[missangelaks]

Ok, I have to tell you all something...it feels like a confession because I don't usually talk about it to many people...

For about 2 years or so in the ninties I was house bound. Overwhelming fears of many sorts...heights, water, crowds, people staring or poking fun at me and finally, just leaving the house...kept me locked up both figuratively and literally.

So...10 years ago...I decided that cowardice wasn't feeling those very real fears, letting them stop me from LIVING was! I wrote a song and one of the lines is "Bravery feels the fear and leaves it in this song..." Meaning, feel the fear and LIVE anyway!

I have spent the last decade going out and conquering fear after fear!

-Being single (love it now! Not sure I would want to be otherwise!)
-being fat or, more real then a fear of being fat, being thin and volnerable (just figured that one out this year),
-small places,
-heights,
-water,
-people looking at me,
-being in a bathing suit again

...I even sang 2 songs at a Kareoke Bar!!!!

And today...I can write off two more... diving off the diving board (well, butt diving! Don't ask! ) and going down the waterslide at the YMCA (combined fears of water, heights and people looking at me!)

Next week I am facing the Rock Climbing wall!

It is difficult to convey how proud of myself I am without exercising of one of my other fears...being conceited...but if you think about it, conceit is trying to put yourself above others to make yourself feel better, right? I think that...having a good self-esteem, loving who I am, who I have become, knowing that I am part of the human race, neither above or below anyone else...is the furthest from conceit I can get.

Thank you for listening,

Angela

[chickybird]

That's wonderful! I'm proud of you!!

[froggie83]

good for you, having the confidence to be proud of yourself and know your own worth is a great way to be

[KO]

Ang you are amazing you have come so farr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing wrong with self esteem!

[shelby897]

Just popping over to say what a great thread -- you should be proud of yourself (and are, I think ).

I personally think the difference between conceit and self-esteem is that self-esteem is someone professing pride in themselves, conceit is someone point out an accomplishment in order to belittle someone else!!

You are doing an awesome job!!

[magi]

I've had problems with self esteem all my life. One of the most wonderful times I can remember is realizing I was special. Oh what a day that was !! Then, a little while after that I had another inspiration. That was the day I realized that while it was true that I was special.....so was everybody else. At first I kinda resented that LOL. Then I saw that it was right and I was left with a peace I hadn't had before. If we lift ourselves up in the right way...then we raise everybody else up with us. That's what it's all about.

[jiffypop]

ANGELA - you're beginning to scare me!!!! being proud of yourself and of your accomplishments = CONFIDENCE. it's not conceit.

CONCEIT: an excessively favorable opinion of one's own ability, importance, wit, etc.

SELF-ESTEEM: a realistic respect for or favorable impression of oneself; self-respect.

[whitelion30]

Jiffy said it all! Just have to get use ot being proud of yourself! Keep up the great work! I can not wait to caught up to you!

[nanj]

It is nice to see you living life so freely, healthy and well....happily. Don't get crazy NO MT. EVEREST!!!! LOL!!!

[missangelaks]

I am more suited for the Rock Climbing wall I think then MT. Everest! LOL But hey you never know! Maybe that will be my goal for when I turn 50!

Nah...I look terrible in snow googles and flannel!!!!!!!

Angela

[FluffyGirl79]

wow that is GREAT!!!!!!