Really enjoyed this episode, for both its reinforcement of one of the basic tenets of life/the Universe as well as the fantastically simple but effective example of chewing a sandwich. It illustrates the principle so clearly. Years ago I read a number of Susan Jeffers wonderful books including ‘Feel the Fear & Do it Anyway’ where I was introduced to that powerful phrase ‘This Too Shall Pass’. I don’t believe she necessarily wrote it from the perspective of anxiety disorder (therefore whilst her words were powerful and impactive for me, did not have the desired healing/recovery effect I was desperately seeking - without understanding at the time it was a anxiety disorder I’d been suffering from all my life) but it did sow some small seeds, and here Drew has provided the perfect interpretation from the deep core fear end of the spectrum which many of us are contending with. This episode also reminds me of the chaos theory which underpins the Universal ‘order’ of things, and which equally there’s no point in fighting against, as it will always have its way! Thanks again Drew for yet another practical, golden nugget of thought here - the simplest ones are often the best!
Love this analogy and reminder about the transient nature of life. Before I began to get better, I could barely wait for time to pass each day. I was drowning in my fears from the time I woke up, until the time I went to bed-each second being pure torture. My life literally stopped when I could barely get off of the couch without having a panic attack. There was a time earlier this year, when I was sitting on my couch for days at a time, scared to move. I lost two months of my life feeling this way. I will always remember the severity of the fear. I was fired from my management job because I couldn't leave my house to get to work or to do the traveling that I had been doing for the last two years. Finally, after sooo much therapy and immersing myself in Claire Weekes, Drew, and many other therapists who espouse the same tenets for recovery, I began to emerge again. What Drew said today, that life is ever-changing, is the both the blessing and the heartache of life. I lost so much time to this illness. I really did think that my life was over and that death was near all of the time. When I finally turned a corner and began to get better in October, I began to believe that things would get better and that life COULD change and perhaps even in a positive way! I stopped fighting the panic and just let it come, knowing that it would dissipate. It took a long, long time for my brain and body to begin to accept that I would be okay.
Time is a bitch. It works for you and against you simultaneously. We all have limited time here on earth, so that makes time the most valuable "commodity" in the world. All this rambling to say that I am grateful for this post today, Drew! It's a wonderful reminder about the overt and hidden ways that TIME is a huge factor in this illness and in life, every day. It's something that we always need to pay close attention to... as the clock ticks away.
Thanks for sharing this very powerful & moving account Rachel, you are so right in it being both the blessing and heartache of life, and about it working for and against you simultaneously. Being in my late forties and only realising in the past 1-2 years exactly what it was that was ‘wrong’ with me, or that I was suffering from, for my entire life for as long as I can remember (social anxiety disorder, stemming I suspect from early childhood trauma) is pretty devastating. How I wish we had the knowledge when I was growing up to have been able diagnose the problem, or the type of parents/family who would have noticed the symptoms and sought advice/a diagnosis. But the past cannot be changed and I’ve had to reconcile this in my mind, over and over again, so that bitterness or the erosion of any desire to keep trying and walking the recovery path, doesn’t take hold. In fact I feel much stronger and more empowered since simple knowing what it is, and researching what I can do about it, thanks to Drew and a couple of other fantastic authors. So I’m glad you feel this way too, in having turned an important corner in your recovery, and long may that continue I hope and pray for you🙏🏼 I just have to keep reminding myself… I can’t expect to change things overnight. It will take time to undo literally 4-5 decades of reinforced, deeply-rooted subconscious shame behaviours and thought patterns, but I’m hoping it IS possible, and it starts with remembering, and remembering again tomorrow and the next day after that, the simplest of recovery tenets such as this one beautifully illustrated by Drew today😊
Thank you for today's comment and all of your warm and thoughtful comments through this year. It has truly been a comfort to "talk" with people on this site, and to be validated by others like you.
I hear your determination and strength in your writing, and I know that you will continue to get better-with time, as you already know. Your hope and your positivity will drive you forward. Remember what Drew said--Often the actions (exposures) happen first and then the belief comes afterwards. I know this can happen for you, too. For soooooo long, I did not believe. I kept doing the exercises and exposures and I had lost my hope for many months. Then, things began to turn around...
I wish you peace and continued hope as the New Year begins. Take care and keep your positive and inspiring attitude! Best, Rachel
Bravo, Drew!! Amazingly simple but how comforting to remember to follow the rules of the Big Uni. We forget sometimes it does indeed have our backs of only we would allow it!
