# Baby Steps



## Anxiety75 (Feb 10, 2004)

I thought I would put this article on here that I wrote in the goal setting forum because it's about taking baby steps in our recovery from our disorders. Setting reasonable goals is good. But don't expect too much all at once. It's better to start out slow. Just like recovering from anything like someone with a heart problem or other physical disorder. I will also post it in the secondary disorders in case it might do better there. Again this article is just an example in goal setting,lol.

_*Baby Steps*

If you are suffering from a mental disorder such as social anxiety, panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder,or phobias,or similar problems, it is important to take small, baby steps in your recovery.

Let's face it. It can be very hard to do things that scare us or cause us great fear and anxiety in
our everyday lives.

If some of you are able to work or do other activities to some extent, that is commendable. In todays world though, especially in the work force, there are many demands to get the job done without wasting time or making too many mistakes. Usually, we have no choice in the matter,nor can we beg off.

Those around us who seem to be "normal" may ask us to do more than we can handle and do not understand that we are recovering victims of a dibilitating disorder. Co-workers may want us to interact or relay information to other persons we don't know and that can cause us to become extremely anxious.
Friends and family may ask us to do things that we are not ready to do. They push a little too much. Too many changes all at once is NOT healthy. It may also cause more harm than good.

For example, think of someone who is recovering from a heart problem. The doctor tells him to make a goal to run 3 miles a day but to do so by gradually increasing the distance or length over a period of time. The first several days the doctor may have the person run a quarter of a mile. Later he will be able to increase that to half a mile.....then one mile, etc. Eventually the man is able to run about 3 miles daily as his doctor hoped he would be able to do.

Now imagine if the doctor had told his patient to get out there and run 3 miles the first day! Do you think he could have done it? Not likely.The man was still weak and had little strength. He may have even tired out if he tried to run even a half mile the first day. It could have also been too stressful for his recovering heart.

We are the same way when it comes to our anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, etc. We need to start out doing small tasks. They may still be scary and yet we can set reasonable ones for ourselves. Just be like the runner and start out at a short distance.

As we become accustomed to what we are doing, then we can set new, simple goals. In time this adds up, and one day we may look back and realize how far we have come and how much we really have done to get there!

These goals we accomplished did not all happen at once but over days,months, or even years of effort. This may vary from person to person, so no one may reach a particular goal or overcome an obstacle on the same day. We are each unique and complex individuals.

So don't expect too much from yourself at first and don't let anyone force you into unreasonable goals too soon. You can achieve these goals successfully, one step at a time... Baby steps!_

S.M. 2005


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## Matilda (Jul 23, 2005)

That's nice. May I add one more "baby step" ?

*Love is all!*

Love yourself, your life, your job&#8230; to hard? 
You may start from your cat  and apply this growing feeling whenever you would like to!

It is worthy of it !


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