Empowering Group Program Run-through part5

[Ninjafrodo2]

Week 5 everybody! Wow! Really good timing for it too, at least with the people in the states who have just had their Thanks Giving! So we now are on our 6th week.

I have also finished the 6 step pics and as a reward for doing so good with getting to the point we are now, I'm going to share them with you and feel free to print them off and carry them around with you like you would with the carry-a-long cards. You can print them off, glue them to paper, construction paper or cardboard and take them with you.








Mike

[coachchris]

Love, love, love:)
Thanks for sharing!

[THH]

MIKE! Adorable!!! I love them too.
Very nice~

Well, I plan to actually listen to session 5 Tuesday. Busy day today.

Yes for us who just got off a big eating holiday it is back to diet today. I actually got back into my routine this morning. Went for my walk and people stopped in all day or called. I was starting to get anxious as I wanted to do my day as I always do. All the interruptions started to get to me. But I know that rather than fight my symptoms, accept that the day is nice having things out of order too. That helped me relax and just do what came next.

I looked at Mikes post and it made me smile. The pictures are so cute and the captions are perfect.

Where is everyone?

Going to relax now...I'll post more tomorrow.

[THH]

P.S I will print them out! ♥ them

[Ninjafrodo2]

Hey i'm so glad you guys like the pictures...it actually took awhile for me to get the ideas of what to put and I had to make sure they were positive pictures and not ones that actually make you more anxious because then nobody would look at them. I had to follow my intuition on this one and allow the ideas to come to me and they did and i'm pretty happy with the results as well.

Today I decided to not focus on getting those good feelings from other people...I stopped going along with the idea that if I just found that right person or those right friends then I'll feel better...it really doesn't work that way. So I deleted my one website account where I meet people. I also had to let go of a friendship on there that wasn't really that healthy...It caused me some grief and seemed to bring up my own old feelings and pain and I must say it is really amazing how easy it is to project our own stuff onto other people's situations and it was definately similar to what THH said about feeling bad for the older relatives and their situations (I guess this was my version of it, we seem to be having some of the same types of situations come up)...I did end up writing through it and making myself better though although it does come and go, but it is also a great opportunity to let go of more of my old stuff so yay!

One of the things that I recognized from this situation which is really important is what I consider to be caring...I think there are alot of shoulds there....things like; "If I'm a good person then I should help people if they are suffering" or "if I care then I should be there for people when they are stuck"....when I don't fulfill these shoulds then it seems like i'm a bad person or a cold heartless person...I didn't really recognize these kinds of shoulds before. This has inspired me to create yet another project to help me focus on what caring and loving actually is and of course i'm going to use pictures in order to do this.

Other than that the dietary thing I've been pretty good with cutting out the stimulants the first run through 9 years ago...I stopped drinking coffee back then and really cut waaaaaaaaaay down on the white sugar and I mostly do not use it at all. I however have some issues with over eating when i'm stressed or eating some other form of sugar (healthier sugar like cane sugar). I also have some struggles with eating balanced meals. So my goals are to eat more balanced, to eat to the point where i'm satiated but not full and to get some running in there as I have experienced in the past that this does feel good when i'm able to do it.

Also with the thought replacement...it seemed like I was getting some of the thoughts but then it seemed like a whole new level has opened up and I am recognizing more things that are there that I guess seemed like normal things before, I think many of them are shoulds...its a process though right? I mean the 6 steps did mention to get busy and they did mention earlier to start to do some exercise but its only now that they are really putting the emphasis on it.

I'll do the workbook stuff tomorrow. I hope everybody is doing alright!


Mike

[Ninjafrodo2]

oh and i'm especially pleased with the 6th step picture I found...its so goofy and funny, it makes me chuckle when I see it and I can definately say I feel that way, sometimes I wonder if I look that way when i'm feeling that way...I know if I saw myself and I looked that way i'd probabbly laugh at myself and find myself very entertaining hahahaha By the way has anybody got the chance to see the best thread in the entire forums? Denise's Program for causing anxiety and depression? Its the best, its soooooooo funny that I nearly peed myself while reading the responses.


