So proud of my progress. But need a little help

[MirandaLey]

I am doing Lesson 3 and am really impressed with how much I am becoming a more positive person. I can see the change in myself and so can others. I just found out my Grandma had a heart attack. We're very close and she is now in intensive care. But I did not have any anxiety and depression about it. I thought, if it's her time to go, it's her time to go. God will take care of her. Of course I will miss her if she passes but what is the point of stressing about it now? It will be sad enough when/if it happens, I'm not going to be upset now. Of course I care about her and pray for her, but she wouldn't want me making myself miserble with worry and fear for her. On the plus side she is doing lots better and should be out of the hospital in a few days after an infection clears up.

I am also really proud of myself because of another thing: yesterday I was diagnosed with OCD, and I have a lot of mixed feelings about it, but I refuse to be negative about it. I will focus on the positive. At least now I have answers to why I would have such strange thoughts, and now I am doing the program and seeing a therapist... it can only get better from here! My suffering is at an end becuase now I know how to deal with it. Yes I will still have times of high stress in my life but now I know how to handle it. It's a great thing!

What I find the hardest is dealing with negativity from others. I am very lucky that my husband is my best friend, a very calm and positive influence in my life. He keeps me positive and does not let me slip into any negativity, but is sensitive and gentle at the same time. My friends are all positive wonderful people (I don't have time for negative people). But my family is a different story. I have a good relationship with my siblings, but my sister can be very emotional and can take any imagined slights as huge insults, and no matter what anyone else does she will sulk and give someone the cold shoulder for awhile. But I don't mind, if she needs space when she's upset that's better than saying mean things or fighting. And after a few days we always make up and get on with things. My Mom is also very positive, though she is prone to worrying excessively (the good news is she is now doing the program too). My brother is great, but he is very set in his ways. He has always supported me with my anxiety issues. But since I've become a vegeterian (and have posted several things on Facebook about it -- not pushy or anything just knowledge I've gained) he tells me to my face that although he disagrees, he respects my opinion, but then I find out behind my back that he is telling other people in my family that I have such weird ideas and am "out to lunch" with my lifestyle choices (attachment parenting, vegeterianism, environmentalism, etc., all things that are really important to me). I know he doesn't have to agree with me and I don't expect him too, in fact I respect his opinion -- but I fail to understand why he would tell me he respects me and then talk bad about me behind my back. It's very hurtful. But I have to tell myself that it's his choice. It's him being negative. I'll try not to take it personally -- maybe he is challenged by my beleifs, maybe they frighten him... and if he wants to spread negativity by talking behind my back that's his choice. I try to see it in a positive light but it is hard not to be hurt by it... I need advice on how to deal with negative family members, because no matter how much you try to be positive it still hurts. I need to have a thicker skin I know!! any advice?