Starting my new life - day one!

[blue indigo]

Hello,
Just wanted to introduce myself. I am Patti L. Received the Course materials yesterday afternoon. I am so pleased with it.
Feel just a tad overwhelmed as it wasn't too long ago that I fully realized that all I have gone through the past 60 years is all due to acquired anxiety disorder starting in early childhood! I have read From Panic to Power, and am still working on finishing Life without Limits. As I started reading From Panic to Power, Lucinda's words were describing many of my past and recent painful experiences, and that's when it dawned on me what has been "wrong' all this time!
Love to hear from those of you over 60 who are starting out here, and my warm wishes to all of you here as we all heal now, and begin to live life in freedom.

Peace,

Patti L

[lisaniebla]

hi, patti!
i am not over 60, but i am 40. i think that what you are feeling can describe a person of almost any age. i think it makes sense to feel that you have let far to much time go by if you have spent any amount of time dealing with anxiety and/or depression. i am actually on session 2 but i don't think i did such a good job with session 1, so i am sort of in limbo (do u hear my anxiety/perfectionism talking? trust me, you are surely not the ) i'd be glad to go thru it with you if you'd like. perhaps we could help keep each other accountable. in any event, i do hope you will take full advantage of the program. it seems like an awful lot, but we need it to help retrain our reactions. wish u the best!

[blue indigo]

Hello Lisaniebia,

Sounds like you're doing things well, I didn't even know that a condition called anxiety disorder existed! No one told me.
I'm beginning week 2, hoping that I'm doing everything correctly. A friend advised me to not think or say out loud that
you HAVE this anxiety disorder, rather to say or think that I am in recovery and healing from this way of life/thinking/reacting. She said you do not want to CLAIM this disorder for yourself! This week I am feeling more calm, sleeping better and I get quite a bit of housework/yardwork & chores done during the day. I still need to learn to relax and sometimes just do nothing. I am becoming aware now when I think negative thoughts and try to substitute something positive in there and right away.
Thanks for your response to my post, let's keep in touch. This Course is oh- so powerful.

All the best to you,

Patti

[blue indigo]

Hi Lisaniebia,

I apologize for not writing back sooner, things here have been just too busy, I am not adept in using the computer, but I am learning. We all have our up days and down days, I guess. How do you feel now doing this program? I will be away on vacation starting the end of this week. I should be retuning home by the middle of July.

All the best to you,

Patti

[finallyhere]

It gets a bit confusing trying to remember names of the comments that are catching my attention. Took me a while to find yours again. I am mid 50's and also just found out that there is a disorder called SAD, Social Anxiety Disorder. I couldn't believe when I read the sysmtems, that's me! All my negative thoughts and behaviors are directly related to it. I knew I couldn't socialize without alcohal, started drinking at age 11, but over the years, the drink just made it worse and worse. I'm viewed as undependable, obnoxious and feel like a total loser all the time. People know I'm smart, they just can't figure out why I can't get it together. It's a comfort to know that there are people my age and older that are finally trying to tackle the reasons for this disorder. Hope to hear from you. I'm not feeling very positive right now, but certainly much better than I was yesterday. I ordered this program over 3 years ago and just opened it this morning. Talk about lacking motivation and living in denial. I will look for the 2 books you mentioned. I am an avid reader. It just that some books on this subject wind up making me more depressed and I can't comprehend the message. Thanks for listening, Patti, and I really hope things start coming together for you as well as me.

[blue indigo]

Hi, I didn't get your name. Hope things are going better for you. I was always afraid of alcohol, I am sensitive and I used it when I was in business school just to fit it with the other kids then. I never liked the way it made me feel and especially afterwards! Hangovers are no fun.... I, too have social anxiety, and I know as I complete this course sometime in late September, that I will feel and be much more confident than I am right now about going to events or having people over. I believe that disclosing to others as you meet and get to know them, that you feel a little shy now (always have) and you will get over it...who knows, others in the social circle may be feelin the same way as you! It helps to be on a really healthy diet. Mine is plant strong with emphasis on starches (potatoes, squashes, whole grains, beans, peas, pasta, sweet potatoes ) with a lot of greens, both raw and cooked and some fruits. I am totally vegetarian (vegan) with no animal products, ultra low fat and low low salt. If you want to, you can check it out: Dr.McDougall.com He's an M.D. who helps people heal themselves with their diet! This lifestyle is comfortable for me. The diet has been around for over 30 years and has helped people turn diseases around like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and most cancers.. while at the same time trimming down and losing their excess weight! It's pretty neat. I use no oils in or on my food, no margarines or butter, but a little avocado is ok for me. I'm currently on Lesson 5 and I think I sailed thru it easily. Please write back and tell me how you're doing. I say to myself daily, slow down, take your time, live in this moment, and in time, we're both going to be just fine.
All the best,
Patti