Mike

[forever young 06]

hi all I have been very busy something going on every day. I did listen to this weeks cd. I found it very interesting and now I know why I thought it wasn't interesting. I was not into the healthy eating but I am trying now. I have not completely cut out caffeine. I have one cup of coffee early in the morning. I know I could buy caffeine free but my husband wouldn't go with that. I would like to switch to green tea. I will try no promise. I want to do all I can to get better. I have been doing better but every time I say that I fall back but I am not going to recover over night. I need to understand that.

Mike good job on the 6 steps I believe the pictures will help remember them words are hard to stick with you but the pictures will more especially the funny ones. I want to read the workbook today and need to get back to the treadmill. I need to get back into my routine too. I hate to be too strick as it can cause stress too. I just need to keep up and not lag so far behind. can you believe it has been 5 wks. time is flying.

[THH]

Listened to session 5 today. I am pretty careful with my diet and sugar. Of coarse I could eat better and I do go though spells where I do. Junk is easy. I do not plan meals like I should. I do not use caffeine at all except chocolate. I usually drink water or 1% milk. Maybe once a month I will have a small amount of ginger ale. I could eat more balanced meals with more vegetables. Maybe over this winter I will come up with some new things.

I hope my husband listens to the tape as he loves STRONG coffee. I never liked coffee so I got mine from coke or Pepsi. I have diabetes in my family and last year my no. were high, I did bring them down and lost 8 lbs. No.s were good. So I know it is true to watch what you eat. I could live in pasta and bread and sugar. Love baked things. Over the holiday I had way more than I normally eat and I was buzzed. See how sensitive we are? I still have panic / anxiety but I can't imagine how I would be if I was drinking 2 cans of pop a day!

It is stressful making all these changes. Dr. Fisher reminded people to do everything slowly. It is hard quitting things cold turkey, but doing it slowly is hard too because I forget. Then I am starving or getting shaky and grab some junk and that takes away the hunger and I'm not hungry again.

My tips that worked for me were:
Read the labels. How many pieces are a serving? That surprised me! Crackers for soup 5 saltines are a serving. ( I could eat 20 )
Watching my portions, Low sugar, Low fat.
Peanut butter is great! Really good on a apple or banana for a snack.

Everyone is different and likes different food. But I have felt better watching my intake and what things I eat.

Forerver Young,
Good job! I too have been very busy. I think this month will be this way. It is good you don't drink a lot of coffee. Maybe that one won't bother you. Also you could try a week with out it and if you feel the same I would not worry about it. I think there are people who drink a lot of caffeine or sugary drinks and wonder why they have these symptoms. Who could eat better???? Almost everyone. We can only be aware and try to change a few things to see if we feel better.

[THH]

Mike,
Where is the program you spoke of? Sounds fun! I have not seen it.

They are positive pictures, I really enjoyed them. You can tell you put a lot of effort in picking out good ones! Yey!

It is weird how we have been being effected by similar stressors. It is a process to work though them. I guess that part of us is what makes us real. The trick is for me, 1 not to make their problems mine, we all have to work on our own problems and make our self's comfortable, content - at peace. That is not easy! And 2. Be a help if ask, or at least not hold onto the heaviness. I'm not sure if I make it personal or how to show concern but not saddle myself with fixing things or volunteering solutions.

It seams when I hear problems or complaints, I jump in to help. I want to offer ideas to make things better. I need to find my own ideas to help myself so I have my peace. Lead by example maybe. It is all so complicated! LOL.... That sounds selfish. So I get how you feel. I struggle most of the times myself.

I guess it really is not selfish.
The dictionary says:
devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one's own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others

Your better with words than me, what do you think?

I'll do my work book tomorrow too.

[forever young 06]

wow had to work hard on being positive today. I read the lesson and am going to exersice some while I watch the news. I did the relaxtion tape this morning. I can't get it in at night. I am having trouble getting it into my routine. man am I in a rut I need to break out. I am working on that.

THH I didn't think I was using much sugar but I eat a peppermint candy once in a while. I also drink sprite when I feel a little nauseous. which sometimes is every day. I don't know if this hurts much. I don't know what to use in the place of these or not use at all. I wonder if I could mix green tea with coffee? I don't know may try it.