Really enjoyed this episode, for both its reinforcement of one of the basic tenets of life/the Universe as well as the fantastically simple but effective example of chewing a sandwich. It illustrates the principle so clearly. Years ago I read a number of Susan Jeffers wonderful books including ‘Feel the Fear & Do it Anyway’ where I was introduced to that powerful phrase ‘This Too Shall Pass’. I don’t believe she necessarily wrote it from the perspective of anxiety disorder (therefore whilst her words were powerful and impactive for me, did not have the desired healing/recovery effect I was desperately seeking - without understanding at the time it was a anxiety disorder I’d been suffering from all my life) but it did sow some small seeds, and here Drew has provided the perfect interpretation from the deep core fear end of the spectrum which many of us are contending with. This episode also reminds me of the chaos theory which underpins the Universal ‘order’ of things, and which equally there’s no point in fighting against, as it will always have its way! Thanks again Drew for yet another practical, golden nugget of thought here - the simplest ones are often the best!
Buddhism wins again. Impermanence!
Love this analogy and reminder about the transient nature of life. Before I began to get better, I could barely wait for time to pass each day. I was drowning in my fears from the time I woke up, until the time I went to bed-each second being pure torture. My life literally stopped when I could barely get off of the couch without having a panic attack. There was a time earlier this year, when I was sitting on my couch for days at a time, scared to move. I lost two months of my life feeling this way. I will always remember the severity of the fear. I was fired from my management job because I couldn't leave my house to get to work or to do the traveling that I had been doing for the last two years. Finally, after sooo much therapy and immersing myself in Claire Weekes, Drew, and many other therapists who espouse the same tenets for recovery, I began to emerge again. What Drew said today, that life is ever-changing, is the both the blessing and the heartache of life. I lost so much time to this illness. I really did think that my life was over and that death was near all of the time. When I finally turned a corner and began to get better in October, I began to believe that things would get better and that life COULD change and perhaps even in a positive way! I stopped fighting the panic and just let it come, knowing that it would dissipate. It took a long, long time for my brain and body to begin to accept that I would be okay.
Time is a bitch. It works for you and against you simultaneously. We all have limited time here on earth, so that makes time the most valuable "commodity" in the world. All this rambling to say that I am grateful for this post today, Drew! It's a wonderful reminder about the overt and hidden ways that TIME is a huge factor in this illness and in life, every day. It's something that we always need to pay close attention to... as the clock ticks away.
Thanks for sharing this very powerful & moving account Rachel, you are so right in it being both the blessing and heartache of life, and about it working for and against you simultaneously. Being in my late forties and only realising in the past 1-2 years exactly what it was that was ‘wrong’ with me, or that I was suffering from, for my entire life for as long as I can remember (social anxiety disorder, stemming I suspect from early childhood trauma) is pretty devastating. How I wish we had the knowledge when I was growing up to have been able diagnose the problem, or the type of parents/family who would have noticed the symptoms and sought advice/a diagnosis. But the past cannot be changed and I’ve had to reconcile this in my mind, over and over again, so that bitterness or the erosion of any desire to keep trying and walking the recovery path, doesn’t take hold. In fact I feel much stronger and more empowered since simple knowing what it is, and researching what I can do about it, thanks to Drew and a couple of other fantastic authors. So I’m glad you feel this way too, in having turned an important corner in your recovery, and long may that continue I hope and pray for you🙏🏼 I just have to keep reminding myself… I can’t expect to change things overnight. It will take time to undo literally 4-5 decades of reinforced, deeply-rooted subconscious shame behaviours and thought patterns, but I’m hoping it IS possible, and it starts with remembering, and remembering again tomorrow and the next day after that, the simplest of recovery tenets such as this one beautifully illustrated by Drew today😊
Thank you for today's comment and all of your warm and thoughtful comments through this year. It has truly been a comfort to "talk" with people on this site, and to be validated by others like you.
I hear your determination and strength in your writing, and I know that you will continue to get better-with time, as you already know. Your hope and your positivity will drive you forward. Remember what Drew said--Often the actions (exposures) happen first and then the belief comes afterwards. I know this can happen for you, too. For soooooo long, I did not believe. I kept doing the exercises and exposures and I had lost my hope for many months. Then, things began to turn around...
I wish you peace and continued hope as the New Year begins. Take care and keep your positive and inspiring attitude! Best, Rachel
Great analogy with the sandwich
Really really good! Thank you Drew!!
Bravo, Drew!! Amazingly simple but how comforting to remember to follow the rules of the Big Uni. We forget sometimes it does indeed have our backs of only we would allow it!