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Turn Fear into Courage: How to use the energy of fear to drive your life forward
What could you do,
Who would you become,
If you learned not to let your fear stop you?It takes courage to transform the life you have into the life you want. But how do you dare to be brave when you are biologically wired to avoid risk to survive?
In Turn Fear into Courage, award-winning author, Ruth Clare, shares a revolutionary perspective on the fear that holds you back, revealing it as a powerful, untapped energy source that can fuel transformation... if you know how to use it.
Drawing on her background in science, and wisdom gained from a lifetime spent managing an anxiety disorder while chasing big dreams, Turn Fear into Courage is both encouraging companion and practical framework to help you shift out of the fear-based survival mode that is keeping you stuck into a courageous new version of yourself.
Perfect for ambitious creators, entrepreneurs and leaders who want to move beyond self-doubt and leave their mark on the world.
"Radical, empowering and 1000% inspiring. For anyone who's ever thought I can't, this book will prove you can." – Katherine Collette, Author and The First Time podcast host
Who would you become,
If you learned not to let your fear stop you?It takes courage to transform the life you have into the life you want. But how do you dare to be brave when you are biologically wired to avoid risk to survive?
In Turn Fear into Courage, award-winning author, Ruth Clare, shares a revolutionary perspective on the fear that holds you back, revealing it as a powerful, untapped energy source that can fuel transformation... if you know how to use it.
Drawing on her background in science, and wisdom gained from a lifetime spent managing an anxiety disorder while chasing big dreams, Turn Fear into Courage is both encouraging companion and practical framework to help you shift out of the fear-based survival mode that is keeping you stuck into a courageous new version of yourself.
Perfect for ambitious creators, entrepreneurs and leaders who want to move beyond self-doubt and leave their mark on the world.
"Radical, empowering and 1000% inspiring. For anyone who's ever thought I can't, this book will prove you can." – Katherine Collette, Author and The First Time podcast host
166 pages, Hardcover
Published October 1, 2025
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Clare
3 books12 followersRuth Clare is the award-winning author of the memoir, ENEMY: a true story of courage, childhood trauma and the cost of war, which was first published by Penguin in 2016. She is also a keynote speaker and mental health advocate whose TEDx talk ‘The Pain of Hiding Your True Self’ has had over half a million views. Ruth lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 28, 2025
Fear sees in black and white.
Fear is connected to the less evolved part of our brain. It is not known for its nuance of thought. Like a conspiracy theorist, locked in its bedroom, it clutches at straws, turning random events into Ultimate Truths. It sits in its bias, spins like a doctor and tells you it knows Who You Are, What People Are Like and How The World Is.
Fear puts cause and effect together in a haphazard fashion, following no rhyme or reason, but always believing it is right.
In my never ending quest to learn, add to this my innate sense of curiosity, sometimes I have lots going on at once. Lots of books, lots of podcasts, favourites on my taskbar, lots of lists and lots of intention.
Due to this tendency, I need my information to be discoverable, stated clearly, and easy to digest. Those who know me quite well often hear me say I love an easy to read book. Ruth’s book came at a good time, and suited the above criteria perfectly. Working in an unstable sector in times of restructure and change, I’m sitting in a real and current bubble of FEAR.
It never occurred to me to think in these ways. Fear is a storyteller, it will go to any lengths for you to actively carry out the exact qualities that will limit you in the long run. The fear these stories whip up will STOP you from doing things to AVOID the chance of risk. But of course in doing so you will lose every chance there is to get down into the messiness and fun that makes for a joyful life.
Engaging and unexpectedly humorous, the anecdotes pop, the writing perfectly suiting my reading style.
Fear has no scruples. It doesn’t care what it has to do. Fear has been tangled so long in its own web of bullshit it no longer even knows it is lying. But make no mistake, Fear is a liar.
Simply put, if you let life pass you by due to this insidious thing, it will. And if you are anything like me, this will turn into fortune telling, will turn into allowing yourself to stay small, morphing into lost opportunities assuming things will go WRONG. I can’t afford (in all meanings of the word!) to let this happen.
Being small and concise this is a great resource if you are at any kind of crossroads, it could be your little nudge - fear does not abide change and by pushing through you have a chance to make it go RIGHT.
It’s not all light and conversational, scientific components are interwoven for clarity and the author uses her own complex life experiences of trauma and dysfunction to discuss outcomes and experiences. Providing journal prompts and a sincere wish for the reader to benefit from her experience.
