you over the head with a rock.

* Be aware of your actual fear, and then you’ll have a chance of addressing it.

2. Find situations related to your fear that are only mildly uncomfortable. Perhaps you have a fear of public speaking. What could you do that’s similar, but less terrifying? You could:

* Give a speech to a group of friends

* Start conversations with strangers

* Visualize yourself giving a speech

* Do more group activities and speak up more

* If you’re afraid of heights, you could start by looking down over a 2nd floor balcony and slowly work your way up to greater heights.

3. Take action. Thinking creates and magnifies fear. Taking action lessens fear. One of the best ways to get over fear is to immediately take action before you have a chance to talk yourself out of it.

* Most people would be more successful, happier, and less afraid if they thought less and did more.

4. Visualize yourself being unafraid. Imagine you have a twin that’s similar to you, but different in other ways. If you could build the perfect twin, what would they be like? What skills, beliefs, and attitudes would they have? How would they handle the situation that creates fear in you?

* Allow yourself to become that twin.

5. Give yourself small successes. Set yourself up to win. Make the game so easy that you can’t fail. As you gain confidence, up the stakes a little. Get used to being successful in the situations that cause you to feel fear.

* If the thought of making 100 cold calls a day makes you break out in a cold sweat, give yourself the goal of making just one cold call. The next day, you can do three.

* Show yourself that you can do it. Show yourself that nothing bad is going to happen to you.

6. Be realistic. What is the worst consequence you are likely to endure if the thing you fear comes true? It’s probably not anything you can’t handle!

* What happens if the publisher rejects your book? What if your speech doesn’t go well? What’s actually going to happen to you? Will you still be safe? Will your family still love you?

7. Get help. Whether you need some help from a friend or a professional, there’s no shame in getting help. You would get help if your car’s engine blew up. You’d get help if you had a broken leg. Get the help you need to deal with your fears.

How much do you allow fear and self-doubt to rule your life? Imagine what your life would be like if you could overcome all of your fears and self-doubt.

Most people avoid the actions that trigger these uncomfortable feelings. You can do better. You can act in the face of these emotions and live your life to the fullest.

No sane person has ever claimed they had a mind that was too clear and peaceful. We’d all like to feel less cluttered and more peaceful and relaxed.

Decluttering your mind is largely the result of decluttering all aspects of your life.

We tend to put too many burdens on our minds, but there’s a more effective way to live. With a few simple hacks, you can reduce the load on your mind and give it the peace it craves.

Add serenity to your life with these techniques:

1. Remove the challenging people from your life. There are people that take up a lot of space in your brain. Some of those people are optional in your life, and you might not even like them! Why are you keeping them around?

– Be willing to let go of the people that take more time and effort than they’re worth to you.

2. Remove unnecessary activities from your life. This could be committees you serve on, sports teams you play on, or going out on Thursday nights. Maybe you’re taking accordion lessons but realize that you’re not enjoying it that much. Cut these activities out of your life and gain the gift of time.

3. Declutter your environment. Your mind and inner peace are affected by your environment. This includes your home, workspace, and anywhere else you spend a significant amount of time. Have you ever noticed how nice it feels when your home is clean? You can feel that way all of the time.

4. Meditate. Meditation might be the ultimate way to declutter your mind and enjoy inner peace. Meditation is very simple but challenging to do well. However, it’s possible to receive many benefits from meditation even if you’re a beginner.

– There are many resources online that can teach you the basics of meditation.

– Twenty minutes of meditation each day can change your life and bring inner peace.

5. Write things down. Trying to remember things puts a huge load on your mind. You can never truly relax when you have to remember to do something. Write things down and use alarms. Knowing that something else will keep track of your obligations for you will allow your mind to relax.

6. Mono-task. Forget about multitasking. It’s ineffective and creates stress. Limit yourself to one task at a time. You’ll feel better and get much more accomplished.

– Try it for a day. Do one task at a time and focus all of your attention on that task. Notice how much better you feel while working and at the end of the day.

7. Make fewer decisions. The fewer decisions you have to make each day, the more inner peace you’ll feel.

– For example, limiting your wardrobe makes it easier to figure out what to wear each day. Even better, pick out your outfit for the following day before you go to bed.

– You can eat the same healthy breakfast each morning.

– Look for ways to minimize the number of decisions you have to make.

8. Get enough sleep. Notice how cluttered your mind feels after a poor night of sleep. Experiment to determine the proper amount of sleep your mind and body need each night.

9. Limit your exposure to the news and social media. The news and social media will drive you crazy if you spend too much time consuming them. It’s important to stay aware of what’s happening in the world, but you don’t have to bombard yourself with negative information day and night.

Treat your mind like you would an injured body part. You would reduce the amount of work it has to do and treat it gently. Most of us ask our minds to do more than it was designed to do. Give your mind a break and gain the peace you crave!

There are three general places we’re likely to feel unappreciated: work, home, and within a relationship. If you’re feeling unappreciated, there’s a good chance it’s within one of these three areas of your life.

Children are notoriously unappreciative. Spouses and bosses are often blind to the contributions we make. Even friends and coworkers can fail to show the appreciation we believe we deserve.

Everyone suffers from feeling unappreciated at times. Consider these ideas if you’re struggling to pinpoint your emotion.

Signs that you’re feeling unappreciated:

1. You feel resentment towards someone in your life. If you’re feeling resentful toward someone, you might be feeling unappreciated. This is especially true if they haven’t recently done anything obvious to upset you.

– If you’ve been feeling resentful lately, ask yourself why.

2. You feel like you’re doing all the work to maintain a relationship. Sometimes it feels like you’re doing all the work in a relationship, and the other person isn’t putting in nearly as much effort. This is a common reason for feeling unappreciated.

– Relationships are never exactly equal, but the inequality should shift back and forth. Healthy relationships are equal over time, but not all the time.

3. You’re not being thanked for your efforts or contribution. We don’t have to receive a medal for every little thing we do, but it’s nice to be recognized for our efforts. This can happen at work or at home.

4. You aren’t asked for your opinion. When we aren’t asked for our opinion, we don’t feel valued. When others respect your opinion, they respect you.

5. The other person isn’t making time for you. If someone never seems to have time for you, you’re likely to feel unappreciated. This is especially true if they seem to be able to make time for other people and activities.

Does the list above resonate with you? If you’ve identified yourself as feeling unappreciated, it’s time to do something about it.

Follow these strategies and get the appreciation you deserve:

1. Determine what is happening that makes you feel unappreciated. Pin down the times you feel unappreciated. What exactly is happening? Who is involved? What is being said or not being said?

2. Determine what would have to happen for you to feel appreciated. What needs to change? What has to be done or said for you to feel better?

3. Try being more appreciative. This might sound odd, but a good strategy for receiving more appreciation is to give more appreciation. This can be hard to do when you feel that you’re not already receiving the appreciation you deserve. Try it and see if this strategy works for you.

4. Be open about your needs. It’s always better to communicate your needs than to just remain upset. Tell the other person how you’re feeling and why. Be sure to offer a solution and be willing to listen to the response.

5. Consider changing your behavior. If your actions aren’t appreciated, perhaps what you’re doing doesn’t matter to the other person. Your time might be better spent in other ways. There’s always the possibility that you could consider rearranging your life so you can feel more appreciated.

In some situations, you’re just going to have to accept that you’re not going to receive the appreciation you deserve. This often occurs in work situations. Focus on feeling proud of your contributions and be thankful for your paycheck!

However, you can often receive the appreciation you desire if you speak up for yourself. Most people are kind and will correct their behavior once they’re made aware. Avoid suffering in silence and get the appreciation you deserve!