Hello, Fears: Crush Your Comfort Zone and Become Who You're Meant to Be

by Michelle Poler

For readers of empowering non-fiction such as DARING GREATLY and GIRL, WASH YOUR FACE, Hello, Fears is a growth mindset personal development book for those who are not only ready to achieve, but reckless enough to push out of their comfort zone.

What's the best that can happen?

As the Founder of Hello Fears, a social movement empowering millions to live with courage and tap into their full potential, Michelle Poler lives happily outside the comfort zone. Not, in this inspiring and motivational new book, Michelle is challenging others to say Hello! to their fears and find meaningful happiness outside the traditional definition of success.

With kick-butt attitude and a humorous *wink*, Michelle breaks down each set-back she battled on the road towards joyful purpose. Her stories and practical strategies encourage readers to name, accept, and embrace what's holding them back so they can be the heroine in their own life, not the victim.

Hello, Fears! is an honest, empowering guide to living alongside what scares you. Our fears reveal what we care about the most, so each and every challenge is an opportunity to grow, hustle, and be your authentic self -- unapologetically.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help, Personal Development, Business, Professional Development, Audiobook, Psychology

352 pages, Hardcover

Published May 5, 2020

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept of 100 days of facing your fears is admirable. However, the information is nothing new in my opinion. She outlines basic concepts, such as Freuds ego, id, and super ego. The tone of the book is really young and the Yay!!s and What the heck’s?! are just not for me. The book itself is colorful and appeals to a much younger audience (I am the same age as her and expected it to sound around my age). I was able to look past the tone and enjoyed the book.

There are exercises and inspirational quotes/stories throughout the book. This book is for the person who wants to turn their dreams into reality. To have a career doing what they want and to push back on societal expectations. It happened to be exactly what I needed to read, despite being information I already knew. It’s always cool to hear how other people “made it,” define success, and get over their fears. Michelle sounds like a nice woman who is following her dreams and wants to share positivity with the world through her speaking.

Updated in 2021 after reviewing my physical copy of the book!

[Hailey Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two of my coworkers really enjoyed this book, so I also really wanted to enjoy it, but I did not. This book seemed to me to be less about facing your fears and becoming your authentic self, and more about the author and her personal accomplishments. It seems she has had many opportunities that others have not, and fails to recognize this in her writing. It lacks depth. Not everyone wants to be an influencer, and the idea of “branding” oneself it’s just not something I care about. I believe the branding is also metaphorical for how you live your life, but every example she gave involved public or online spectacle. You can grow without broadcasting it. You can sit with discomfort without posting it to your story. You can become who you’re meant to be without documenting every minute. She talks about being present, but I see performance. I understand that her background is in advertising, and it comes with the territory. While I resonated with some of the themes of this book, I just couldn’t get past how superficial some of the exercises, examples, verbiage (and overall vibe of the book) were. I only got 1/2 of the way through it.

[Karla Ticona · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK.
It's motivational, actionable, filled with beautiful designs and colors.
It is hard to name my favorite part or takeaways, as the book is written in a very friendly way, it makes you feel you are drinking matcha with Michelle while listening to her tell you the story of her life, from being a girl full of fears to becoming a very well known international speaker.
This is not another book from a famous person. This book is about me and you (the reader) How are you going to implement everything you know, have, where you are in life to build the life of your dreams? there will always be fear or other factors running against your most precious dream, but there you are with your roots, your beliefs, your experience, and all the tools that branding, social media and the will to walk the road in front of you to make things happen. Everything is possible, it is just a matter of you deciding to start living that life and conquer your own being to become who you can be.

Super grateful to Michelle Poler and her launch team for giving me this book before it's release in May 2020, please go grab this book ASAP and be part of the party of launching in the middle of a global pandemic, because I'm sure it will be epic and proof once again, that Everything Is Possible.

Greetings and love to my former coach Evelyn Mezquita who also contributed to this book and introduced me to Michelle some years ago, surely, Excitement and living all out with your core desired feelings are the map and the GPS to take you beyond your wildest dreams.

