BRAVELY CREATING A LIFE YOU LOVE ALONGSIDE FEAR.

TURN SOMEDAY

INTO TODAY

Fear doesn’t always show up big, it can hide in procrastination, perfectionism, and doubt. You desire to make change, to create, to feel like you’ve accomplished something purposeful, but life gets in the way. This is where bravery comes in and helps you take the action steps towards your dreams.

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Author of Every Day, I’m Brave, in print and audio

Educator and mental health advocate

20+ years helping people tell their own stories

WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT FEAR CAN ACTUALLY BE A GUIDE?

We’ve been here a thousand times. The alarm bells go off, the worry, and what ifs. But anxiety and resistance often show up precisely for the things we care about most.

We fight it. We wonder what’s wrong with us.

And it can feel like proof that you can't do the things you want to do. Like it’s the confirmation that the life you want is only reserved for someone else.

If you're someone who lives with anxiety, OCD, or a nervous system that just isn’t wired for constantly just “pushing through it,” then you already know that some days showing up feels impossible.

There’s a way through that wall of fear, and the first step starts here.

FIND THE WAY THROUGH →

Renee Zukin standing outside in downtown Iowa City, wearing a black leather jacket with white t-shirt and red circle necklace, conveying happiness and calm.

AUTHOR, EDUCATOR, & MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE

HI, I'M RENEE

Renee Zukin is an author, educator, and coach with more than 20 years of experience in education, writing, and entrepreneurship combined. A passionate advocate for mental health and conscious living, she blends her training in psychology, energy work, and writing as tools for self-transformation and empowerment. Her mission: to inspire radical bravery, compassion, and connection.

Renee earned her Bachelor of Arts in Language and Literature from the University of Michigan and her Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of Iowa. Her self-help memoir detailing her experience with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, Every Day, I'm Brave: Cultivating Resilience to Gain Freedom from Fear, was released August 8, 2025 by Wonderwell Press and has helped hundreds of people feel seen, heard, and hopeful.

HOW YOU CAN BEGIN

FOUNDATIONS OF BRAVERY

COURAGE

I don't wake up brave. In fact, some mornings the anxiety weighs heavy before I even open my eyes.

Courage means taking action even when that feeling of dread is present. When the fearful voices in your head are loud, it’s often the tiny steps that quiet them. Sending the email while your hands shake. Getting in the car and driving towards the coffee shop even though you almost canceled three times. Courage is a muscle you build each time you show up. And it strengthens when you do it again tomorrow, regardless of how well today went.

This is the kind of bravery I teach, and I’ve got the formula to show you how.

COMPASSION

Meet yourself where you are.

We can not move forward without acknowledging where we are and what we’ve already done. Show up exhausted, show up messy, show up having already broken the promise you made to yourself twice this week.

None of that needs to be fixed before we start. The version of you that's still circling the same fears is the part of you that this work is for. You are welcome here. Just as you are.

Be gentle with yourself and celebrate often. Each step matters and gives us information. None of us are perfect!

CONNECTION

Fear tells us lies that we’re alone, that we need to have it all together before we can show up more fully with others.

You’ve got the ideas, you might even know the way, but without others in the arena with you, it’s hard to make progress.

It took this lone wolf a long time to realize that I needed accountability and support to create the things I wanted more of in my life. Once I did, though, magic happened.

We may be a “boot strap” society, but that doesn’t mean we have to lace them up alone. We can cheer each other on. We can show each other the best knots to use. We can sit side by side and bear witness to the hard stuff and celebrate the wins. Together.

There is more power and momentum behind us when we are in a shared space working toward the same goal.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP →

WANT TO READ ABOUT HOW I TRANSFORMED MY RELATIONSHIP WITH FEAR?

EVERY DAY, I'M BRAVE IN PRINT OR AUDIO

For anyone yearning for connection, self-acceptance, and the courage to create a life beyond survival, this book is both a balm and a blueprint. It’s got intentional reflection questions and tools for managing daily anxieties when you’re ready to do more than just read.

GRAB YOUR COPY HERE →

"This is an unflinchingly honest look at life lived alongside fear, anxiety, OCD, and the general heaviness of being human. Instead of promising a quick fix, Zukin does something even better: she shows us how to work with fear, not against it, and build a life that is beautiful, meaningful, and yes, brave."

— Terry Beavers, Shabby Chic Boho

WHAT BRAVE LOOKS LIKE ON MY CLIENTS

"Renee has an inherent wisdom. She is a passionate teacher who walks her talk. She has an amazing way of bringing a sense of peace and strength to difficult aspects of life."

— Jai Westgard, RM/T

ENERGY HEALER & TEACHER

"Renee is a thoughtful, knowledgeable, and practical coach. She was very helpful in setting goals and making me accountable! I'd highly recommend her services."

— Bert Brook

ENTREPRENEUR

"I appreciate being in a supportive space where I can apply some needed discipline. Renee holds a beautiful container for all types."

— DevSuroop Kaur

SOUND & MANTRA TRAINER

LET'S WORK TOGETHER

THE WRITER'S ROOM

For the person who's been needing to write and just needs a container of accountability. Journaling. Memoir. Social content. This is weekly, live, and ninety minutes every Monday to actually make progress.

→ LEARN MORE HERE

WHERE THIS CONVERSATION HAS SHOWN UP SO FAR

SPEAKING & MEDIA

I talk about bravery, fear, and the steps it takes to build a life you actually want on podcasts, stages, and anywhere a conversation about this is welcome. Some of that is captured on the Media page. More of it is happening all the time.

SEE PAST EXPERIENCES Have a podcast or platform where this belongs? Let’s talk →

TUNE INTO WHAT'S TOP OF MIND FOR ME: WRITING, LESSONS, AND POEMS

A FEW RECENT POSTS

OUR GREATEST FEAR IS ACTUALLY A GIFT

As humans, we all have an innate need to belong, to feel loved, to connect. I look out in the world and see that I am not alone in wondering if I am enough. When we are able to love ourselves more fully, to show up authentically in our best dress and our hot mess, that we are indeed worthy, lovable, and more than enough.

THE OBSERVER

The observer in us sees the loop. The observer reminds us that we are not our thoughts, and that thoughts and feelings, and therefore behaviors, are all changeable. But my observer, the wise part of me, knew that this was resistance and fear talking, not reality. I can't be certain how any of this will play out, but I do know that I have tools to manage the anxiety…

THE MODERN MYTH OF BALANCE

True work-life balance is so much more than what we have historically allowed ourselves to create. Let’s work on that together, shall we? We can find that magical medium and maybe, just maybe, we can live with a little more happily ever after.

BRAVE THINGS IN YOUR INBOX

I write about what I’m learning as I go: the challenges, celebrations, and all the small lessons in between. My monthly newsletter includes journal prompts so you can reflect, too. Add your email and it’ll show up when I hit publish.