Hi Sunflower,

 

Congrats on the good interviews! That's a big, big success! 

 

Sorry to hear the rest of your day didn't go well though. What made it horrible?

 

The interviews were good but the rest of the day was horrible. 

Sunflower.

Hi Sunflower Painter,

 

Just caught this message now. right now just focus on the interviews; you can assess whether you want to switch jobs or not after.

 

Let us know how it goes! Sending positive thoughts your way.

 

I am now going to another interview this morning and another this afternoon. Of course now I doubt even changing jobs. I wonder if maybe my job isn't so bad? I just wish I knew myself enough to trust myself.

I am scared and leaving in 9 minutes. I hope I can drive and not panic.

Sunflower.

Sunflower,

 

I can relate to how you feel/felt. I experience the same feelings on an almost everyday occurance. It is a very annoying and difficult feeling and thought to shake. It will pass tho. Just like all anxiety... It'll pass come again, then pass. Now it seems you are I share a goal, of somehow making these experiences become less frequent.

 

Brad

 

Shari

Hi Sunflower Painter,

 

I am sorry you are feeling this way. It sounds very frustrating and almost hopeless.

 

There is hope though. Shari gave you some great advice. She outlined it perfectly. And it's important to keep working on the program. You will still have some bad days (as everyone does) but soon the good days will start to out number the bad ones.  Just keep at it.

 

Remember, when it comes to stress there are two options - change the situation or change how you react to the situation.  It sounds like you have chosen the latter. Just keep working at it and believing in yourself.  This will pass.

 

You will overcome panic if you keep working on this program and believe you will overcome it.  I did.  I found out what my triggers were and I replaced negative thoughts with positive statements of truth and believed them.  I have a whole sheet of paper with truthful statements like, "I can stand being anxious; it's just a temporary uncomfortable feeling", "I can accept and observe the anxious feelings calmly and can act productively in spite of it", "The panic disorder will decrease and imminently stop", "My brain is sending me a false alarm telling me I'm in danger when I am not", etc.  It was hard work and exhausting and some times I just wanted to take the day off and be negative and I did.  There is no quick fix.  I had to repeat this process daily, for what seemed like forever, and follow the program and do my homework.  I got frustrated, disappointed and wanted to quit along the way, but I had to keep going if I wanted to be cured.  For every negative thought that came into my head, I wrote it down on paper and then found a true positive statement that counteracted the negative thought.  That way when a bad thought came into my head, I said, "No, that's not true.", and I replaced it with the positive truth and believed it.  It's basically retraining your brain to be calm instead of anxious.  Panic and anxiety are learned behaviors, therefore, you can unlearn them.  I haven't had one panic attack in two or three years now.  I do have anxiety some times, but it never kicks over into panic.  Everyone has anxiety to some degree.  I've even had high anxiety over situations, but did not panic.  So, the program works.  You can't be hard on yourself, you're not selfish, and try not to compare yourself with other people.  I did that all the time and it just is a way to beat yourself up more.  You have to be your own best friend.  You wouldn't tell your friends the things you tell yourself.  I did the same thing, so I'm not picking on you, I'm just trying to share what worked for me, because I care about you and I know you will overcome panic.  I believe in you and I want you to believe in yourself.  Everyone on this site is on your side and we're all rooting for you and know you can do it.  It just takes time, patience and effort, and determination to keep going every time you fall down.  If we can't pick ourselves up, this group will help pick us up.  The group support is one of the important keys of the success of this program.  Hang in there, you're going to make it.  And, everyone on this site is going to make it.  I know it and believe it, because if I was able to do it, everyone is capable of doing it.  Everybody will succeed in their own time.  The key is NEVER GIVE UP!

Your friend, Shari

I am so scared to go to work today. I am afraid I won't be able to cope. This doesn't seem like a big deal when compared to what other people are going through. I feel selfish in a way.

Sunflower