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MUY RECOMENDADO ESTE LIBRO. Amé profundamente, este es un libro motivational que además te lleva a tomar acción a través de ejercicios prácticos en el mismo libro. Me encantó cómo Michelle escribió tan relajada y amicable ella, leerla sonaba cómo estar sentadas tomando matcha escuchando cómo ella contaba su historia desde sus raíces hasta la mega emprendedora que es ella (puedes ver su cuenta en Instagram en @hellofears)

Es difícil poner una sola cosa que amé del libro, creo que me llevo la pregunta ¿cómo vas a implementar todo lo que eres tú con tu experencia, tus aciertos, tus raíces, tus creencias, lo que sabes, tus equipos y recursos para construir la vida que tanto anhelas? El miedo exists desde el inicio de la creación de la Raza humans; ¿cómo vas a aprovechar que vivimos en una época donde tenemos herramientas de internet, redes sociales, marcas y conectividad? Todo es Posible; es tarea de cada uno hacer algo al respecto de cada sueño para verlo realizado, disfrutando de la persona en la que nos convertimos.

Muy agradecida con Michelle Poler y el equipo de Lanzamiento de este libro por permitirme una copia anticipada al lanzamiento oficial en Mayo 2020. Recomiendo mucho este libro. Seguramente el lanzamiento será épico muy por fuera de la pandemia global que está sucediendo en este momento, probando una vez más que Todo Es Posible.

Cierro este comentario recordando y agradeciendo a mi ex coach Evelyn Mezquita quién también colaboró con este libro y quien me presentó a Michelle hace unos años. Definitivamente vivir con entusiasmo y desde tus deseos más sagrados te lleva a vivir alineada a tu propósito. Gracias Eve te mando cariños.

[Lisa Getty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a well-being course, interactive self-awareness workbook, and multimedia experience all in one! I finished it in one day, because it held my attention and is written so conversationally, I found it relatively quick to read and easy to absorb. The cute graphics make it even more fun. Michelle’s candor comes shining through, making it super compelling and engaging. The helpful bullet lists at the end of each chapter guide you to more info and fun suggestions that tie into things mentioned in that section (e.g. an online video she made, a movie she referred to, etc.). I took a lot of interesting notes, and I plan to go back and delve further into the extra material as noted for each chapter. Be adventurous, be creative, be ambitious, and most of all, be yourself! These are some of my main takeaways from this book.
Definitely worth reading, savoring, and returning back to whenever you need a little nudge of motivation or inspiration!

[Marie Osuna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book for Michelle’s vibrant personality, humor, and stories. I was especially drawn to it after seeing her talk a few years ago, and was excited to be on the launch team, where I got to read an advance copy of the book.

I won’t say I was disappointed, I just didn’t resonate with more than a couple chapters. I don’t share Michelle’s fearful personality. I’m the kind of person that tackles their goals with no hesitancy, and no turning back. If that’s not you-this book might be life changing! It just wasn’t for me.

There are some REALLY great nuggets of wisdom in this book, though. Michelle is truly insightful about what she’s learned through tackling her own challenges, and that’s interesting to read. Again, it just wasn’t matching up with the motivation I needed in my life right now.

[Šarūnė · Rating 4 out of 5]

A true inpirational book that people often talk about, but I probably had a lot of the same reflections with Michelle (the author) and really really liked it and was even nodding at times. Some insights:

- our mundane days can feel short when we live the same life day in and day out. But how is it different when we travel - days get longer? It's because we experience adventure. More adventure to your every day life.
- what's the BEST that can happen in this frightening experience?
- sometimes we fear something because we don't understand it or can't find words to describe it, but when we do experience it, we can form an opinion about it and decide if we want to do it next time.
- do more things that make you go out of your comfort zone.

[Laura Cadavid · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it!
A forever useful guide, full of mind blowing ideas, and so inspiring. I hope every single person could read this!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a beautiful book that's highly interactive you have come to the right place. So many relatable quotes extras and visually pleasing pages. Easy read that brings you through Michelle's life and how her 100 fears in 100 days changes her life. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced hard copy of this book.

