STRUGGLING WITH A           BASIC NEED: SELF ESTEEM

Psychologically challenged, I’m struggling to find the road to emotional maturity and make peace with myself.  I seek a sense of my own intrinsic value, self respect, confidence in my ability to see life as a challenge—not a threat—and being able to enjoy it in relaxed fashion.  I want to leave behind what’s inside me too often now: feeling alienated, unworthy, shame, that I can’t cope, that I’m a failure; too concerned about what others think of me; anxiety, fear, and self doubt. When I’m really down on myself, with this battle raging inside, I lose hope.

PHYSICALLY CHALLENGEDè INDEPENDENT LIVING

Perhaps like you, I value self determination, self respect and equal opportunity —but unlike you I have a handicap. This makes my fully functioning and achieving difficult, if not impossible. Even when I seemingly overcome this condition, I’m conscious it exists. I’m aware that people and /or technology “crutches” often help me. I’d like to depend on these less, and more often function independently. In rising to challenges posed by old age, illness, pain, impairment, etc, I’ve overcome obstacles I once thought insurmountable.  I continue to hope!