# Positive Thinking is Changing My Life



## ski-li (Jan 18, 2004)

I've learned from reading that a lot of my problems with social anxiety stem from anxiety created by my own negative self thoughts.

I bought the book, "The Power of Positive Thinking" by Norman Vincent Peale and flipped through it about 6 months ago. I tried a few of the techniques for a day or so and then forgot all about the book as I went back into my negative self talk routine.

In late March, I started feeling some abdobminal/pelvic pain and had trouble digesting. It continued through April and I had lost some noticeable amounts of weight. 

It got to the point that I dreaded eating because I anticipated the discomfort of digestion. I went to the doctor 5 times and they ran all these tests and no one found anything wrong with me. Then it occurred to me that this was probably related to the stress and anxiety that was just taking a toll on my body.

I was at the end of my rope. This has been going on since the last week in March and I was frustrated. So today at work I was feeling the indigestion pains again from lunch and dreaded going home to eat dinner because I knew I was going to get sick again.

But as I got in my car to go home, I did something different....I thought back to the positive thinking book I had read and thought I'd try reciting the phrase "I am going to be okay" all the way home (a 20 minute drive). I turned my radio off completely and said the phrase to myself continuosly until I reached my garage.

Guys, it was amazing.... But by the time I got home my stomach cramping was gone, I felt at peace with myself, my stomach actually wanted food and I ate a decent sized meal with very little digestive discomfort.

This is the first meal I've had in weeks that did not give me discomfort going down!

I can't wait to try these same "daily affirmations" and "positive thinking" techniques out on my SA. I had tried this stuff before but it didn't seem to really work. (mainly because I stopped the positive thinking after like 2 minutes. lol) But this time I kept with it and I could slowly feel myself feeling better.

So I guess the point of all this is to not give up. Positive thinking is such great medicine! I've tried it so many times before but gave up because I must not have kept at it long enough for it to make a difference.

I realize doesn't mean I'm cured but I just really feel that I've had a breakthru. This is the first time that something has given me mental comfort since I've discovered I had SA.

And by all means, if you're one of those people that talks negatively to yourself, get Norman Peale's book!!! It's called "The Power of Positive Thinking" I got it from Amazon.com.

I have bought TONS books on SA, depression, anxiety, etc. and this is the first one that I feel has greatly helped me. I hope it can help you too!  

Good luck!


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## uranage (Jul 4, 2004)

YYAAAYYY!!! GO SKI LI!!!


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## ferret (Apr 25, 2005)

go for it :banana


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## Prism (Dec 17, 2004)

Congratulations 

Positive thinking truly is powerful. About a year ago I started waking up every morning saying "good morning Lord, todays gonna be a good day." I still say that every morning and I feel so much better when I wake up. Positive thinking can change your life.


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## vanessaB76 (Nov 13, 2003)

:banana :banana That's wonderful. Your post is inspiring. Thanks for telling us about that book.


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## daphne (Dec 4, 2004)

That's great! A similar book that I read is called You Can Heal Your Life and it deals with power of thoughts. I read that at the end of last summer and it changed me in that I now believe that my thoughts have so much more power than I ever thought! But I now want to re-read the book to learn how to put it into practice. I think that reading it the first time was to help me understand, the second time will be to put use it.

Congratulations!


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## Anxiety75 (Feb 10, 2004)

That's really good. I am also in the process of changing my negative thinking. I hope it has really helped your anxieties.


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## leilanistar (Jul 6, 2004)

I love Dr. Norman Vincent Peale's book The Power of Positive Thinking.

Good for you, reading it, and then implementing that positive self-talk.

Thanks for reminding me about it.

Star


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