[Julie Vega · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll be finishing this book very soon but am loving it! The tactical advice that Michelle gives us so helpful! I am enjoying all of the exercises she offers and real life stories! Highly recommend!

[Andrea Castellanos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so powerful it gives more emotion than I’ve ever experience. I cried reading this book as much as I laughed.Michelle’s writing is not only very vulnerable but completely reliable. You feel her pain as much as you feel her spirit.

You will probably want to read this book more than once .... it’s a reminder of how courage can make you live your life to the fullest. This book will kick your comfort zone’s ass and embark you on a new journey, you’ll want to discover. Do yourself a favor and read it —-

[Shalom Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best growth mindset personal development books out there. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!! Every single chapter will add so much value to your life and, if you do the exercises, it might even CHANGE your life (or at least your mindset).

Michelle shares valuable personal experiences - and the way she tells her story is very inspiring and it actually made me laugh several times. I finished reading the book in 2 days because I couldn't get it out of my hands! Even if you don't like reading: this book is for YOU. It is full of color, good vibes, honesty, and actionable items.

I promise you will want to finish this book. Do yourself a favor and buy it now. Future YOU will be grateful you did this. 5/5

[Evelyn Espejo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so excited! Looking forward to reading it <3

[Jon Barr · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Updated review after re-reading in 2023)
Once again, I devoured this book. I purchased a second copy, because my first one was so full of notes, underlines, answers to questions, etc.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Top 10, maybe top 5? It's so special and impactful. You should read it.

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(Original review from late 2020)
I'd been looking for a book about "getting outside your comfort zone" for some time. I was beginning to think I would have to write one in order to find it.

Thankfully, I stumbled upon "Hello, Fears" by Michelle Poler.

Michelle's expertise does not come from degrees and scientific studies, but from her own decision to face her fears every day for 100 consecutive days! Along the way she became a viral sensation and learned more about herself than she had bargained.

"Hello, Fears" is about identifying the underlying fears that are dictating your decision making, then making the choice to go in the other direction.

Some of my favorite lines from the book:

"Hearing the loud cheers from the crowd reminds me, one more time, that they are not the enemy. There is *nothing* they want more than for me to be EXTRA awesome." p. 2

"The more we try to be in control of our lives, the less we will be able to experience it." p. 13

"The more new memories we build on a weekend, the longer it will seem in hindsight." p. 19 (In fact, her whole theory of time and memory was terrific.)

"When we forget that others are watching us and judging us, we do what we do out of love and passion. Not only will we do a better job, but we will enjoy the moment way more." p. 30

"Being brave is when, despite the fear, we have the courage to take action, and that is way more powerful and inspiring than being fearless." p. 42

I could go on, and perhaps I will come back and edit this review to include more, but I don't want to be guilty of giving away too much of this fantastic book for free.

I loved this book, and it will certainly appear in my Top 10 Books I Read in 2020. You should read this book, but don't try to buy it used or get it from the library. This book is interactive, and writing in it is critical.

[Filipa Canelas · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a long, long time, I wish I was fearless. I wish I didn't suffer from change. I wish I wasn't scared of failure. I wish I wasn't nervous to meet new people. I wish I wasn't afraid of getting lost between classes.

But the truth is, unless something really bad happens to my brain, I will never be fearless.

This realization left me with two choices — to adopt a fixed mindset or a growth one. The first means I will focus on the fact that I'm not fearless and will never be. The latter shifts its target to become more courageous, something I can easily turn into a habit and improve upon.

Even though bravery is much more inspiring than fearless, we still emphasize the latter. Just like we are much keener on "born-geniuses" than normal-people-who-work-their-asses-of-to-become-"geniuses".

It's not about swimming with sharks or sleeping in a stranger's couch, but to get familiarized with certain levels of discomfort, as most of our life-goals require that leap-forward.

Read more here: https://www.filipacanelas.com/blog/fe...

[Anita Aldana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book review y un breve resumen aquí: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIkUg...

🧠Key takeaways
1. Salir de tu zona de confort es abrir la puerta a tu zona de crecimiento
2. No es cuestión de dejar de sentir miedo sino de tener la valentía de enfrentarte a ellos.
3. Enfrentarlos te lleva a vivir una vida más plena, más memorable y basada en lo que te hace realmente feliz.

