I just wanted to share, since peace mentioned it..But I have come so far and wanted to post about my progress.

With this program and the support of the people around me, my life has changed for the better. I used to merely survive, now I live again.

I learned to stop taking everything so seriously. I used to fight about stupid things, get offended by the smallest of matters and live my life always looking for a reason to have my feelings hurt. Not intentionally, of course, but looking back I set it up that way.

I bought the 911 tape from the midwest store and many parts of that one tape changed my entire life. Lucinda says to stop before you react, determine how much this situation will matter in a year, in a month or even a day? Is it worth it to really get that upset or anxious about? It used to feel like everything was worth it, as a drama queen, you can make the littlest thing seem to matter for the rest of your life. When you step back and look at how you are OVER-reacting, you learn that 99.9% of bad things are fueled by the energy you put into them. She also talks about "resolve" or "dissolve" with anger. If you can resolve it, do so..if not..LET IT GO.

I started living my life with appreciatation. Instead of magnifying the upseting things, I magnifyed the good things that happened and I wrote of my gratitude for those wonderful little gestures that people made to me daily. I opened myself up to them and took them in.

I was left with a terrible situation lately regarding my work, as I wrote in general comments and the old me would have blamed the world for my lot in life. That it was useless to try anything. But this time I decided to be a problem solver which resulted in me starting my own business in the same feild. Not only that, but my positive attitude made people line up to support me. I was even given a loan, with no interest from family to pay off my debt and start fresh because they thought that would free up my own money for the beginings of my business venture. We made out a contract and I am paying them back, 1/4 of what my monthly expenses had been with the debt, for 30 months at which time I will have all the money paid back.

The funny thing is, the old me would have NEVER done it. My "I don't want anything from anyone!" attitude would have made it impossible. But I realized that it was just those types of feelings that got me into anxiety, so again..I let it go.

These changes in me have brought on a new confidence and a different view of the world. Anyone that sits and focuses on everything that could go wrong and all the sadness and hardships in the world WILL become anxious and depressed. If you have to fight every battle to the bitter end because you need to be right, if you complain about what you don't have and if you blame everyone else for what is the matter with you...you WILL have anxiety and depression. I was convinced I was a great person with a compassioate heart, and I was, but I was also all the other things listed above.

The day you take responsibility and realize that other people's words and actions are really irrelavent to how you CHOOSE to feel, the day you become a problem solver and not a problem seeker, the day you let others help you, the day you count your blessings instead of your woes and the day you let go of the past will be the start of something better than you could ever imagine.

I have an opportunity to have all the success financially that I always wanted, but that is small in relation to the other things I have received. I won back the love and support of the people around me, I have gained back an inter strength that is so empowering, I have made strides in all of my previous limitations, I like myself and what I represent.

Do I still have anxious times? Very much so, but it gets less and less everyday. I have not become an anxiety free person. I have become a person that knows anxiety is a part of life and one I am no longer running from. Everytime anxiety tells me to run or back down, I stand strong and I go in the direction that I know is right..not the one anxiety tried to take me to. I know when to relax and I know when to work hard.

For a few years, dealing with all the turmoil of anxiety, I wanted to go to sleep and never wake up. Then I started with one little change, that led to another and another and it grew from there until I started waking up so thrilled that I was alive and so greatful for each and every morning, all the people that I love around me and all the blessings in my life.

Hang in there, find the positives in your life and focus on your gratitude and all of a sudden, you will find that there was more to be happy about than you ever thought before. Sure, there will be bad times, but your new found confidence and strength will assure you that you can get thru anything.

Hi MaggieMay!
Thanks for granting my request too! I love hearing all these success stories. I really enjoyed reading what you wrote because you have truly taken all the old negative feelings and let them go. My favorite part was when you said, "I have not become an anxiety free person. I have become a person that knows anxiety is a part of life and one I am no longer running from." That is so meaningful to me. I get wrapped up thinking, "I can't wait until I am recovered and will never feel this much anxiety again." That's unrealistic thinking. I like what you said more and now might try to think of it that way......"a person who knows (and accepts) that anxiety is a part of life..."

THANKS FOR SHARING!!