I was reading a book recently entitled Break Out! 5 Keys to Go Beyond Your Barriers and Life an Extraordinary Life and walked away from that book with these three steps that I, and you, can take to push your limits: 

• Keep everything in perspective. There are times when you just get overwhelmed and think that the sky is falling. I agree, there are times it feels like that, but you can combat that feeling by getting some perspective. Step back from the problem and try to look at it logically. Write down a pro and con list. Talk to a trusted friend or advisor. "I'm sorry but you have breast cancer..." that diagnosis certainly didn't allow me to have any perspective on anything until I started researching, talking with doctors, talking with survivors and taking a breathe all helped me gain perspective. 
• Have a positive attitude. While I love Eeyore, I do realize he doesn't always have the best attitude. If you think bad things will happen, bad things just might happen. I don't purport to have an always-sunny attitude and I still get angry a lot at things beyond my control. The difference is, I can now recognize that I am angry at things I have no control over and that helps me to gain perspective (see how they all work together!) and then adjust my attitude. Negativity depletes energy and can lead to illness and anxiety. 
• Go big or go home. There is no problem in dreaming big. If you don't dream big for yourself, no one is giong to do it for you. Also, if you don't dream big and strive toward a big goal, you will never know if you could have achieved it. Push your limits. Make plans to achieve a long-term goal. Break that goal into bite-sized chunks and go for it!