# Goals for overcoming generalized feelings of anxiety



## Fear Goggles (Dec 18, 2011)

Ever since I quit my job last week, I haven't done anything productive. I've been feeling very anxious for no immediate reason. I know this is due to issues in my life that I've been avoiding dealing with because of my fear of failure and over-stimulation. This is common for me, and something I've been doing since about the age of 14. Even as I write this, the temptation to stop and do something which requires no effort is almost overwhelming. Up until recently I felt I had all but conquered my tendency to procrastinate. I was making huge strides in terms of overcoming my anxieties and beyond that I was actively reading and playing guitar (two of the things I most enjoy). Recent stressful events have caused me to regress to my all too familiar state of inactivity. I spend all my time watching pointless YouTube videos and generally engaging in forms of escapism. I've been feeling terrible and unable to do anything. (inc. reading and guitar). I need to address my anxieties now, as the longer I let them simmer, the harder they will be to handle. In my current state I can barely even articulate myself and even trying to find the words to type here is proving difficult, but I will try to power through anyway. I read in "59 Seconds" (a self-help book written by Richard Wiseman (which I recommend everyone pick up, it's one of the only self-help books based on scientific evidence that I know of. It's been a great friend to me.)), that telling people about your goals and intentions makes them more achievable, which is why I come to you with this.

So I'll start by listing those things which I have been postponing, and therefore causing my generalized feelings of anxiety:

1. Reading "Overcoming Shyness and Social Anxiety"
2. Reading "Feeling Unreal: Depersonalization and the loss of self"
3. Phoning up the Assessment Clinic about the possibility of therapy.
4. Making an effort to get back in contact with my friends (spent the last few weeks in isolation).
5. Touching up my CV (resume to you Americans) and inquiring about jobs in my local area.
6. Selling things on ebay in order to gather together enough money to purchase some recording equipment.
7. Starting up the CBT tapes again.
8. Inquiring about Psychology courses at various universities.

I'm sure there's more which I just can't remember atm, but having all these things swirling around in my head at the same time makes it incredibly difficult to focus my attention on anything, and so I procrastinate.

Now I will set some manageable goals for myself, with the knowledge that these things are listed here so I need not worry about them at all times. I can just focus on one thing at a time.

So tomorrow *(Saturday 10th March)* I will:

1. Get all the things together that I want to sell (completed)
2. Start up my CBT again
3. Start reading "Overcoming Shyness and Social Anxiety"

That's enough for tomorrow. I'm still feeling anxious right now, but as I make progress on this list, my anxiety should start to decrease and hopefully be constrained to social situations lol.

Sorry if this is a mess, my thoughts are scattered right now. Writing this has actually given me a headache...

Feel free to add your own lists if you want, any support is also welcomed. I really do recommend you at least look into "59 Seconds".


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## Fear Goggles (Dec 18, 2011)

So today didn't go as planned. My generalized anxiety culminated in the form of a panic attack, which made it difficult to function for a good while (first one in a couple months). However I did manage to pursue more artistic goals which I didn't list above. I walked out to an abandoned house a couple of miles away from where I live and spent some time writing and taking photographs. So that was fun. I actually posted some of it on here in blog form, which is something I'd never usually do, which is evidence that I've made progress with my anxiety.

Goals for tomorrow *(Sunday 11th March)*:

1. CBT
2. Start reading "Overcoming Shyness and Social Anxiety"
3. Spend time learning about photography techniques (I have no idea what I'm doing).
4. Exercise


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## JimmyDeansRetartedCousin (Nov 28, 2009)

You should get some exercise in there too man, it's the bomb. Learn how to surf, it'll change your life!


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## Fear Goggles (Dec 18, 2011)

JimmyDeansRetartedCousin said:


> You should get some exercise in there too man, it's the bomb. Learn how to surf, it'll change your life!


Yeah, I do need to exercise more. I'm sure burning off all my built up adrenaline and cortisol can be only beneficial for my anxiety, not to mention my overall health. I've been meaning to go for jogs and such for a good while, but I always manage to to come up with some excuse to postpone it (usually revolving around our ****ty weather here in Ireland). The weather is starting to improve now, so I can't use that anymore. I'll add it to the list, thanks.


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## mystory (Nov 28, 2011)

So... how is everything going? Are you still making strides towards your goals?


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