Anxiety and POSITIVE CHOICES Community Group
Learn the skills to conquer overwhelming anxiety from physical to emotional coping. We can choose how we feel and think, you just have to be willing to make those changes and commit to them.
So many of us who live with anxiety and panic focus on what we can't do. I suggest for today we try to continually remind ourselves of what we CAN do. No matter how small let's come back to what we can do each time our mind tries to trick us and remind us of what we are prevented from doing because of this dis-order.
Today,
--I was able to keep away negative mental stories upon awakening.
--I was able to make myself breakfast on my gas stove without worry.
--I was able to drive to the grocery and shop and drive home panic-free! :D
--I awoke with less back pain than yesterday.
--I can think about going to my counselor tomorrow and to my dentist next week without feeling anticipatory anxiety and fear.
--I plan to walk soon for an hour and feel confident about the possibility.
...and it's only 11AM. I expect to feel good and have many mini-successes the rest of the day.
Tell us your accomplishments today. No matter how small you might think they are, we understand that just getting out of bed is a great accomplishment for some of us.
Betsy
Today,
--I was able to keep away negative mental stories upon awakening.
--I was able to make myself breakfast on my gas stove without worry.
--I was able to drive to the grocery and shop and drive home panic-free! :D
--I awoke with less back pain than yesterday.
--I can think about going to my counselor tomorrow and to my dentist next week without feeling anticipatory anxiety and fear.
--I plan to walk soon for an hour and feel confident about the possibility.
...and it's only 11AM. I expect to feel good and have many mini-successes the rest of the day.
Tell us your accomplishments today. No matter how small you might think they are, we understand that just getting out of bed is a great accomplishment for some of us.
Betsy
-i went to the shops and paid a bill that needed paying
- i plucked up the courage to tell my friend i could not look after her baby today as i didnt feel too good (a big one for me as i hate telling people no)
- i smiled and laughed with my boys
- i picked my sons up from school even though i felt like getting a friend to drop them home.
i am going to stay positive and try to look on the good side of things i have so much to be thankfull for and need to start enjoying life not just living through it xx
-I picked up the twins and got them to school on time.
-I made myself go to the Y for my water exercise class (even though I wanted to stay home).
-I went to my son's to pick up some mail waiting for me.
-I came back home long enough to eat a quick, small breakfast.
-I made it to my appt with my insurance agent on time!
I have more plans for today. I am going to make sure I accomplish some of them if not all. I am feeling very positive and happy today!!
love and hugs,
Char 0:)
I am glad to hear the type things that are accomplishments. I sometimes think that what I do is small in comparison to the rest of the world. Sometimes I hear what others in our group are doing and I think, "They don't sound like they are as bad off and as scared as me."
Sounds like we're on similar pages.
ScaredyCat, Saying, "no" to watching your friends child might be the best thing you did to help you get better. I think that many of us here are afraid to say, "no". I think for two reasons, we don't want to not be liked AND bigger is that we think if we don't do it we think we aren't capable and it means our anxiety is keeping us from doing it.
Betsy
i created a "comprehensive recovery plan" using the book "the anxiety and phobia workbook" (betsy posted a link to a pretty extensive preview of the book. its almost the whole thing)
here is what my comprehensive plan for recovery consists of;
physical-
30 min vigorous exercise 4 days/ week(done it for today)
deep breathing 2 min, 2x/day (done that too)
nutrition (i am eating healthily and balanced)
8 cups h20/day (i've drank two so far)
"shimmy" 5x/week (belly dancing exercise, its about 25 min long and i have done if already today)
fluidity exercise 1x/week (not scheduled for today)
40 sec plank 2x/day (ab exercise, i have one more to do for today)
behavioral-
exposure (i haven't had the opportunity to go anywhere today. i don't have a car or my license so i can't go anywhere unless jeremy is home and needs to go out)
"flood" during anxiety (haven't felt anxious today)
whole self-
take vitamins and herbal supplements (done)
prayer 3+ min/day (i do this every night before bed)
15 min new learning/day (dr. amen said all it takes is 15 min/day to avoid losing neurons)
change sleeping patterns (slept too late today so i have to go to bed at midnight to make up for it)
meditation, minimum 40 min/day (haven't done it yet0
self esteem-
do dishes every other day(done)
do at least 15 min cleaning/day (i cleaned a bunch today, overshot this)
"click to give" 3 min./day (the hungersite.com you click and sponsors donate. makes me feel helpful)
do something creative each day (i'm gonna make a sleeping mask in a few mintues)
3 goals for the week
1. start a painting
2.wake up by 9 by sunday
3. begin rereading "beyond the relaxation response" by benson
today is my 3rd day. i haven't been NEARLY as resistant as i though i would be. i was SOOO lazy before this. i would literally watch tv, play video games and go on the comp each day and nothing else. i feel better already. bye guys!
