Thanks so much for saying that. Honestly that does make me feel a lot better.

I'm looking forward to talking to my counselor about this on Tuesday. I really think this is a pattern that I follow with almost any important relationship. I start off not sure if we'll get along so I don't worry too much. And as things click. . . then I open up more and at some stage I feel I open up too much and then I worry that they'll like me any more, knowing the "real" me.

I think the fact that t his happened is sort of a good thing, because if I can work on why I follow this pattern and how to stop doing it, it will help all my future new relationships too.

I have been obsessing about it somewhat and I"m looking forward to figuring it out.

My counselor gave me a book to read and part of it deals with approval addiction in Christians, and how we should try and rely on God for our self-worth, not on what others think. That's a huge challenge for me.