I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review but all thoughts and views are my own. Disclaimer: The links below may be affiliate links. If you purchase any products after clicking on these links, at no additional cost to you, A Simple Homestead will receive a small commission for making you aware of these important resources.
Do ever feel like you don’t get anything done but when you look back it’s because you were afraid? Afraid what others might think of you, afraid that your endeavor might fail or that you aren’t good enough, or do you have a fear of what others might think – that they might reject you?
I just finished an amazing book by Ruth Soukup that gets to the heart of this fear issue – not only identifying 7 different types of fear but also steps you can take to push past those fears. Notice, I didn’t say “overcome”. Ruth’s message is that we don’t have to be afraid of fear or that we can make our fears go away. Instead, we need to determine how to maneuver around those fears and “do it scared”. Note: there is a free quiz you can take to see which fear type(s) fit you!
Ruth’s book is now available for order here:
Ruth Soukup has made quite a name for herself in the blogging world. She runs the site Living Well Spending Less and she also helps hundreds of bloggers each year through her Elite Blog Academy. Last year she started her new site along with a weekly podcast called (what else?) Do It Scared, where she talks about the same principles in her book and interviews others who have been able to work around their fears to do amazing things.
Remember that quiz I mentioned? With the pre-order bonus to upgrade, I was able to receive the full fear profile report . It was no surprise to me that my top ranking fear fell under the category of “People Pleaser, with a 77% match. But the full report doesn’t just give you one profile – it shows ALL the fear types you associate with! Some people in the online group said they matched more than 50% with all of the fear types. I matched the Procrastinator (usually due to perfectionism) at 66% and the Pessimist (life isn’t fair) at 60%. Let’s just say, there’s a lot of fear that’s holding me back!
But… I’m learning. Learning to worry one day / hour / minute at a time. To not spend so much thinking about all the what-ifs and just do it. My favorite quote in the book is “Action is the antidote to fear.” That is so true!
If I had one complaint about the book is that only the first section deals with the fear archetypes. But let’s face it, I’m geeky and love those personality tests and what they mean. The next two sections are more general, talking about goal setting, embracing courage and how you can take action. I did learn several useful tips and will probably need to revisit those sections again (because perfectionism demands I get it “right” LOL). I have read and practiced a lot in setting goals, but Ruth encourages us to dream Big, Scary Goals – the type that are frightening but will ultimately lead us towards the life we want.
You may be wondering why am I talking about a fear book on a Christian / homesteading / DIY / sometimes craft blog. Well, because changes are coming! For a couple of years now I’ve felt a bit “lost” when it came to the vision surrounding A Simple Homestead and thanks to the Do It Scared book along with a marketing course I took last month, I had a break-through. I’ve toyed with the idea of splitting this site – “divorcing” my fiber arts business along with the tech editing / virtual assistant pieces from A Simple Homestead. And now I’m doing it! Breaking these sites apart just makes sense to me! This is how it will work…
ASimpleHomestead.com will remain on this site. I plan to focus on homesteading, gardening, recipes and chickens as before but I’m also planning to add in more posts on DIY, Christian faith, general crafting (non-fiber) and perhaps some book reviews.
ASHFiberArts.com will be one of the new sites, focusing on the fiber arts: knitting, crocheting, and maybe even some dyeing! This will be where you can learn what I’m working on, whether it is other designer’s patterns or my designs. There will be new pattern release announcements. I’ll also share some of my favorite yarns and stash acquisitions, especially since the Driftless Shop Hop was just announced again for this summer! The online shop will be moving to this site and will continue to include stitch markers, progress keepers, and leather bag handles as well as a few new surprises!
CalledToDesign.com will be the third website, focusing on helping aspiring business owners! I’ve come to realize that I have learned a lot of valuable information over the last several years and can’t wait to share with others to help them start their own businesses! My advice will be aimed towards creative businesses, such as knitting and crochet pattern designers. However, many of the topics I plan to discuss could apply more broadly, although some posts may have a Christian bend to them.
Note: the latter two websites are not set up yet so you won’t find much, if anything there. I will let you know when they are “live”. One thing to keep in mind however is that since the website will be separating, that means that the crafting and designing portions of the newsletter will go away from ASimpleHomestead.com. Unfortunately, due to GDPR and other privacy policies, I can’t just move your newsletter subscription over. You’ll have to do that if you want to stay subscribed! I will let you know later when those newsletters are set up so you can join.
Those are my plans – however, I would love to know more about what you want to read! I have a quick 5-minute (or less) questionnaire – I would love if you would share what your reading interests are!