You'll know you are getting better when you can't do all those things because you are out busy.
The only problem with that is that many of us don't have a good barometer as to when to stop. We really are people who want to do much.
You and I sound like we have similar sleeping habits. I used to be able to stay up until 2-3AM and sleep till 10-11. I am now going to sleep by midnight...sometimes 11:45 and not waking the first time until at least 6AM and sometimes later. WooHoo. I think this is very helpful...baby steps.
Betsy
iam beginning to feel better, so went to pay bills, went to walmart and got groceries, went to mall, bought myself 2 new blouses..
came home, put it all away, i slept good last night for the first time in days!
my legs are not hurting as much now,so iam hopeing iam on the upswing of things!
bren
It's great to hear your good news. Good sleep, comfortable legs. Woohoo!
Betsy
its about darn time too!!!
ive been soooooooooooo miserable the last few weeks!
but iam doing better, and thats all that counts!
thanks betsy!
bren
Today, I'm going to the Y for my sliver sneakers fitness class and tonight I have Karate. I didn't go Tuesday as I was still so sore from my falls over the weekend. But, I'm doing much better today and I feel like I can conquer the world!!!
Great going everyone! Sounds like we're all trying to stay in that positive frame of mind. Not always an easy thing to do, as we all know. But, with a little help from our friends, we are moving small hills. The mountains will come later! 0:)
Good day to you all.
love and hugs,
Char 0:)
I am ready for my counselor's appointment and I was having racing thoughts and kept saying, "Stop". And, they went away.
I was feeling anxious and nervous and remembered to sit down and do some deep relaxation breaths...4 in, hold for 4, 4+ out. Must have worked as I am feeling less anxious and here on the computer.
Worried I would get sick with the flu since my mom was in the hospital over the weekend with it. I talked to myself about how she's 80 and has several medical ailments and she came out OK. All she really did was sleep and was watched over. Why would I think that would happen to me? "Stop it Betsy! Worrying about it is not what keeps it (sickness, panic, etc.) from coming."
I am trying to find the good in all the worry this morning.
Betsy
I was able to wake up without much worry.
Get to the drugstore.
Make appointment
Going to get bifocals later. QQ
Feeling much calmer
Taking my Multivitamin
Calcium/Vit B/Magnesium
Omega 3's
I always am in bed by 9 pm!! i have been that way since a child lol!!!
up by 5/5:30... i missed much of the nightlife way back when :OX
I am making necessary appointments so i can VENT!
Andddddd ready? I am making a roast later <proud look> rofll
sorry folks i can be somewhat giddy
I am allowing myself that i do not have to be perfect when son is here. :)
When I read everyone's accomplishments I see you doing much. I think this is a good thread because I have been hard on myself thinking I don't do much, but I see that we all do similar stuff each day.
We are doing much better than we give ourselves credit for. Also, I think by seeing what we've done in writing we can see WE ARE out in the world succeeding.
WooHoo. Betsy
Kudos to being "out in the world!
hey, we just get one check a month here too!
hubs is retired, and i start my ssi come june, that will be so needed!
its sure hard living on a fixed income,now that the country has shifted
into recession..
i wish we had a silver sneakers here in our town!!
gee, that sound like fun!
i live in a small town, mostly farmers and such..were not that lucky..
anyway, have fun!
bren