No one signs up for anxiety fear and shame, but we can't avoid them either. The more we can look these emotions in the eye, with patience and curiosity, and the more we learn to spot their wisdom and mischief, the less grip they have on us. As we learn to respond to the three key emotions in new ways, we can live more fully in the present and move into the future with courage, clarity, humor and hope. The Dance of Fear shows us how.

Unhappiness, says bestselling author Harriet Lerner, is fueled by three key emotions: anxiety, fear, and shame. They are the uninvited guests in our lives. When tragedy or hardship hit, they may become our constant companions.

Anxiety can wash over us like a tidal wave, or operate as a silent thrum under the surface of our daily lives. With stories that are sometimes hilarious and sometimes heart breaking, Lerner takes us from “fear-lite” to the most difficult lessons the universe sends us. We learn:

• How a man was “cured in a day” of the fear of rejection - and what we can learn from his story.
• How the author overcame her dread of public speaking when her worst fears happened.
• How to deal with the fear of not being good enough, and the shame of feeling essentially flawed and inadequate.
• How to stay calm and clear in an anxious, crazy workplace.
• How to manage fear and despair when life sends a crash course in illness, vulnerability and loss.
• How “positive thinking” helps - and harms
• How to be our best and bravest selves, even when we are terrified and we have internalized the shaming messages of others.