It's my first day on session 8...I made it!!!! I've listened to the session cd once already and I think this is going to be a really good for me. Anyone else on session 8? pinkee

Do you find this program is helping you? I haven't received mine yet so I haven't started.

I thank God for this program..yes, it's been a tremendous help. I'm half way though and I no longer have panic attacks!

OK, so, I've decided on what I feel to be my biggest avoidances and limitations. Being home alone is a biggy for me. Cleaning house is another huge one...I fear failure, so I don't do well at cleaning. Today, I am home alone and I have made myself a list of house chores. As I do them I am checking them off. Seeing things checked off seems to give me courage. I do a few minutes of housework and then I play on the computer for a few minutes or chat on the phone and then do a couple of other chores.....I am anxious, but, I'm going to "Just Do It"!!! pinkee

GOOD FOR YOU PINKEE. YOU ARE USING PRODUCTIVVE DISTRACTING

I did 8 before I left for vacation not I can't remember what it was about. I used skills I learned almost every hour of the day I was away. Without those skills I could have ruined my vacation very easily. I look forward to every new session. Sometimes I am so busy I don't do the homework well enough. Spending time on the homework is always a rewarding experience.

I'm finding myself really frustrated and down. Why does doing chores and being home alone freak me out so badly???? Most people do this everyday, with such ease...being home alone and doing chores does not make them feel anxious, sad and fear failure. So down right now.

Yo, Pinkee, this is about you. You were cleaning a bit, then pleasantly distracting, then cleaning, and making inroads! Celebrate. Everyone here is toiling to make like easier and more fulfilling for themselves. Beating ourselves up for having to work at this is just adding unnecessary bricks to the hod we must carry. If you're home alone, try smiling. It sounds stupid, and when I did it, I felt better, but I felt I was "cheating" at life. "How can I feel better when nothing good has happened?" I'd say to myself. But I felt better. Now I smile a lot, and feel good an inordinate amount of time. Now I want to stop freezing, and get into action and do things I want to do. So let's put those positive blinders on and do the RIGHT stuff.

I can totally understand about being alone and the whole chores thing making you anxious. Do you by an chance of OCD, just wondering. I have a husband, but he is never there for my son and I so even when he is home I am alone. With the chores, try just taking one thing at a time and ignore everything else, even if you have to walk past something with your eyes closed. As for as the alone thing, that's hard. I will pray for both of us.

I am the same way-I find it hard being alone and I sometimes try to find someone to talk to on the phone or someone to be around. I feel safe, you know? I am really wanting to be back to myself-although last nite and today I have been totally myself-with only a few feelings of anxiety.

Anyone out there on session 8? pinkee

So glad to hear you are on 8. This was such an important session for me. I would have absolutely protested if anyone told me I was one of those what if types. I discovered I've what if'd much of my life away. I still have to work on this one. It's a big problem with those of us who arrived here with depression.