Needed some support and encouragement today so I put in one of Lucinda's Life Without Limits tapes (5A I think) and she read this quote from Theodore Rosevelt:

Far better it is to dare mighty things; to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

I believe it is referring to our comfort zone.
Letting go of familiarity for the unknown....will it ever get easier?

Yes it will -- I firmly believe that! Something caught my attention last night while watching a special about the Dixie Chicks on CMT. Dan Rather made the comment that they did so well in the music industry because they had the ability to laugh at themselves. It made me wonder why some of us have to take things so seriously. Why do we think we have to be so perfect? Why can't we allow ourselves to be human? Why can't we allow ourselves to chuckle a little at our self-imposed limitations?

I hope your day has gotten better since you posted this Tammy. If you struggled today -- let it go. You seem to be such a warm and caring person with other people on this forum. How about extending some of that warmth and care to yourself. If we keep experiencing some anxiety when we step outside of our comfort zone, at least we know we are taking the steps. Don't forget to give yourself credit for coming this far in your recovery. Life is full of challenges and those challenges make life interesting. One day we should sit back and have a huge belly laugh about all of the goofy things we feared.

Pam

Pam
Humor is good medicine! Thanks for your support.

Tammy

please make sure i get the invite cause i live for the day that i can laugh at all the crazy thoughts, fears and pre-anxietory moments. I am starting to now but some days things are just not funny at all. today is about half and half. i really love thinking this can't hurt me. almost like i am the na-na-na kid with this stuff. i really enjoy that part when i can do that but let me know when the party is on maybe we can all time our recovery together....shari

When we are all able to laugh about the goofy things we feared, Shari, it will be one heck of a party. I know what you mean about the good days and bad days. I had a lousy evening yesterday and just didn't seem to want to let go of the obsessive thinking. I realized what I was doing and told myself what I needed to do to stop it, but I just didn't seem to be ready to give it up. Wow, was that an eye-opener. Obviously I was getting something out of it, and I think I figured it out, but it wasn't terribly funny that I reverted to that way of thinking. I guess the only thing to do is to acknowledge it and move on. Today is a new day and I need to start fresh with positive thoughts.

I like your attitude -- "na-na-na-na-na -- you can't hurt me!!" If you don't mind, I think I'll carry that little thought around with me today!

Here's hoping for a really good day for all of us! :