Have you ever felt stuck? Like one part of you wants to overcome your anxiety, and another part of you doesn't? How do you get unstuck anyway?

Here's a letter I recently received from a woman about that very subject. 

"Dear Deanne,

I decided to write this note because I believe you can help me.
I am confronting difficulties and this makes me very angry
because I am doing nothing to get better and I know I should.
I feel stuck.

It feels like a part of me wants to work, go out, and feel great,
but the other part of me seems to pull me down. Part of me has
the attitude of "Who cares?", "What for?", or "I don't have time." 

I KNOW in my mind this is self-sabotage, but how do I deal
with it? 

I am sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, but I don't do much
to stop it except take pills for my anxiety and the symptoms it
causes. 

Please, I need some advice quick! I hope you can help me. I am
beginning to lose faith in myself." 

Here's my reply to her and anyone else that feels stuck in their anxiety. I hope you find it helpful. 

"Hello,

First of all, let me congratulate you on your courage in
seeking help. :) 

I understand what you're going through. When I suffered from
anxiety, I used to do the same thing myself. One part of you
wants to stop feeling sick and tired and anxious, and another
part of you doesn't want to let the anxiety go. 

So you self-sabotage and then beat yourself up about it. You
end up feeling stuck. 

You are not alone.

I'll let you in on a little secret. Everyone that overcomes anxiety
goes through the same types of feelings you've having. They
self-sabotage. 

So what makes the people that are successful in conquering
anxiety different from the ones that stay stuck?

Do they feel any differently? 

No, they don't. 

The difference is that they take a little step forward each day
IN SPITE OF those feelings. 

In other words, they don't wait for the self-sabotage and stuck
feelings to go away. They know that healing is a process, and
know that it's OK to feel stuck, make excuses, and so on.

They accept their feelings, but they don't let their feelings
stop them. 

They TAKE ACTION ANYWAY because they know that
action goes a long way toward changing attitude.

The size of the action you take is not what's important.
What matters is getting into the habit of taking positive action. 

Positive action builds and snowballs over time,
bringing about dramatic changes in how you feel and  think. 

Negative and self-defeating thoughts are "old tapes" -- old
thought patterns that are based on faulty thinking patterns
that you CAN change. (Our course shows you how to identify
and change self-defeating thought patterns, a root cause of
anxiety.)

Do not expect the "Who cares?", "I don't have time!" and other
thoughts to go away on their own. They won't. Stop waiting for
them to go away. 

The key is to TAKE ACTION ANYWAY in spite of those feelings.
You'll find that as you practice anxiety reduction techniques daily,
your successes will motivate you! 

You'll learn how to replace self-defeating thought patterns 
with healthier ones, and you'll have more faith in yourself. 

You'll like how the successes make you feel. 

As a result, self-sabotage becomes less frequent and less intense.

Start small. Ask yourself: "What is one little thing I can do 
RIGHT NOW, this minute, to feel better?" 

What's your answer?

Maybe it's taking a brisk walk for five minutes. Or maybe it's 
challenging one anxious thought. Or maybe it's using the 
Anxiety Pyramid from our free e-course. 

Decide what you will do today and then DO IT. 

You may not feel like doing it. You may feel stuck. You may be 
down on yourself. That's OK. DO IT ANYWAY.

Many people find that breaking up their practice works well -- 
try two-minute intervals two, three, or more times spread out 
throughout the day. Once you accomplish small goals, you can 
build from there.

Remember, YOU have the power to change your thoughts. 
Beliefs -- positive or negative -- are actually etched into our
brain in grooves called neural pathways.

Think of them
as "highways." Incoming data from our senses travel on
these "highways" on their journey to the brain, where they
are interpreted. 

Your self-defeating feelings are old "highways" based on 
previous thoughts and beliefs. They need not determine
the road ahead. 

As you practice anxiety reduction techniques, you rewire
the "highways" of negative thoughts. You literally rewrite
the present and future way that you process information by
changing the pathways that send information to the brain. 

These new and improved neural pathways of healthy,
empowering thoughts grows stronger with each use
until they become the default "highway." 

YOU have the power! Remember, you are not alone, and you
CAN do it! I am rooting for you!!

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Copyright 2001-2004 by the 
National Institute of Anxiety and Stress, Inc.
900 E. Pecan St., Ste. 300, PMB 305
Pflugerville, TX 78660
All rights reserved.

Disclaimer: All material provided in this newsletter is provided
for informational or educational purposes only. No content is
intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice,
diagnosis, or treatment. Consult your physician regarding the
applicability of any opinions or recommendations with respect
to your symptoms or medical condition.

from the Anxiety Tips Newsletter February 3, 2004
from ConquerAnxiety.com

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ConquerAnxiety.com
"Tools for Creating a Healthy, Anxiety-Free Life"
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