[Marisa Eikenberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only read this book if you’re ready to change your life.

That might sound cheesy but I’m not kidding when I say that you really need to be ready for change when you read a book like this. Because the exercises and experiences that Michelle writes in her book truly have the power to inspire you to do amazing things.

Most people would call me a panicky person. Full of anxiety. Scared of everything. So I relate to Michelle a lot when she talks about the fears that she has, but also how they hold her back. How they prevent her from fully living. And while some fears are totally valid (because they put you in danger), a lot of the fears that we all have is even just the fear of failure.

In this book, Michelle provides a ton of activities to really help you figure out who you want to be and how you can tackle your fears to get there. And not only does she have some relatable experiences to help you feel like she actually understands you, she also provides a lot of additional resources at the end of every chapter. Most of them were mentioned throughout the chapter itself.

On top of that, not only is this book a joy to read but it’s a joy to look at! The start of every chapter is full of color and life, there are pull quote “posters” every few pages to help you really chew on these ideas, and mindmap drawings to help you see the key takeaways (which can be especially helpful if you’re more of a visual learner).

Admittedly, I haven’t gone through each of the exercises yet because I was trying to make sure I read this book before the release date, but I have put all kinds of post-it notes all over the book so that I can start doing that when I go back through it a second time. (I’m even thinking about creating my own list of 100 fears.)

If you’ve ever felt scared or anxious to even do something as simple as living your life, you need to read this book.

[Alyssa Towns (Swantkoski) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an avid self-help book enthusiast. I’ve read self-help books by Rachel Hollis, Reshma Saujani, Jen Sincero, and Brené Brown, to name a few. I can confidently say that this is the self-help book I’ve been looking for to change my life.

I had the fortunate honor of receiving an advanced copy of this book from the publisher. Hello, Fears is passionately energetic, practical, relatable, empowering, and interactive. If you do a quick Google search for “Michelle Poler,” you will find that she’s lively and humorous, both qualities that translate into how she tells her story throughout the book. Second, Hello, Fears, offers practical advice for getting comfortable with being uncomfortable and facing your fears. Michelle’s fear-facing strategies are realistic and widely applicable to any reader. As Michelle shares her experiences throughout Hello, Fears, her crafted storytelling makes her feel relatable. She invites readers to get to know her by being authentic, honest, and vulnerable and connects with readers in a way that makes it feel as if you are having conversations with an old friend. Lastly, Hello, Fears, is unapologetically empowering and interactive. Thought-provoking exercises are included throughout the book to enhance the message behind Michelle’s story and reinforce her challenge to readers – to find happiness and face what scares us most.

Aside from the content of the book, Hello, Fears, is beautifully put together and represents Michelle’s vibrant personality. The pages of the book are covered in bright colors, inspirational quotes, and eye-catching visuals.

I can’t recommend this book enough to anybody and everybody! There is something for everyone written in these pages that will allow you to take steps towards living bravely and achieving a more authentic, happier life.

[Chloe Henson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello Fears is one of the most fun, illustrated, well-designed books I have read! Michelle’s quality of life is not only presented though this book and the multi-faceted ways to move through your fear and grow, but is also presented through the true quality that was put into manufacturing this book! I enjoy the thick paper, non-smudging ink, and all the space to make notes, doodles, and emphasize important pieces. As an avid note-taker and book highlighter, I appreciate these small details as throughout the book Michelle challenges your to truly think about what’s holding you back & to not just think, but writing it all down, working through what it will look like for you to grow and change your life, and how to put the book down and go put it all into action! You also can read this book by chapter IN ANY ORDER YOU WANT. Each one is unique and faces a different topic, which allows this book to be multi-faceted so that you can continue to grow and change and read through different sections at different times in life - if you need a reminder or a specific area in a certain season. Chapter 8 on assertiveness truly reminded me and gave me perspective as to how to keep growing in this area of my life, which I tend to struggle. #hellofearsbook

[Lucia Paradiso Dona · Rating 5 out of 5]