It’s a sincere offering and I thank the author for my copy to read and review as part of the early reader’s experience. Now to reread it after my first reading during a big time of stress. The timing could not be better!
Fear is connected to the less evolved part of our brain. It is not known for its nuance of thought. Like a conspiracy theorist, locked in its bedroom, it clutches at straws, turning random events into Ultimate Truths. It sits in its bias, spins like a doctor and tells you it knows Who You Are, What People Are Like and How The World Is.
Fear puts cause and effect together in a haphazard fashion, following no rhyme or reason, but always believing it is right.
In my never ending quest to learn, add to this my innate sense of curiosity, sometimes I have lots going on at once. Lots of books, lots of podcasts, favourites on my taskbar, lots of lists and lots of intention.
Due to this tendency, I need my information to be discoverable, stated clearly, and easy to digest. Those who know me quite well often hear me say I love an easy to read book. Ruth’s book came at a good time, and suited the above criteria perfectly. Working in an unstable sector in times of restructure and change, I’m sitting in a real and current bubble of FEAR.
It never occurred to me to think in these ways. Fear is a storyteller, it will go to any lengths for you to actively carry out the exact qualities that will limit you in the long run. The fear these stories whip up will STOP you from doing things to AVOID the chance of risk. But of course in doing so you will lose every chance there is to get down into the messiness and fun that makes for a joyful life.
Engaging and unexpectedly humorous, the anecdotes pop, the writing perfectly suiting my reading style.
Fear has no scruples. It doesn’t care what it has to do. Fear has been tangled so long in its own web of bullshit it no longer even knows it is lying. But make no mistake, Fear is a liar.
Simply put, if you let life pass you by due to this insidious thing, it will. And if you are anything like me, this will turn into fortune telling, will turn into allowing yourself to stay small, morphing into lost opportunities assuming things will go WRONG. I can’t afford (in all meanings of the word!) to let this happen.
Being small and concise this is a great resource if you are at any kind of crossroads, it could be your little nudge - fear does not abide change and by pushing through you have a chance to make it go RIGHT.
It’s not all light and conversational, scientific components are interwoven for clarity and the author uses her own complex life experiences of trauma and dysfunction to discuss outcomes and experiences. Providing journal prompts and a sincere wish for the reader to benefit from her experience.
It’s a sincere offering and I thank the author for my copy to read and review as part of the early reader’s experience. Now to reread it after my first reading during a big time of stress. The timing could not be better!
November 15, 2025
I don't often read non-fiction so a little odd to rate, but I found this book kept my attention, informative and heartfelt.
I expected a dense writing only book, but it's more bite sized pieces about fear and courage that are easy to read and remember, with some fun illustrative design.
It has made me think a lot about how fear shows up in my life, and how I can harness it instead of trying to avoid it.
I expected a dense writing only book, but it's more bite sized pieces about fear and courage that are easy to read and remember, with some fun illustrative design.
It has made me think a lot about how fear shows up in my life, and how I can harness it instead of trying to avoid it.
December 13, 2025
One of the best things about this book is that Ruth’s writing is easy-going, funny and uniquely Australian. It speaks without any pretension and the text and illustrations are open and engaging. I found it really insightful and Ruth’s personal stories add a warmth. It’s a great book to just leave around the house so that anyone can pick it up, open at any page and start to read. Ruth has a really open hearted way of telling how her fear was transformed into courage. Highly recommended.
November 2, 2025
Love this call to action — to live with courage, face uncomfortable moments and become the person you know you want to be. Underlined passages that spoke to me so much. Feel that this is a journey that I'm on, and I love the way Ruth created and manifesto and blueprint.
Want to read
January 10, 2026Perfect reference book for life. Great to have so you can look over it again and again as a reminder. I read it to my partner on a road trip and we both loved it. Broken down into easy steps and with thoughtful exercises. Makes everything easy to move through fear and move forward. A must read.
Want to read
January 9, 2026This was the book I needed at exactly the right time. Well written and easy to understand with actionable steps that I was inspired to take. Thanks Ruth, I’m looking forward to your next book.
November 26, 2025
Ruth Clare uses her own experiences to provide a concise guide to managing and reframing fear.
This is a polished book about fear, that is simply packaged with helpful tips. This is accessible and beautifully designed with journal prompts. This book would be well at home in a therapist’s waiting room.
This is a polished book about fear, that is simply packaged with helpful tips. This is accessible and beautifully designed with journal prompts. This book would be well at home in a therapist’s waiting room.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews