For many years, I have been comfortable doing the things that I have been doing. Working, going to day services, the activities that I do. But recently I have realized that my anxiety holds me back from doing different things that make me feel uncomfortable because they are unfamiliar with me, and I may not know what to expect. However, I am starting to see the potential that I need to see that by allowing myself to step out of my comfort zone will allow me to see new opportunities and ideally, be happier with my life.

For far too long, I have not been able to take care of my mental health because I wouldn’t allow myself to see that there was potential for growth in my life and that there are things beyond what I have for far too long felt comfortable doing. Granted, some things are great for me, but there are things that I know don’t last forever or keep me back from feeling like I am actually independent and capable of doing things I know I can do.

The reality is that I have proven myself time and time again that I can do things and while they at first make me feel uncomfortable, easing into them and allowing me to see that they can be a good thing can be rewarding by allowing me to see the hope and potential that life brings to being happier instead of being down and out about not feeling like I don’t have the opportunity to do things because I would allow myself to believe that I wasn’t worthy of things or that people would value me in the way that I am.

It allows me to understand that I must work at techniques with coping with my anxiety at those moments when it kicks into high gear and wants me to avoid things that are new, scary, or uncomfortable to me. It is knowing that there are people who know that I can do things that seem scary to me and that it is going to take time for me to warm up and repetitious to things that are scary and need additional reinforcements.

Those who have taught me the tools I need to be successful in my life wouldn’t have taken the time or at times the extra effort to ensure that I could do something if they felt that it was impossible. I am the one that for a very long time has let my fear get in the way of doing things that are different to me because I have been unable to see past the crushing anxiety that won’t allow me to see past just the thought of doing something that has been uncomfortable to me, but now I am being able to see that there is hope that if I see things past the anxiety and focus on the potential, that things that I once thought were impossible could be possible.

It has been a long way to come to this breakthrough and what I have discovered is a big step for me to realize that I need to step outside of my comfort zone, not allowing my anxiety to get in the way of doing things that seem impossible or are fear driven. Yes, there may be setbacks along the way, but it is also overcoming them and being resilient by knowing that things are possible if I open myself up more and see beyond the anxiety.