Hey Golf,
So you're a tradesman as well. I worked with a few ironworkers and I have to say you guys are nuts but I had a lot of fun. Since I finally left the Borg, things have been going very well, thanks to all the support from this discussion forum. It has helped me get past the mind control and guilt and to move on to more positive things.
I'm back in school and loving it. I'm reading a lot more, meeting more people, and really developing greater skill sets. It's funny but I find that I'm smiling and laughing more. One day, I would like to write a book but not right now. What's on the agenda now is traveling more, getting better at salsa dancing, doing things I never done before such as water skiing, scuba diving, ski diving, and maybe a bungy jump or two. I also want to join Home for Habitat this summer, it should be a lot of fun. Life is really what you make it and I like going to sleep exhausted from working hard (secularly and personally) everyday.
There are challenges that I face such as the level of work required to make friends (I make it a point to call all my friends at least once a week), getting over the programmed fear of being with 'worldly people', my own personal insecurities and so on but as you mentions, 'Combating negativity is a challenge and we need to confront that challenge. The more we tackle it, the more we will find relief and a purpose to be positive, mind you, it will be gradual, but it's worth the challenge. This is sound psychological advice. When we conquer fears, it inoculates us from more fears and increases self esteem.