Stress Center Peer Support

I am shy to an extent. I just don't talk much. I usually analyze what I am going to say before I say it. I work in a small office and happen to work for my boyfriends mom. I don't even talk to her sometimes. I also have another boss and I sometimes talk it over in my head what I am going to say in my head before I go and talk to him, Even if it is just something as simple as dropping off the mail. I also have to talk to people on the phone and you are forced to talk then, and it is not so bad after you get over it or just do it a couple times. You just have to change the habit in small baby steps. Like bring someone some candy not to suck up but to show that you are nice and caring and it sometimes helps start a small conversation. You don't have to be best friends with who you work with, but it does help to communicate because people will be there for you if you don't think they will. I used to work retail and Had to get on ladders everday. I would get nervous and shaky and think I would get really bad and fall off. But I managed to pull through and worked that job for several years. I still felt anxious but it helped to talk to a few people that would understand and support me. Not everyone knew, but I somehow was able to overcome it. I have found that most people are nice. But I think people get frustrating mostly because they can't understand or they think you are being annoying or obnoxious when really you are nervous, anxious, and having a panic attack. Sometimes you just need 1 person at work that you can confide in, someone easygoing and nice an caring just like you. If you try to tell someone how you feel and they are receptive then they aren't a good person anyway.
I am constantly worried that I can't work a job for a long time because of my anxiety. But i feel like god has put me in the right place. Poeple will just know matter who you are and you can't take that to heart. Just be yourself. I am a hard worker and I think most people at any job that I have been at have recognized that. However getting raises and promotions I have trouble with because I am to afraid to speak up. But I have realized that if you talk to people whatever you were worried about in the first place the people you work with usually are understanding.

Thank you everyone for your replies! It makes me feel so much better to get this support and feedback. I was upset for 6 hours yesterday (I counted). It also helped to talk to my husband about it--he told me that his bosses always talk about him, that in offices and jobs everywhere people always talk about each other but they can still be friends and/or still get along. I also started saying to myself, "It's just work. Work is not life, and life is not work." That helped a lot too (especially, "it's just work").

HeatherRDJ, I'm a speech-language pathologist. I'm actually not withdrawn with the children at all. I love working with the kids and I don't feel anxious at all around them. It's around the adults that I get nervous! I feel like they (the adults) are judging me, especially when I have to give whole class lessons and there are 3 teachers and an aide in the room all staring at me.

Edited to add: I have to meet with my supervisor tomorrow. I'm thinking of mentioning to her that I know I ask a lot of questions, and that some of them seem self-explanatory, but it's because I really want to get better at my job. Rather than wasting time doing something ineffective I want to get techniques that have been effective. And that I appreciate her answering all of them so patiently. I always thank her for her help and say that I appreciate it. Maybe she thinks I'm too eager. Who knows.

I just know that I enjoyed my job before I overheard whatever it was that I heard. I might as well not have heard it but I did, and I'll take what I learned and apply it to make a better working situation for me.