Red light, green light

The worst imprisonment is the one
we impose on ourselves.
-Deng Ming-Dao

It's okay to be afraid.
It's okay to ask for help.
It's okay to try and fail.
It's okay to try again.
Be willing to take some risks,
deal with some resistance,
tolerate some discomfort, and
temporarily retreat if needed.
Go through the trap door if you have to.
Try again and again in different situations.
Trust your own pace - take your own strides.
Let go of the need for complete control,
reward yourself for all your successes,
breathe deeply and go with the flow, and
be ready to give yourself a good talking to.
Expect and know how to handle setbacks.
Try again and again under different circumstances.
Be prepared to experience strong emotions.
Follow through to some sense of completion.
If your goal is overwhelming,
it's okay to take baby steps.

My goal is not just to survive, but to live.

modified from instructions in Bourne's _Anxiety & Phobia Workbook_, 3rd ed.

You may be capable of great things.
But life consists of small things.
-Deng Ming-Dao