JB68711

Right now I am reading this one called "Self-Coaching" by Joseph J. Luciani. It's my first "self-help" book. I'm about 1/4 of the way into it, and so far it seems to be helping. It's bringing me much more reassurance and comfort than therapy that I've been going to for 4 months now. It seems to be based much on CBT therapy. It explains a lot of different things about anxiety and depression, how they are likely to co-exist and alternate (whether or not people realize it), how they really are just perceptions, how you can control what you feel about something and how you react to situations, basically that it is in your hands. That life doesn't victimize us, we victimize ourselves. That being said, it is really all in our control. Unfortunately though, our insecurities and anxieties are learned and reinforced into a habit. The good news is that any habit can be broken.

For example, when I first read that it was in my control... my immediate thought was "Oh, it's my fault. I'm doing this to myself. I've been the one making myself feel like this all along". I even felt contempt toward the book for saying such a thing to me, for "blaming" me for my problems. And then I realized, there I was, doing it again with those thoughts. So then I started thinking "But it's okay. Because here I am trying to help myself, putting an effort into getting past this." And I really started feeling at more ease. I felt like the book was pointing out mistakes where I couldn't see them. By reacting differently and seeing what the book was saying in another light, it really gave me encouragement and hope because I could feel the immediate effects of choosing that option.

Reading this book, I feel like it's talking to me. I'm not even halfway through with it, but everything I've read has been so relatable.