I'm there!

[Hip Mama]

HI everyone, I just felt a pull to come on here and just say a few words about my journey. I hope it offers some encouragement to someone.

To make a long story short I've had the program for about 7 years and it helped me more than I can ever imagine. I was challenged by severe anxiety disorder, a lot like Lucinda's. For the last 7 years i've been doing well, slowly improving over time but still experiencing mild anxiety and moderate depression. Even though I wasn't having anxiety and depression to the degree I used to before the program and I had made so many improvements, I wasn't at the level I wanted to be. I would go through the program when I felt a bit challenged here and there by anxiety and I would get to a point where I felt ok but not really living the life I wanted.

Then about 6 months ago I had quite a growth spurt and started to examine myself and all my behaviors and thought patterns. I realized that just listening to the cd's wasn't enough, I had TO DO all of these things. I had to use my breathing in a challenge, I had to constantly tell myself how wonderful i am until I believed it, I had to stand up to that person, I had to ask for what I needed, I had to let go of guilt, etc etc. The key for me was I had to CHANGE! I had to change the way I did everything... the way I thought, reacted, talked to myself, viewed situations, I had to change the way I lived life! Now any negativity I look at it as an opportunity to practice changing! I realize now that living a fulfilling life isn't just for other people, lucky people who don't have to deal with anxiety, it's for ANYONE, no matter who you are or what your situation is... every human being is capable of change, I can see that now and I'm so excited to be here! Like Lucinda says in her book WE ARE LUCKY to be this sensitive... we make the best friends, parents, lovers, etc. etc. What a blessing to have the opportunity to change, so many people are stuck in a rut and don't have the motivation that anxiety gives us and probably will never have the initiative... we do... SO GO FOR IT! Get as many books and resources as possible, read, research, study, be determined to change... Be all that you can be, do all of the things you've always dreamed about, get out there and CHANGE! It's worth it... believe me, I'M THERE!

[Guest]

Way to go Hip Mama. I'm on my way also. Have been doing alot of soul searching reading and studying. Have figured out alot of stuff and feel very positive I am on the right track. Thanks for the encouragment. Keep up the good work. We all deserve that wonderful life of being anxiety/panic/OCD free. Thanks again.