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We also know people who have challenges that they are able to change. I have the privilege of working with people as they learn about FEAR. What fears are justified? What fears are realistic, rational, and reasonable? What can we do to take unreasonable fear and reprogram our response to it? As they begin to study the life-skills that will help them re-see, re-evaluate beliefs that they have held for years, they clean their "glasses," adjust to the clearer vision. Eventually they grow and become "too big" for their fears-"too big" for their old habits, old thoughts and old coping skills.
I'm "too big" to drink away my stress. I'm "too big" to smoke cigarettes any more. I'm "too big" to yell and pound my fists into cupboard doors. I'm "too big" to use my anxiety as a reason not to do things that I am fearful of doing.
Let's all get "too big" for whatever is holding us back, down or up. No more straitjackets for me!
Carolyn
You know how we are taught and told to take deep breaths to calm down inside? Being depressed and tense from childhood, the concept didn't seem to work for me. With the Merck Manual, from the library, I learned about adrenaline and where the glands are located. Now when I feel tense I calm myself down through my diaphragm and middle section where the adrenal glands and diaphragm is located.
Billy Frame
I also learned what I call, whole body breathing which leads to whole body relaxation where you don't just breathe from your diaphragm, but through your whole body. This way my whole body is getting relief. This also helps lift the depression. Sometimes the "whole body breathing" hurts. You have to continue and concentrate on the whole body precept to overcome the depression and discomfort in your body.
I was depriving my body of oxygen by constantly tensing towards the body symptoms. That is why my symptoms were not healing. Also, if I start to feel tense I look around and say to myself, "I don't see anything to make me tense." I don't see a tornado or train bearing down on me. This takes my mind off the thought or feeling that was making me tense and I settle back down, Praise God! This works for me, then I can feel the tension going away and the comfort spreads to the rest of my body where I had so many complaints.
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