I tried to do meditation, as someone had suggested at some point in my life. The meditation thing didn't work for me; however, I quickly realized how much better I felt just sitting in the garden or in the yard, trying to meditate.

These days I just go outside when I am feeling stressful. I look for beauty in things around me, and it is generally enough to get me by for a while.

For example, if I am in a crowded restaurant and I am feeling anxious, I will excuse myself as if I am going to the ladies' room. I will then step outside and take a few deep breaths. Then I look around. I try to find things to focus on, like trees, flowers, or, if no landscaping is about, I look up in the sky. I just relax and let my mind speak only of the item(s) I am focusing on.

I work from home now, which is the biggest blessing. I searched for years to find a work-from-home job that was legitimate. That has made a tremendous difference in managing my attacks.

Now when an attack hits, I do not start freaking out and having thoughts of pinching my boss' head in between my fingers. I simply go outside and take in some nature. I truly believe that Mother Nature is a very powerful thing. Even when I am sick I will wrap myself up in a blanket and sit on the deck or balcony.

I have not taken any prescriptions for my anxiety. I feel that doing that would contaminate my body, and that medication would just numb my mind. Since medication doesn't cure the disorder I choose to not go down that road.

I have not been to any therapy sessions either. I feel that talking to others is helpful when it is someone I know and trust. I do not feel comfortable talking to strangers, so I have decided that therapy would most likely not be very effective for me.

Getting down to the root of your fears is the best way to understand them. I have always feared flying. No one in my life has ever been injured in a flight. I do not know why I feared flying, but I think it has something to do with the loss of control I have. This January 2005, I took my first flight to Cabo San Lucas. The flight was so rough, and we encountered so many problems that I now have good reason to fear flying. I have just accepted the fact that flying is something that will never be a part of my life.

So you see... facing your fears doesn't always make them go away. It does, however, give you an opportunity to see what lies beneath the fear. I used to fear being a single mother when my first son was born, and now I am single mother of three and things are going well.

I have learned that sometimes fears can be overcome, and sometimes they have to be realized and lived with.

Good luck in your future, and hopefully some of my tips will help you along the way!