I'm trying to schedule myself for things that scare me. While I'm prone to backing out even after I've scheduled, I don't always. This weekend I arranged to help my mom plant her tomatoes out. I have a fear of bringing tomato diseases to her yard (all my tomatoes got a terrible blight two summers ago), so I sort of wanted to avoid helping. But instead we're scheduled for Saturday, weather pending.
Last week I realized that for the first time since OCD came along, my fingers didn't crack ONCE this winter. I didn't even slather on lotion that often. Just another benefit of stopping the hand washing at work. Also, I can drop food on surprisingly dirty floors these days and then pick it up and eat it. I don't know if that can rightly be considered an accomplishment :) but it is an affront to my OCD.
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You are stronger than you think!
1 year ago
Oh, it absolutely can be (and is) considered an accomplishment! You have worked so hard and it is really paying off. I'm really glad you're seeing the benefits, as that is a great motivator to continue the hard work.
ReplyDeleteI think it's terrific that you plan on helping your mom with the tomatoes. Definitely, go for it. Just think what a nice thing you are doing. You're helping your mom, and you're helping to fight your OCD. It's like a two-for-one sale! I will look forward to hearing about how the tomato planting went. You can do this!
Kudos to you, Ann, for scheduling exposures that you don't have to do. That's great about your hands. When I was at my worst, my hands looked like claws. And I would call being able to pick up food off the floor and eat it an accomplishment--just dust it off a bit before you eat it! :-)
ReplyDeleteI admire what you are doing Ann and it sounds like you are reaping the rewards. I read some advice (for OCD) that said I should be doing exactly the opposite of what OCD tells me to do. I do a lot of avoidance and when OCD tells me to avoid something, I should jump right in and do it. I recently put myself in a position where I was forced to go about 18 hours where I had access to a bathroom - but no sink. I don't think I could have done it if I was home but it's amazing I could do it at all. Honestly it is not what I consider sanitary, OCD or not,but since I didn't have a choice I have to admit that I did not get sick, nothing bad happened at all and though I did wash my hands at the first opportunity, I feel like it was not the end of the world.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Ann.
hi Ann - I wish you all the best and nice weather for tomato planting on Saturday!
ReplyDeleteI have major OCD issues around gardening, even thought I also LOVE GARDENING!!!!!
you are really fab to post this.
Hi There,
ReplyDeleteI just came accross your blog! I took have OCD and am a fellow blogger. I will look forward to reading about your journey!
http://thespringcommitment.blogspot.ca/