It's hard for me to understand when I gave up on myself, and why. My best guess is that it was a gradual process with several factors contributing to it - anxiety, self worth, alcohol, and parenthood, to name a few.
I am so uncomfortable coming out of this fog. I find myself feeling alternately like I'm on the verge of crying, falling, or losing my mind! Then little successes happen that strengthen my resolve. Like, today at work I handled a difficult conversation well.
In the past I would have been down on myself for not being a self assured person YET, or as self assured as someone else, but the new me accepts myself where I am, accepts the need for improvement, and celebrates the progress.
Thanks, NT.