Ines
Well known member
Hi Friends,
I am so happy that I'm jumping out of my skin and I need to post a mini breakthrough I had yesterday.
I was on Day 4 of the Educational Program and in week 3 since reading "Mindbody Prescription." I was listening to Alan's psycho therapy sessions about being our own worst bully. It directly related to me.
Quick backstory:
I am doing this because I have chronic migraines (5 years and 2 months). I have a migraine at all times and it's horrible. It's ruined my life and for the past 3 months I've been having horrible anxiety from fear of having another big migraine. It can last for up to 9 days at a time of really bad excruciating pain. I'm sure you can all relate with your own chronic pain.
Here is my breakthrough:
I'm trying to start exercising again and decided to only do exercise that is fun. When I was younger I was heavily involved in dance and I still really enjoy it. Last week I took my first dance class in 17 years and it was thrilling. I enjoyed every minute of it. So.. I signed up for every Wednesday.
I've been looking forward to it all week but all day at work every time I thought about going my migraine would get worse. Then, came the anxiety. I took what I learned from Alan's clips of therapy sessions. What I learned was that I put immense pressure on myself all day at all times. It never ends. I even do it to my family members. I also was fascinated with how he kept catching people thinking logically instead of emotionally.
I kept thinking that I can't go because I'm putting too much pressure on myself to exercise. All day I was stuck in this dilemma, do I push myself or just go home?
I started backwards. Why do I have anxiety (this time, not thinking logically but emotionally). My answer was pressure. Why do I have pressure? Answer: because I have to be the best. That stopped me in my tracks.
In a nutshell, my dance history was intense and I put so much pressure on myself that it ruined my self esteem and I had to quit to save myself. When I was thinking of going to class I thought this is going to be too hard tonight. I'm tired and I'm not sure if I could do it. It will make me feel bad and make my headache worse.
I told my brain, "listen, we're going to compromise. Tonight you're going to be the worst dancer in the class. You are not there to exercise, you are there to have fun. If your headache gets worse we go home. Simple. We are safe. Just go."
Then the TMS started while I was driving. My migraine shifted from the right to the top of my head as if my brain was fighting. I kept repeating the same thing to my brain.
To my surprise, 10 minutes into the class I had NO MIGRAINE!!!! No sensation whatsoever!! It didn't come back when I was finished, when I came home, after dinner, during the night, even in the morning. It came back a little during my morning busybody rush but now it's gone again. I'm so happy that I actually can feel adrenalin pumping because I am so excited.
Well, that's my mini breakthrough. I posted it because I just wanted to share my happiness and maybe somebody else here can relate to the self-inflicted pressures we put upon ourselves every day and also the difference of thinking logically vs. emotionally.
Take care,
Ines
I am so happy that I'm jumping out of my skin and I need to post a mini breakthrough I had yesterday.
I was on Day 4 of the Educational Program and in week 3 since reading "Mindbody Prescription." I was listening to Alan's psycho therapy sessions about being our own worst bully. It directly related to me.
Quick backstory:
I am doing this because I have chronic migraines (5 years and 2 months). I have a migraine at all times and it's horrible. It's ruined my life and for the past 3 months I've been having horrible anxiety from fear of having another big migraine. It can last for up to 9 days at a time of really bad excruciating pain. I'm sure you can all relate with your own chronic pain.
Here is my breakthrough:
I'm trying to start exercising again and decided to only do exercise that is fun. When I was younger I was heavily involved in dance and I still really enjoy it. Last week I took my first dance class in 17 years and it was thrilling. I enjoyed every minute of it. So.. I signed up for every Wednesday.
I've been looking forward to it all week but all day at work every time I thought about going my migraine would get worse. Then, came the anxiety. I took what I learned from Alan's clips of therapy sessions. What I learned was that I put immense pressure on myself all day at all times. It never ends. I even do it to my family members. I also was fascinated with how he kept catching people thinking logically instead of emotionally.
I kept thinking that I can't go because I'm putting too much pressure on myself to exercise. All day I was stuck in this dilemma, do I push myself or just go home?
I started backwards. Why do I have anxiety (this time, not thinking logically but emotionally). My answer was pressure. Why do I have pressure? Answer: because I have to be the best. That stopped me in my tracks.
In a nutshell, my dance history was intense and I put so much pressure on myself that it ruined my self esteem and I had to quit to save myself. When I was thinking of going to class I thought this is going to be too hard tonight. I'm tired and I'm not sure if I could do it. It will make me feel bad and make my headache worse.
I told my brain, "listen, we're going to compromise. Tonight you're going to be the worst dancer in the class. You are not there to exercise, you are there to have fun. If your headache gets worse we go home. Simple. We are safe. Just go."
Then the TMS started while I was driving. My migraine shifted from the right to the top of my head as if my brain was fighting. I kept repeating the same thing to my brain.
To my surprise, 10 minutes into the class I had NO MIGRAINE!!!! No sensation whatsoever!! It didn't come back when I was finished, when I came home, after dinner, during the night, even in the morning. It came back a little during my morning busybody rush but now it's gone again. I'm so happy that I actually can feel adrenalin pumping because I am so excited.
Well, that's my mini breakthrough. I posted it because I just wanted to share my happiness and maybe somebody else here can relate to the self-inflicted pressures we put upon ourselves every day and also the difference of thinking logically vs. emotionally.
Take care,
Ines
