Sometimes I am really thankful to be me.

There are days when I'd rather be anyone but me, not because I don't want my life or anything, just because some days are just so hard emotionally..and for a sensitive girl like me, it can be overwhelming sometimes...but that's not what this is about..today I'm glad to be me.

I've had my fair share of challenges in my 36 years of life..not as many as some, more than others..but I'd say a fair amount..and one thing I have learned is that if you make a decision for change in your life, it is possible..even to change the really really hard stuff.

I'll give you an example. Starting in childhood, I've had problems with anxiety..somewhere around 22, maybe 23, I was having full blown panic attacks...landing me in therapy and chowing down antidepressants..I don't have anything against either of these things, believe me, they helped me immensely, but what really changed my life was an episode of Dr. Phil. Yesssss, I said an episode of Dr.Phil!

He said one sentence that changed me forever. "If you are scared of something, you have to walk through it to get to the other side."

That was my lightbulb...I needed to hear that there was a place on the other side of the fear, if I could just get through it. So I got in the car, with my driving phobia and all, and began my journey of allowing myself to feel horribly uncomfortable, forcing myself to move from the slow lane to the next and to the next, even into the fast lane...I had many panic attacks but just breathed to myself just get through to the other side..it will pass..just hold on til you get to the other side.

Slowly but surely, I had less and less attacks..I challenged myself to do more and more. It wasn't easy..it took hard emotional work..it still does sometimes. But I learned one of my biggest lessons during that time ...

There is LIFE on the other side.