Hemandhaw
02-19-2013, 12:16 AM
Hi everyone,
I just wanted to see how people on here get out of anxiety/fear/shame spirals. I'm a 29 year old male and I feel like I've wasted my 20s by avoiding new experiences due to my anxiety. I now am coming to realize that I should have taken more risks and tried new things and been more open, however now I feel shame in starting that process. I've always talked myself out of pursuing different grad school or a certain career because I might not like it, or excel at it, or make any money. I am now working in marketing for a small architecture company and I am neither challenged by it, enjoy it, nor do I make much money. I have a degree in marine biology and I worked in advocacy/outreach for an environmental nonprofit for several years, but I was laid off last year, and have not been able to get back in the field. I don't even know if that's what I want to do, but I know I found it more interesting than what I'm doing now. I just sometimes feel like a little kid. I see other people go through these transitions and make life decisions seemingly so easily, but I always struggle. I don't know. I start thinking about these things and then it just spirals down into thinking of everything. It doesn't stop and I end up spending so much time panicking and trying to calm myself down that I never get anything done. Anyway, I'm done for now. I hope you all are doing well out there! It's so great to have this forum.
Many Thanks,
Hemandhaw
I just wanted to see how people on here get out of anxiety/fear/shame spirals. I'm a 29 year old male and I feel like I've wasted my 20s by avoiding new experiences due to my anxiety. I now am coming to realize that I should have taken more risks and tried new things and been more open, however now I feel shame in starting that process. I've always talked myself out of pursuing different grad school or a certain career because I might not like it, or excel at it, or make any money. I am now working in marketing for a small architecture company and I am neither challenged by it, enjoy it, nor do I make much money. I have a degree in marine biology and I worked in advocacy/outreach for an environmental nonprofit for several years, but I was laid off last year, and have not been able to get back in the field. I don't even know if that's what I want to do, but I know I found it more interesting than what I'm doing now. I just sometimes feel like a little kid. I see other people go through these transitions and make life decisions seemingly so easily, but I always struggle. I don't know. I start thinking about these things and then it just spirals down into thinking of everything. It doesn't stop and I end up spending so much time panicking and trying to calm myself down that I never get anything done. Anyway, I'm done for now. I hope you all are doing well out there! It's so great to have this forum.
Many Thanks,
Hemandhaw