Discover the rewards of strategic risk-taking―an award-winning behavioral scientist shares a practical guide on using small, intentional acts of courage to build resilience, confidence, and connection.   We’re bombarded by messages about how dangerous the world is―from both real and fake news. Yet when we hunker down and try to live in a bubble of safety, we can cut ourselves off from the richness and joy life has to offer. In Worth the Risk , Dr. Kristen Lee shows us that by “microdosing” small acts of bravery and connection, we can regain the self-confidence and resilience we need to live full and meaningful lives. “We are hardwired for risk-taking,” she says. “As we become more comfortable with the uncomfortable, our nervous system changes to support us in experiencing a bold, adventurous, colorful life.”   In each chapter of Worth the Risk , Lee provides a solid dose of brain science combined with practical actions to build confidence and sustain yourself through challenges. With a blend of stories, composite sketches, science, ancient wisdom, behavioral science, and practical exercises, you’ll explore:   • What is courage? Debunking the myths and discovering the power of everyday acts of bravery • Why feeling overwhelmed doesn’t make you a “snowflake” • Tools for understanding and regulating your emotions, anxieties, and habits of avoidance • Healing practices and guidance to increase your resilience to trauma, acute stress, and PTSD • Insights and strategies for navigating the unique challenges of our polarized, media-saturated culture • How to own your “Personal Legend” and become an active liberator―for yourself and others   Risks are a part of life―and “playing it safe” can end up diminishing the very qualities that allow us to adapt, create, and serve our purpose in life. Worth the Risk guides you through a powerful approach to taking small, values-aligned chances that increase your ability to thrive. “You are not your trauma, labels, fears, or raw emotions,” Lee writes. “You are wired for resilience. Your human spirit is indomitable.” “Kris Lee’s fusion of neuroscience and humanity is compelling and timely. Worth the Risk is a bold blend of science, story, humor, and wisdom that helps us reimagine fear and embody courage, creativity, and positive contribution. I love the idea of microdosing bravery! A must-read for anyone wanting to shine brighter without burning out.” ― Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD , author of Transcend and host of The Psychology Podcast “What’s scarce in the world isn’t smart people or people with good ideas, but brave people willing to show up and do the work of cocreating a better world. This wonderful, entertaining, and ridiculously practical book shows how becoming more brave can be a fun, imminently doable adventure, not a road to terror or burnout. Read it, microdose bravery, and start finishing the bridge to your ‘what is’ life.” ― Charlie Gilkey , author of Start Finishing: How to Go from Idea to Done “We live in a very fearful time and rates of depression and anxiety are on the rise. That is why I was so pleased to see this guide to everyday bravery published. In Worth the Risk , Dr. Lee makes the case that bravery needs to be a practice. Not over-the-top heroism, but rather leaning into risk on a daily basis, or microdosing bravery. I think this book and practice could be useful for anyone who feels stuck or adrift in their life.” ― W. Keith Campbell, PhD , author of The New Science of Narcissism “This compelling new book should be a must-read for any person who wants to both thrive and be happy. Worth the Risk is full of real-life stories of common people who faced adversities that came in different sizes and shapes, for which Lee has recommended the most appropriate ways of coping successfully. Every chapter is like a therapy session that teaches in elegant but easily understandable language several logical but pragmatic strategies to increase your resilience, and then tells the reader how to practice them every day. Once you start reading the book, you can’t put it down. And you will want to go back to it again and again, whenever you feel stressed out and need help. Thank you, Professor Lee, for providing this wonderful guide to a happy life for people from all walks of life and, in the process, helping the whole society become more resilient, compassionate, and rewarding.” ― Dilip V. Jeste, MD , author of Wiser and senior associate dean for Healthy Aging and Senior Care, University of California, San Diego “ Worth the Risk is the antidote we need to move past our fears and find our inner courage, so we can show up as our truest selves. With great candor, spirit, and expertise, Kristen Lee shows us that small acts of courage aren’t small at all. A must read for anyone willing to get more comfortable with the uncomfortable and live with the aliveness the world needs to be better and brighter.” ― Agapi Stassinopoulos , author of Wake Up to the