We just began reading the second chapter about how to be brave and influence people positively!. We loved the exercises and takeaways that are all over the book!. Its a perfect book for those that are interested in keep digging about theirselves, their purpose and improving their lives! I loved to share the insights of every chapter with my partner!
(We have been reading and advance copy that we received from @hellofears).
Lucia Paradiso & Ricardo

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, this is one of the coolest, brightest books I've ever seen. I love how it's designed! It makes it even more fun to read, and it's full of little exercises to fill out while reading. It's very interactive. All the chapters are so relatable and there is so much good advice in them. This is definitely a book I'll be referring back to mulitiple times!

*I received an advance reader's copy from the publisher.

[Valeria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was simply incredible. If you are going to read a self help book this year, or just one during your life, let it be this one. It is so honest and genuine and incredibly empowering. It's easy to read and engaging and full of extra resources. I am still full of many fears after reading this book, however now I feel like I have the tools necessary to succeed in spite of that fear being there.

[Julianna Zieno · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I haven’t been reviewing personal development books here recently but this one was worth mentioning as I think it was such a helpful tool for me to work through stuff in this season of my life! I recommend everyone to grab a copy and mark it up, make notes and do the exercises! Great way to shift mindset and rethink about goals and what you bring to the world. Absolutely the best personal development book I’ve read since starting these types of books!

[Alesha Erbter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Purchased this book after seeing her speak at GLS 2021. I loved the colorful design and chapter organization. While not your typical self-help, leadership-building guide— I think the presentation is brilliant and on brand with her—which is brilliant. The chapter summaries and additional resources are a great asset. Her vulnerability is authentic, relatable and impactful. I recommend for all ages if you want some great strategies for overcoming fear at home, in the workplace or just yourself. I don’t give many 5 stars but this hardcover book earned it.

[Erin Chick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this personal development book! The writing was fun and relatable. Highly recommend a hard copy as there are exercises to do throughout the book and the colorful pages are just gorgeous! This is one I’ll definitely refer back to! “What is the best that can happen if the worst happens?” So many nuggets to ponder about stepping out of your comfort zone!

[Breanna Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

She encouraged me to tackle my own fears and make me see things in a different perspective about ways to understand then improve myself. Her style of writing is very refreshing and casual and love her stories that she tells to make me feel more relatable to her. Book did feel a little long in some parts but love how the book was designed to jump around if needed.

[Andrea Zurita]

What’s the Best that can happen , if the Worst happens?

[Rachael Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd probably give this a 3.5.

Michelle, a public speaker, talks about her feat of tackling 100 fears in 100 days and what she learned from it.

I did take some things from this book about stepping outside your comfort zone.

[Francis Moricete · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS NOT A BOOK JUST TO READ! IS A BOOK TO WORK ON! 💪🏽✨

What a ride! (I even cried at one part, wuut?). It is so pretty and the writing is so engaging you want to read it as fast as possible, but it's packed with so many exercises and reflections that you really need to stop yourself and drop it down for a bit.

To be honest, I finished READING the book, but I’m not done with the exercises yet (Completing ALL the exercises on this book is overcoming a fear by itself). This book is one of those you read and re-read. After a month of finishin it I’m still coming back to it and reflecting on its content. It now belongs to my desk and not in my bookshelf.

I have always admired the author's capacity of seeing things through new lenses, so if you have already read about fears before, prepare to see things with new eyes.

I ’d really like to dig deep and share with you all the insides of the book, including all the instagrammable quotes, but what I’d really like to do is recommend it to you.

GO👏🏽BUY👏🏽 IT👏🏽 Specially if you’re a girl/woman looking to be brave.
If you love graphic design and pretty things it is worth investing in the actual physical hard cover book. It's a gem.✨

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even more inspiring than seeing her in person

[Amanda Fragale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helps you focus on how to get over your fears and out of your head! Begin doing and not just sitting fearful to put plans into action! I've heard her speak live (which was amazing), but hearing this level of details was fantastic. The exercises worthwhile and able to re-read and revisit time and time again. Audiobook is even read by Michelle! Will definitely keep to re-read.