How to Eliminate Excuses and Fear in 2012

I made too many excuses this year. I wanted to create more videos. I did not. I wanted to be more active on social media. It’s been an on again, off again endeavor. 

I wanted to learn photo shop. I did not. Only one thing has stood in my way.

Fear.

I lacked courage and I failed to take action.

The wonderful thing about life is that we can always shift our perception and choose to begin again.

That’s my plan. 

The word I’ve chosen to focus on in 2012 is “create.”

I’m going to create everything I’ve been holding back on and more. I made up my mind and I've written my plan. 

I’ve taken common excuses and created a plan for you as well. It doesn’t matter what you want to do or what you're struggling with.

Adjust this plan to fit your needs.

It’s going to be a great year! 

Read on if you want to create more and fear less. 

Excuse # 1: I don’t know how. 

Plan:  Create courage 

Do something brand new. Be open to being a beginner. Experience the different and the difficult. Push yourself. Follow someone’s lead.

Ask questions. Experiment. Try. Fail. Try again. Fail again. Succeed. 

Excuse # 2: I don’t have time. 

Plan: Create time 

To find more time become an early riser or stay up later. Create boundaries. Don’t take on projects that don’t fit your needs.

Create a “yes” so big that you’ll be able to say “no.” You will have time and energy to make room for the impossible! 

Excuse # 3: I don’t have the funds. 

Plan: Create money 

Get your finances in order. It’s the best thing you can do for your fearful self. Record your daily expenses.

Spend less. Earn more. Barter. Collect garbage or clean floors if you have too. Be willing to do what it takes. 

Excuse # 4 I don’t like networking.

Plan: Create an offline social network 

Get out and be social face-to-face. Go to a grocery store, a coffee house, or a networking meeting and introduce yourself to five people a week. 

Expand your circle. Establish new friendships. The more people you know the faster you and your business will grow. 

Excuse # 5: Nothing ever goes right for me. 

Plan: Create abundance

I have kept a gratitude journal for the past eight years.

When you record the beauty, pleasures, people, and experiences that enrich your life you become aware of your resources, increase your creativity, and increase your well-being. 

Excuse # 6: It’s too difficult. 

Plan: Create success 

Decide to succeed no matter what. Don’t allow anything to get in your way. Act as if your life and happiness depend on it. It does. Never give up, never. 

Excuse # 7 I can’t handle rejection. 

Plan: Create support 

Ask for help. Begin a mastermind group. Expect to be turned down and ignored. People will reject you. Never take it personally.

You can’t see the whole picture. You have no idea what is going on in somebody else’s life. There are nearly 7 billion people in the world, ask someone else. Find your tribe. 

Excuse # 8: I can’t focus. 

Plan: Create focus

Become driven by what you will gain. Is your benefit financial freedom, travel, saving the lives of others, or leaving a legacy you can be proud of?

When the going gets tough, keep you focus on your “why.” You’re stronger than  you think. 

Excuse # 9 I don’t feel worthy. 

Plan: Create faith 

Dump your doubt. When you doubt yourself you feel like you aren’t good enough, smart enough, or talented enough for your place in the world. Don’t get caught in your own drama.

Affirm: “I am enough, I have enough, I do enough. I am worthy of the best in life.” Repeat this each time your doubt surfaces.

Get into the “feeling” of worthiness. Believe your are worthy, speak like your worthy, and act like  you're worthy.

Excuse # 10 

Plan: Create the extraordinary 

Don’t try to be perfect. Don’t copy what others do.  Instead put your energy into being exceptional, uncommon, and memorable.

When you want to convey your ideas, focus on your message. Tell stories that people will remember you for and speak from your heart.

Nobody is going to rescue you. Nobody is coming to save you. Give live all you've got…and more.

Please join me in making 2012 a "no excuse zone."

It's not too late to sign up to be on the pre-launch list for my ecourse, Take Your Fear and Shove It! You'll receive a special discount before the course it made available to everyone. Click here.

I'm creating a fearless New Year! Please join me.

If you like this post please share it with others about it!

{ 28 comments… add one }

  • Robin Glossner December 30, 2011, 2:18 pm

    I love this post–I would love a printable copy that I can hang where I can see it!!

    Reply
    • Tess December 31, 2011, 6:19 am

      Thank you Robin. Our experiences are universal in many ways. If I’m writing something for me from my heart–others benefit as well! Happy New Year!

      Reply
  • Angela Artemis/Poweredbyintuition December 30, 2011, 6:44 pm

    Great, great, great!
    I love this, “dump your drama!’ Terrific.
    I’m joining your No Excuse Zone.
    I had a boss years ago that would look at you and say, “There are 168 hours in the week. Don’t tell me you don’t have time.” It would make my stomach drop each time he said it but you know what? It worked. He accepted no excuses.
    Happy New Year to you. May it be your best year ever,
    Angela

    Reply
    • Tess December 31, 2011, 6:21 am

      Angela,
      It was being an early riser on the farm growing up that taught me how to get things done. It doesn’t work for everyone but for me the morning is my best time and most productive time. Happy New Year.

      Reply
  • Suzie Cheel December 31, 2011, 12:55 am

    Wow Tess,
    I have had really master photoshop on a to do list now for 2 years, so starting next week I will allocate 2 hours each week to do this and see if I can locate the course I bought about 2 years ago.
    I like the no excuses zone- interesting for me given this gift of healing I have been given. It just occurred to me that this could become an excuse for not moving forward.
    That word fear- something we all have to face and for me more so that i thought
    this is great, thank you

    Reply
  • Tess December 31, 2011, 6:22 am

    Suzie,
    Oh yeah photo shop…I think part of my failure is listening to so many people who say it’s so difficult. Augh! Good luck. You can do it Suzie!

    Reply
    • Noel January 7, 2012, 7:23 am

      Hi Tess & Suzie, Photoshop is not difficult. I started as a newbie knowing nothing and now I’ve been using it for years. Things always looks scary at starting point when we don’t know anything about it. But trust me, if I can, I’m sure you two can master it too! Go for it!

      Reply
  • Jen/Find Your Harmony December 31, 2011, 11:45 am

    Tess,
    LOVE, first of all, the title: Take your Fear and Shove it! Brilliant!

    I can completely relate to everything you talk about here. I am joining you in the “no excuse zone” in 2012. First off, I am going to sign up for some branding and computer classes because I am sorely inadequate in social media, and need to empower myself to learn so I am not wasting so much time!

    Secondly, I am really going to try to FOCUS on the areas I would like to find harmony…I will have a post up on Jungle of Life in January regarding my Focused intentions.

    I am so happy to be a part of your community and the wonderful people that remind me daily to live the life I want to create. I am sticking up my middle finger to fear:)

    Happy New Year, Tess!
    PS..just got home from a family trip and was delighted to receive Jonathons Uncertainty book in the mail! Will be starting that tonight!
    Love,
    Jen

    Reply
  • Edmund Marek January 1, 2012, 3:06 am

    I like the no excuses zone- interesting for me given this gift of healing I have been given. It just occurred to me that this could become an excuse for not moving forward, thanks for the post, keep up the good work.

    Reply
  • Lance January 1, 2012, 7:40 am

    Tess,
    I love this!!

    Especially the Excuse/Plan pieces – and how you really show – we CAN push aside fear and move forward!

    And now…it is the new year (happy new year!!!)…and I’m ready, too, to push fear aside and really LIVE!

    Reply
  • Ellie Di January 1, 2012, 3:37 pm

    I lovelovelove the idea of using your word of the year to help you focus on areas you want to improve rather than setting up more traditional resolutions (the kind that usually increase fear instead of break it down).

    Reply
  • Paige | simple mindfulness January 1, 2012, 8:51 pm

    I can fully attest to what it takes to tackle all these fears and excuses. I decided that I was going to start an online business and blog one year ago when I didn’t know the first thing about web sites and had “no time” or money for it. Taking everything in baby steps, I’ve taught myself a ton with lots of trial and error (I didn’t know how). I created the time in early mornings, late nights (something I didn’t think I could do until I decided to do it), lunch hours and any other time I could put together with a full time job and 3 little kids at home. I either created the money or, what usually happened, I figured out how to do it without spending money. I learned the art of networking (painfully at first – now I love meeting new people!). I’ve gone through many notebooks maintaining my gratitude journal – something I always look to when things aren’t going so well. Nothing is too difficult when you break it down into baby steps. I’ve learned that rejection is part of life and it’s not about me. This was a big one for me since putting my true self out there in a blog was extremely scary at first. Focus is sometimes tough but turning off TV and email makes it much easier. Feeling worthy or good enough has always been a problem for me. When I think about how worthy others are of my support, it changes my focus and opens things up for me.

    Focusing on others and solving their problems gets us out of our internal, limiting dramas and leads to a much happier life.

    Tess – Thank you so much for the reminder of what we all need to continue creating our own greatness.

    Namaste

    Reply
  • Cathy | Treatment Talk January 1, 2012, 9:11 pm

    Hi Tess,

    This is definitely a list of no excuses to create an amazing year. Getting out of our own way can do so much to move us forward. I especially like your suggestion to create abundance. As we fill up on all that is working in our life, it gives us the momentum to follow through with our dreams and really achieve our own version of success. Happy 2012 to you!

    Reply
  • Betsy at Zen Mama January 2, 2012, 4:09 am

    Tess,
    I love how you take a negative and change it into a positive statement. I’m showing this post to my kids. It’s a great example of making something happen in your life.
    I’ll be sending you the interview questions a little later in the week!
    Betsy

    Reply
  • Gitana |Self improvement tips January 3, 2012, 3:04 am

    Wow. I love this article. It is very needful for me, thank you, Tess. I made many excuses last year, too and these years I will try to do those things. I will use your plan, that you explained here and I hope it will help me :)

    Reply
  • Winsomebella January 3, 2012, 2:25 pm

    I really like how you have thoughtfully produced a guide for living with less of the kind of barriers we often place in our own way. I intend to take your suggestions and use them in my own context and see what happens. Thanks!

    Reply
  • Peggy Nolan January 4, 2012, 10:43 am

    Hello Tess!

    I just love the counter arguement for each excuse. I made a list of all the things that went right in 2011 and I’m even more determined than ever to create the extraordinary in 2012.

    I can’t wait to interview you – we’re going to have a blast!

    xxoo
    Peggy

    Reply
  • Megan Bord January 4, 2012, 5:32 pm

    Tess, as you know I’m a big believer in manifesting, or in other words, setting my intention and allowing what I intended to come my way. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t have to take steps along the way! As a matter of fact, I’ve found that the more steps I’m willing to take — whether or not I know what I’m doing or where I’m going — the better. It’s like the Universe can’t meet me when I’m sitting on my couch. I actually have to be up, walking around, and LIVING LIFE.

    Your list of how to create through fear is great in the sense that it encourages me in the places I sometimes fall down. As you’ve said in the past, feel the fear and do it anyway.

    And actually, yesterday I was reading an interview of Tara Sophia Mohr on Facets of Joy, and she shared that when she’s been most fearful (sweaty palms, rapid heartbeat) that’s when she’s produced the greatest things in her life.

    Amen to all of it!
    And amen to you!

    Reply
  • Andrea Lewis January 6, 2012, 12:23 pm

    Tess, this really resonated with me. Thank you so much!!! No more excuses. My word for 2012 is determination.

    Reply
  • Rose Byrd January 6, 2012, 12:55 pm

    Tess, the plan for resolving excuse #10 is ME–it is SO me! The followers of my blog tell me this all the time–I am bonkerly, eccentrically, innovatively, magically DIFFERENT–Hooray!

    Reply
  • feyrouz January 6, 2012, 1:21 pm

    This is very good. Thank you Tess. I love the article.
    Cheers……

    Reply
  • David Stevens January 6, 2012, 3:24 pm

    Hi Tess,
    Excuses hold us back, creativity sets us free. Thankyou
    be good to yourself
    David

    Reply
  • Jt Clough | Big Island Dog January 6, 2012, 4:13 pm

    My favorite… Plan: Create the extraordinary

    Don’t try to be perfect. Don’t copy what others do. Instead put your energy into being exceptional, uncommon, and memorable.

    You’ve been part of my inspiration for 2012.

    Huge Mahalo.

    Reply
  • fran sorin January 6, 2012, 9:38 pm

    Tess,
    This post is a keeper.
    Your inspiration and the sharing of your own ‘did not dos’ for 2011 resounded in me.
    I don’t know if other readers had a similar reaction but as I read each point, I thought ‘yep’. With certain ones though, I thought ‘OH YES’. They were the ones that speak to my heart, the ones that I need to be focusing on right now.

    So, thank you. It’s now 6:30am in Israel. I’m going to row in 30 minutes…..and you have started my day off with a feeling of abundance and warmth….Fran

    Reply
    • Tess January 9, 2012, 12:17 pm

      Fran,
      Your compliments are the best! Happy rowing.

      Reply
  • Tammy January 7, 2012, 10:21 am

    Great lessons Tess! Everyone can learn something and improve their living by following your solid advice. I especially like the part about not taking on things that don’t fit. I do that sometimes!

    Reply
    • Tess January 9, 2012, 12:10 pm

      Tammy,
      Yes that’s a good one. I would do that all the time when I had kids. I thought I had too!

      Reply
  • Sameer January 24, 2012, 1:32 am

    Dear Tess,

    This is perfect. You are so good at it. Thank you very much for sharing it with us.

    Thanks to Melody Fletcher for directing me here.

    Cheers!
    Sameer

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Next Post:

Previous Post:

Your Fearless Life: Making It Happen
Take Your Fear and Shove It
A Course on Love
Courage Coaching
Bold