Have you ever felt so stressed that you want to cry? Or on a verge of a panic attack and your mind can’t process anything but tears? I believe that is our bodies’ reaction to help calm us down when we are feeling stressed or panicked. It gives us something else to think about – instead of our stress or anxiety.
Once when I was working as a proposal researcher for an architectural firm, we had a very tight deadline to get one of the proposals out. The highest of the bosses was there because he wanted this contract so bad he could taste it so he came to me to make some last minute changes. He was a high energy man and known for his temper, I had been fortunate up until this point to not had to deal with him before.
Soon the changes were becoming large changes and he was becoming frustrated with me because I couldn’t type fast enough or the changes he was making needed to be updated in charts and so forth. I was nervous we weren’t going to meet the deadline, the proposal still had to be printed and bound and he didn’t seem like he was any where close to being done. Then a number of other architects and managers stood behind me and making their own changes – this was totally stressing me out! I can remember it like it just happened. I felt my brain flash and suddenly become blank – I couldn’t even remember what I was doing! Then I thought “I can’t do this! I should just stop and walk out” I knew that I was just about to snap. Tears were welling up behind my eyes and I was trying so hard not to let them out out but I really believe that is what saved me. Just that split second that I thought about my tears brought my brain back to focus and I managed to get the proposal in with 30 seconds to spare!
After I dropped that proposal off I let the tears come, but not too much because I had to go back to work and I sure wasn’t going to show them that the stress had got to me. I didn’t want to loss my job, but I could still feel the stress and anger building up inside of me.
If only I had read Panic Away back then
About 3 months after that incident I quit my job. I couldn’t deal with the constant stress and my anger had been building up since that proposal had gone out. BTW we didn’t get the contract – probably because we didn’t have time to spell check etc. but that is besides the point 
I had become so easily stressed that I began panicking at the smallest things. I’d lie awake at night worrying about what needed to be done the next day then stressing because I wasn’t going to to get enough sleep! I had episodes at work where I had to run to the washroom to let out a few tears and take some deep breaths before returning to my desk. I realized I couldn’t depend on my tears every time because it was only a temporary solution. I didn’t know what to do… so I quit.
I think if I had read the Panic Away book or sought help from my doctor at that time I wouldn’t have had to quit. It took me a long time to recover from that job and with the skills I learned from Panic Away I believe I am more then capable to handle any job put before me! I am finally back working and feeling good at what I’m doing, I have a new inner confidence thanks to the Panic Away’s One Move TechniqueTM.
