Times when faith is put to the test.

[Signal30]

This weekend I am going out of town for my cousins wedding. Every time I travel with my family I am a bundle of nerves and anxiety. To make matters worse, I have a nasty summer cold. I am a hypercondreact. If I'm not fearing to get sick, I am emotionally going overboard when I am sick.

Why I seem not to turn this crap over to my Higher Power, I have no idea, perhaps it is old habits dying hard.

I want to enjoy this wedding and time away from my family, I don't want to suffer the entire time dealing with panic attacks. I don't fear I'll drink, I'm past that. I do fear that I'm gonna be miserable. It seems it is times like these where my faith is put to the test. I know what to do, I've been shown the tools, I just need to use them.

F- False
E- Emotions
A- Appearing
R- Real

This situation is a potential example.


Tom

[tommyk]

"I know what to do, I've been shown the tools, I just need to use them."

Keep some phone numbers handy in your toolbox.

[Signal30]

Yeah, all of my AA contacts are programmed in my cell phone. My problem is my own ego. I want people to think I can handle everything. Calling others in the fellowship is hard for me to do, and I know I need to swallow the big jagged pill of humility and just do it.

I need to "man up", or should I say "God up".


Tom

[Astro]

Originally Posted by Signal30

I need to "man up", or should I say "God up".

Or maybe "suit up and show up"? Sometimes I know I just have to do the right thing, in spite of how miserable it makes me feel.

And most of the time, my fears were all for nothing, I end up enjoying myself and forgetting what I was worried about in the first place.

Hope it goes well for you Tom. If nothing else, stay focused on your immediate family. I know I enjoy the time with my children enough to put any of my own issues aside and make the best of the moment.

[bballdad]

the big jagged pill of humility

never heard it put that way before Tom....lol

[AW2486]

Pray for Courage

[gravity]

I had a similar situation two weekends ago but my concern was about temptation to drink and wanting to be like the rest of the boys, my "work hard, play hard" image (ego).

I brought my concern to my AA meeting and the most common advice was "don't forget to take your Higher Power with you." Praying just before I arrived at the party, keeping my Higer Power in mind. Yeah, I got bugged and had to suck it up a bit. I was probably the only adult male there without a beer in my hand.

What was really cool is that halfway through the second night of the party, I walked down to the beach with my kids and a friend. And wouldn't you know it, a few other parents put away their beers and came down to the beach to join us. I am a firm believer that my HP puts people in my life when I need them.

My prayers were for strength, courage, and acceptance. As always, they were answered.

[Signal30]

One of my favorite motto's I've heard at an AA meeting is "My mind is like a bad neighborhood, I shouldn't go there alone." How true.

This problem I've had long before I took my first drink. I've always had lots of anxiety when I travel. It's kind of complicated to explain (my issue), but the solution is very simple. Keep God close and the communication open, and everything should be ok.

All I need to do is keep my faith.

The ball is in my court.

Tom

[Rowan]

Hi Tom,

Sharing stuff like this helps me. Family events such as the one you describe make me very anxious too. When my sister got married, I was just coming back after a relapse following two years sober. I was going into rehab the week after the wedding, and a part of me thought, 'why not get wasted, I can start over next week? I've only got a couple weeks sober now anyway.' But it was funny, actually. Where she got married - at a harbour club, it was overlooked by the very rehab I would be attending that was high up on a hill. So whenever I got freaked out, I would wander outside and gaze up at that building. I also made several phone calls that night - I knew of at least two women, one of them being my sponsor, who would be home and available.
Also, looking around, I noticed that NOT EVERYONE was drinking. What a shocker!
You'll be fine, Tom. Invite your HP along, and if you need to call someone, do just that.
I hope you have a nice time.

[Signal30]

I'm now at the hotel at a public computer. The first few hours were rough. Finally, I was able to shake of the panic and anxiety and am doing good so far.


I prayed a lot, and called a few numbers. The tools don't work if you don't use them.


Thanks for the love people. I have to remember no matter where I go and/or what I do, my Higher Power will be with me.

Oh and the wedding reception was alcohol free. Not that it really mattered, just thought it was amusing.


Perhaps some of this anxiety is because the next wedding I am attending is my own!!! I'm getting hitched on 08/09/08. I havent really felt any nervousness or anxiety, but maybe some of it was this wedding reminding me that mine is just around the corner.

Repressed anxiety? I don't know, I'm not a head doctor.

Tom

[tommyk]

Hopefully it is some anxiety of the good kind.

Congrats on your upcoming wedding. Be excited, it is a reminder you're alive.

[Cathy31]

Well Done Tom!

Awesome!

It Works If You Work It!!

Cathy31
X

[Tazman53]

Awesome Tom, proof that a problem shared is a problem halfed!!!

Man your up coming marriage is just a thing!!!! LOL All will be well!

QUIT PROJECTING!!!!! LOL

[debs4321]

My sponsor would tell me to stop living in the past while projecting the future.

Or.............If you have one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow, you are peeing on today.

Live in the now, there are no promises of tomorrow.

If I live in the pain of once was, I forget to enjoy the beauty of today.

I remember not to long ago I had to tell my story (first time).

I had this huge projection, that it wasnt gonna be good enough, I would bomb out and forget everything, I had no story to tell. All these things seemed real to me. All were nothing but lies I was telling to myself. My mind tricking me into living in fear.

"Fear is the number one offended"

I had to finally, with much resisitance, give it to God. And have faith that the end results were for God to decide. Not me.

The story...............I really dont remember. God, was the one talking. I made it through to the other side. With out any stones being thrown at me.

I am grateful for the uncomfortable situations God allows me to experience. I helps me to build my faith and move through the fear.

F-Face
E-Everything
A-And
R-Recover

Love,
Deb

[debs4321]

OOPS! I meant to say "Projecting the future by living in the past"

Sorry typo.

It is early.

Deb