The training session was one of those events that brought out the worst in me. Yes, I knew about relaxation techniques and positive self-talk, but in reality the experience was so intense that it chewed up those techniques and spit them out. Fact is, I had a hundred different ways to put myself down and these thoughts were so automatic that I never questioned whether they were right or wrong. (more…)
My daily commute to work was stressful back then. Normally, it was about an hour, to an hour and a half, of bumper-to-bumper traffic, accidents, aggressive drivers – you name it. However, the morning of the big seminar, I found myself pulling into my parking spot without any recollection of how I got there. Obviously, my mind had been preoccupied with other things. (more…)
As the day of the workshop approached, my anxiety made it impossible to get on with my normal life. 100% of my mental energy was focused on this, seemingly, impossible feat I had yet to perform. Yes, impossible was a good description. No matter how hard I tried to be optimistic and level headed about it, I simply could not see myself getting through this class. (more…)
Since leaving my corporate job a few years ago, Ive managed to fine tune my life to the point where Im relatively happy. Looking back, I can see how much the rat-race was harming me, and how anxious and fearful every day was. I doubt that Ill ever regret the decision to resign, even though, at the time, it seemed like I was giving up and letting my social anxiety win. (more…)
Ive always believed that stress is a silent killer, and that my social anxiety creates much more stress than is necessary. Compared to an average, non-SA, person, I have always felt that I torture myself with thoughts and feelings that the average person doesnt have to deal with. Hence, when it comes to my physical health, there may be cause for concern. (more…)
The cyclical theory of life was pretty much spot on. If you stopped and really observed what was going on around you, you would know that it was real. I decided to give it a try and kept this thought with me as I struggled through my workday.
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Taking pleasure in the task at hand makes all the difference in the world. At least this is how it worked for me. Having a genuine interest in whatever I was working on, made learning easier, working more pleasurable, and increased the likelihood that I would follow through until completion.
This concept was nothing new. It had been evident that, since grade school, I was able to learn and retain more if the subject happened to be interesting. Subjects that were boring and mundane seemed to take longer to grasp, as the information didnt seem to sink in as quickly.
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