Stress Center Peer Support

OK,
So this is not a triumph free of anxiety. I've been having waaay more anxiety as we are planning to move to CA in 2 weeks, I'm having mixed feelings about it and have been super stressed. Anyhow, my sister, mom and I went to get our hair cut and highlighted. I went in already paranoid that the smell would bother me or perhaps kill me (I know...irrational). My hair is very long so my stylist had another one come over and help her. I heard them talking about how hot (from the bleach) my hair was getting and they weren't done with all the foils. It made me nervous.

I had to sit in the chair for 2 hours and was getting very nervous. I did ask to get up to drink some juice as I'd hardly eaten a thing and felt shaky. I'm one of those people who cannot eat when anxious, I wish I was the other way, low blood sugar just compounds the problem. But I sat back down and got through it AND SURVIVED! Yes, I felt like running out, but I didn't. I told the stylist that it was the first time I'd ever had my hair highlighted/colored and was nervous and she was super nice.

I had no idea it would take that long, but I made it and my hair looks really good and I'm proud of myself!!! I figure that I STILL won because I DID IT and am stronger for it...
So for everyone who is afraid, feel the fear and do it anyway, yes it's hard while you are doing it, but it will help you know that the next time you feel the fear that you didn't die before and you won't this time either.

Take care,
Ocean

Ocean,

Congrts!!! that is wonderful, good for you. I bet it looks great. You should be so proud of your self, thats what this is all about challenging yourself, the more you do things the easier it will get.

GREAT JOB!!!

Hi Debbie,
Thanks for the encouragement! I went to the grocery store this evening without my husband too just to prove that I could. And again, I'm still alive, haha, it's so strange to me how I can continually make myself believe that I am either dying or am about to die.

Anyhow, I wish you much success.

Take care,
Ocean

Ocean, I fully understand. I too get paranoid about my hair. I had it done kinda spikey this last time and it really did get short. Uusally she doesn't cut it short enough. Oh well, it will grow. When my hair was longer (still a short style) it took the stylist 4 hrs. to highlight and style it. I went in at 7am and 5 to ll she got done! I actually was OK.

Today I told my son I was going to St. Louis next month. He looked at me and said "You're driving???" I said no,it was hard enough for me to drive to a friends 4 hrs. away but I did it. Who knows, some day I might. You never know what we can do when we decide to FACE that ugly fear right? Keep up the good work!!

Hi Barb,
Good for you! Driving is a big thing for me. I had this anxiety in 2005 and had to drive 400 miles in one car and my husband was in another (I had both kids in my car). A huge ice storm ended up hitting (it was January) and fortunately, we made it before it got too bad. I remember my hands and face were numb from improper breathing and we took back roads because I was too afraid to take the highway! 8 months later after we'd moved to CA, I could drive all over those congested highways just fine, and now I'm back to square one!

Wow, I guess 2 hours isn't bad then! I had no idea that it took so long!
You're right in that we need to keep facing the ugly fear, it's so nice to have support, thanks!

take care,
Ocean