If you feel like it might be overwhelming to go out to a brand new place on your own or that your paranoia might cause you distress, perhaps you could try a ‘graduated’ approach. First trip visit a place either close to home or another familiar place, maybe 10 minutes in new territory. The following week do a 15 minute jaunt outside your comfort zone, then 20 and so on. Building up might make it less overwhelming.

If you are interested in fitness, may I suggest a personal trainer? Semi private lessons can be very affordable, its a weekly commitment and I found it less intimidating because its small group size (or private if you splash extra coin). Its important to pick one with your values though, fr example when I was seeking one out I had a few key objectives: no one who suggest protein powders and chemicals love real food, no one who thinks pain is gain, someone who uses positive reinforcement and not abuse to motivate me, etc. I found a PT and now a friend in the deal, and its great stress relief getting outside in the air working my butt off.

When I couldn’t afford therapy I dropped into free guided meditation sessions at the local Buddhist temple. Meditation has helped me so much, and while I m quite outgoing, the people I met at my meditation centre were often soft spoken and introverted, which you might find familiar. I also use guided meditations on my iPod, favorutie set I keep recommending is ‘guided meditations for busy people’ by Bodhipaksa. Took me a year of doing them few times a week at least, but almost like magic I woke up a year later and could control much of my anxiety through clearing my mind, breating exercises, etc. I also sleep much better now. Might help for your paranoia/anxiety.

Hope this helps 🙂

If you can let the quinoa defrost in the fridge while at work for the day, even better!

Hi J, I know how you’re feeling. I have OCD as well and have issues with anxiety.

My first recommendation is to get into meditation. This is not an overnight miracle, but it is a miracle. My lifesaver was the short and sweet “guided meditations for busy people” by Bodhipaksa, you can Google and download them. I honestly did them for about a year, roughly three times a week before they started their magic, but they did. Mediation has helped me gain control of my thoughts and to stop the negative spiral.

I am feeling the job hate, I have been stuck in a job I hate for a while. I read a quote recently which said “if its not good, let it go. If it can’t go, make it good”. If you are stuck in your shitty job, consciously try to acknowledge this for what it is but don’t let it consume you. In life there will often be an area lacking that we cannot control, if we can try to accept or even embrace these imperfections it can minimise the impact they have on the other good parts (like your supportive boyfriend).

The past two years I have also tried to introduce more good, so my good to bad ratio gets better! Is there something you enjoy that you haven’t done lately? Can you seek out a new hobby, or activity or anything that can bring you joy? For me its a bit of yoga (and I tried heaps of yoga studios and teachers until I found my yoga soulmate). Yoga days, Wednesdays, are now a good day, even at my shitty job, because I have something to look forward to. I also try to play guitar at home and walk my dog, but I find the yoga (because its a scheduled thing I do each week in a social setting) provides great benefit. I also go alone and have forced myself to meet new people there. This is a chance to not be the ‘sad’ me my friends and family see, but to just try and be normal and upbeat and kind of fake it until I make it. No one there knows my past or my struggles, and that can be a very powerful environment to be in when going through a hard time.

I hope this helps.

Meditation has helped me with my anxiety a lot. Particularly one set of short guided meditations called “meditations for busy people” by Bodhipaksa. Honestly, I had to do them for a year before I saw the true benefits…. one day my anxiety was spiralling and, like instinct, I start doing my bresthing and calming myself down. It was such a powerful and liberating experience to stop my anxiety for the first time in my life, as like you I felt trapped and powerless. Once you make a small win like that your progress snowballs, because you realise you are capable of controlling your mid.

Be patient with yourself and keep doing small positive steps, you will overcome it I promise.