Ever wonder if you're doomed to be a worrier?

Been there, done that got the tee shirt LOL. Even before I developed all my current anxiety disorders and agoraphobia, I was a worry wart. This is going to sound really dumb, considering I am 47-- but I have a stuffed bunny. A pink one. Years ago, I had a whole bunch of messed up stuff happen in my life, and the last straw was my favorite cat dying unexpectedly-- I am a total cat person, and Goldie was my best friend. I was devastated. Her favorite toy had been a pink stuffed bunny that had belonged to my younger son when he was a baby-- she used to sleep with it all the time. So I took that bunny to bed, and over the years I have cried all over him, and slept with him every night, and I tell him all my worries and stupid things I can't even tell my other half. My other half understands that pink rabbit is necessary for my mental health-- even my shrink says so LOL. I am sooo lucky he is an understanding man! Pink rabbit goes everywhere with me when I have to leave the house, and every night while I take a bath I close the door, sit him on the toilet lid and tell him my secrets. Believe it or not, it helps-- kind of like a kid with a security blanket. It wouldn't have to be a rabbit, I suppose-- I also keep a diary, and a happy book, and an emotional withdrawal box. Those can help the worry wart thing. The happy book is a little notebook and every day I write down 10 things or more that make me smile-- and when I feel a panic attack coming on, I take out the book, and read what I have written down so far, and concentrate on the happy stuff. Keeping a happy book really helps me focus on how many nice things I still have in my life, despite my health problems (physical and mental). The emotional withdrawal box is a box with a hole in the lid-- a small one. When something worries me, I write it down, put the date on the paper, and put it in the box-- then I am not allowed to think about it any more. It's the box's problem, not mine. Once a week I open the box, read each thing-- if it still bugs me, I re-date it and put it back. If it doesn't, I tear it up and flush it down the toilet. This has taught me that things that seem like a big deal usually go away on their own over time-- without me doing anything. I don't HAVE to try to do something about everything anymore. Re-reading my journal every six months also helps, because I can see my progress over time-- someting you usually don't see when you are living it. My shrink also wrote me a prescription to panic-- every night, before I take my bath, I go in the bedroom, hold a pillow, and I am supposed to cry, scream and panic for 10 minutes. It sounds really weird, but I actually have a lot fewer panic attacks these days, and a lot less stomach trouble-- when I have an issue during the day, I read the happy book, put the issue in the box, hug my bunny and if I still am having problems I just keep telling myself I only have to make it to panic time and I'll be fine. There are still a lot of days where I can't even go out to the mailbox-- but on the other hand, the day before yesterday a friend and I drove up to Mt Baker, To Artist's Point-- here in Washington State. If you look online, you'll see how pretty it is-- I had never been, because it's an hour from home. I haven't been more than 1/2 hour from home in years now-- but we packed a picnic and pink rabbit and the box and my cameras, and I actually managed to drive up there-- we took pictures, I walked around, I went in a gift shop, and I actually talked to 4 total strangers-- all in one day. When I told my other half on the phone (he's away on business)-- he was so happy he started crying. I am still trying to recover, since I hadn't been away from home for more than an hour and a half in over two years-- but boy, was it worth it! when I get my pictures back, I'll post them here. If I could manage to have a day like that, then you can easily get control of the worry wart thing, believe me! Look at how very lucky you are: You can work-- outside your house! You can go to grocery stores, and parks, and movies-- you probably have actual friends that aren't only online (I have 3 people I can tolerate being with other than my other half and my two boys-- that's it). I bet you jump in the car and drive wherever you wish without a second thought, and eat out, and laugh a lot--- you are so very lucky, Christine! You can live all day, every day, in the real world-- something I haven't been able to do for years now :-). My Lot IS my world, even when I only read what you write-- I read all about all your lives here, every day-- all the little things you take for granted, your gripes, your happy times, everything. As a worry wart, you can consider yourself a total failure-- take it from me, I'm a professional worry wart :-) . I for one am proud of you-- because you can do so many things that a lot of people can't do, myself included. I wish I had your strength, and your confidence. You and all the other people here, all your friends, are amazing to me-- so stop worrying, and keep living, because if you don't then I'll have nothing interesting to read about anymore LOL.

I have friends that are always worrying , if you can go on a little retreat do that . Clear your head and get some alone time .

Your supervisor changed your hours to part time and can't really expect you to complete the same amount of work that you once did. Take a moment to map out your day-and set routines. I used to have a job that involved a lot of paperwork-I began to get overwhelmed until I realized that different tasks were due on different days. Some things I had to do each day, so I'd make piles as I went through the daily mail. And those things that didn't need to be done were filed until I was ready to work on them. And I'd go through that pile until it was gone. But I managed to finish my work each week! Don't let your inner voice sabotage you-were you always able to handle your work before? Perhaps a talk with your supervisor is in order-outline your priorities there. And DON'T take on additional duties.

i think some times,i can at times be a hero and lead people and save them for sure rather than be ideal all time