Help with my struggle switch!!

August 19, 2011

Well, school is back in session for me so here come the anxieties again!! My

main anxiety, which I have said here before, involves dealing with the behavior

of children. It is so easy for me to tie my worth or success as a teacher to

whether or not children behave appropriately. In the back of my mind I hold this

perception of " the good teacher " . So when a child comes along that is difficult,

my anxiety kicks into major overdrive. I see them as such a threat to my

perception of the good teacher. Also, part of this perception is that a good

teacher shouldn't have these anxieties. She is supposed to be in total control

of the situation!!!This is so strong that it overtakes me while at work and then

I continue to feel the anxiety when work is over as well.I feel like I change

completely from a relaxed confident person to a nonfunctioning bundle of

nerves!! Intellectually I know these thoughts are unrealistic. I know I need to

dust off my ACT toolkit but I get so confused as to where to begin!!The urge to

fix my thinking is so strong. It seems like if I could just get that done, that

would be my answer. I know better than that from all my ACT reading but it is so

difficult to let go of the struggle. I feel like I am struggling with the

struggle!!! Just need some advice from y'all on where to begin once again. Do

some of y'all feel like you go back to square one sometimes??

August 21, 2011

In keeping with the image of runaway train, just thought might be useful to

imaginelaying down some nice tracks for your " anxiety train " alongside the

tracks of your life train. You might flesh it out some if the imagery helps:

add signs, noises, colors, weather, trees, etc. to your trains and your train

tracks. FWIW. T

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> > > > Hi - It's good to hear from you again. It must be terribly

frustrating to see those nasty demons have been waiting for you all summer. But

they have no power, other than the power you give them by struggling with them.

They are whimpering blobs without your empowerment.

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> > > > Have a look at The Happiness Trap, chapter 12, especially the last two

paragraphs.

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> > > > Can you look at ACT with a beginner's mind as if you have never heard of

it, with curiosity? That might open it up to seeing how ACT can help.

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> > > > Bill

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> > > > To: ACT_for_the_Public

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> > > > From: leslie.vanbuskirk@

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> > > > Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:25:46 +0000

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> > > > Subject: Help with my struggle switch!!

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> > > > Well, school is back in session for me so here come the anxieties

again!! My main anxiety, which I have said here before, involves dealing with

the behavior of children. It is so easy for me to tie my worth or success as a

teacher to whether or not children behave appropriately. In the back of my mind

I hold this perception of " the good teacher " . So when a child comes along that

is difficult, my anxiety kicks into major overdrive. I see them as such a threat

to my perception of the good teacher. Also, part of this perception is that a

good teacher shouldn't have these anxieties. She is supposed to be in total

control of the situation!!!This is so strong that it overtakes me while at work

and then I continue to feel the anxiety when work is over as well.I feel like I

change completely from a relaxed confident person to a nonfunctioning bundle of

nerves!! Intellectually I know these thoughts are unrealistic. I know I need to

dust off my ACT toolkit but I get so confused as to where to begin!!The urge to

fix my thinking is so strong. It seems like if I could just get that done, that

would be my answer. I know better than that from all my ACT reading but it is so

difficult to let go of the struggle. I feel like I am struggling with the

struggle!!! Just need some advice from y'all on where to begin once again. Do

some of y'all feel like you go back to square one sometimes??

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August 21, 2011

Everything you said is so helpful Theresa!! When the anxiety hits,it feels like

it is going to overtake every functioning part of me. I immediately get my books

out and try to frantically see what to do! I did stop to take a bike ride

yesterday and then later went to a friend's home for dinner with several other

friends and had a great time!! This helped indirectly like you were saying. I

realized I could have the anxiety and it was not going to ruin all parts of my

life. But when it first hits it feels like it is going to completely keep me

from ever feeling normal again!! I guess I need to quit listening to the danger

story my mind tells me when anxiety comes along. Thanks again!!