Acceptance of Cd'ing - How did it change your life?

[AKAMichelle]

I was depressed and really beat up mentally when I finally decided to do something about going out the door dressed. My life had become controlled by fear which was limiting my life in so many ways. When I finally went out the door dressed for the first time, things really began to change. My business really starting taking off because I had confidence again. Beating the fear of going out dressed changed my life.

I am a totally different person than I was back then. My life is fuller and much happier. Cd'ing is not just about wearing women's clothes. It is much more than that. I think that many areas are affected by our accepting or non-accepting of our selves. So what has changed in your life?

[Sarah Doepner]

I may not be a totally different person, but I'm much more relaxed and able to focus on other people and their needs now that I'm not focused on mine all the time. I still get cranky occasionally since I'm not out to the world, but life is much better, thanks for asking.

[Debb]

Simply put, my world has expanded.

I have met a lot of people whom I would otherwise never have met. I have had stereotypes challenged, and seen them fall by the wayside.

[stefanie]

Well... one thing for sure I am certainly more girly and androgynous. Emotionally, i feel more at ease with the acceptance vs. what is wrong with me.... by far a better way to live life... I am also more accepting of others also in whatever there interests are also... the norm today is simply anti-norm

[Intertwined]

I could finaly breath, my concentration was better, I got more of my tasks done when I should have.

There are some Quotes from the New movie " X-Men First Class " that I just love.

Erik Lehnsherr (aka Magneto): You want society to accept you, when you can't even accept yourselves?
Erik Lehnsherr: (aka Magneto) If you're using half your concentration to look normal, then you're only half paying attention to whatever else you're doing
Raven Darkholme (aka Mystique): Do we have to hide?
Raven Darkholme (aka Mystique): Mutant and proud!
Professor Charles Xavier: There's so much more to you than you know.
Professor Charles Xavier: I always knew I couldn't be the only one who was... different.

[carhill2mn]

I think that just accepting the fact that you are what you are is the biggest benefit. Acceptance of yourself does not, necessarily, involve going out in public en femme. In my case, my "acceptance" occurred long before I started going out in public but that acceptance certainly made me feel better about myself.

[ninapuella]

I havent accepted it yet. I understand that it is a part of me but i cant accept it. The day when I can make the crossdressing a part of my real life i think i will accept. But now it is just a hidden part of my real life, it is just taking focus from other things. I dont want it to steal energy i want it to give energy and i think that is what happens when you accept it as a part of your life. I just accept it as a hidden part of my life and ofcourse there are practical reasons for that. :Angry3:

[PretzelGirl]

There are some Quotes from the New movie " X-Men First Class " that I just love.

Movie scripts do tend to have some social commentary in them, don't they?

[Karren H]

When I accepted I am who I am and I like what I like, Crossdressing became fun!! Guilt free fun... .

[Sophie86]

I think that just accepting the fact that you are what you are is the biggest benefit. Acceptance of yourself does not, necessarily, involve going out in public en femme. In my case, my "acceptance" occurred long before I started going out in public but that acceptance certainly made me feel better about myself.

That's the way it was for me too. Before I accepted myself, crossdressing was a compulsion rather than a choice. I believed that what I was doing was wrong and deviant, which gave it the attractive flavor of forbidden fruit, and the danger of discovery made it that much more exciting. I had a rubberband effect going on: The harder I tried to pull away from crossdressing, the harder it pulled me back towards it. It was the old: "Don't! Stop! Don't stop!" The naughtier I thought it was, the greater the reward for giving in. When I finally came to believe that the desire wasn't wrong, and gave myself permission to do it, the rubberband relaxed, and the compulsive nature of it disappeared. The desire itself also receded. It became integrated into my life, and for long periods of time it took a backseat to other things that were more important.

Since it recently resurfaced, I found the courage to be more open about it, and experienced that same confidence boost that Michelle talks about in overcoming that fear. At the same time, it still feels like a choice rather than a compulsion. I believe that if there were some compelling reason, some other value that I needed to focus on more, I could set aside my crossdressing for however long I needed to without much of a struggle.

[Danni Renee]

I was super depressed before I finally accepted myself. I suffered through a cycle of depression that would end when I was able to dress. The cycle would of course start again at the guilt of having dressed. But since I finally accepted myselfand them coming out to my SO and her acceptance I feel so much more alive and intune with myself. I did get a confidence boost but not much of one since I am still in the closet to everyone else. But I am working on it!

[Jessica86]

It was a huge reliever to hear that it is something that I can not fix. It has been going on for twenty years, so...I've always thought I was some sort of freak. I then took the route of actually researching the different reasons why people dress, and what category I fell into. I realized that I was not alone, and it was actually quite a popular thing to do. I feel so much more liberated. I look back on what I did in the past and think its awful that our world made me feel the way I did for so long. There is nothing wrong with what we do, and just accepting that one sentence, changed my entire life.

[Cullaby]

It was changes in my life that made me accept CD'ing, not the other way around.

With age I developed just enough of a stubborn sense of self-worth to feel comfortable dressing up how i want. You could call crossdressing my own personal victory dance over a few fallen personal demons :D

[minalost]

Self acceptance is sometimes thing. It is a slow process that takes place over time. I didn't wake up one morning and "Spoing :eek:!" I now accept myself for what I am and life is good :D! But over time, with help from others (on this web site mostly...) I came to the conclusion that being a CD is not evil/twisted/perverted :devil:... It's just another form of human self expression. And it's fun :heehee:! Do I still have "down moments" where I doubt myself and my favorite hobby? Sure. But they are fewer and farther apart. Soon I expect they will be gone for good. Life changing? Not really. I still have a wife, a job, kids, and "gasp :eek:!" other hobbies! But when I think about CDing it's no longer with a mix of love and hate. It's just love - it's too much fun NOT to love!

[Kate Simmons]

When I finally accepted and amalgamated ALL of my feelings, I realized that I could be whoever I wanted to be and it was only limited by my own imagination.:)

[kimdl93]

I have to qualify my comment: I'm not as "out" as you are. Although I dress pretty much 24/7 at home and have a wonderfully supportive wife, I still hide/repress a bit of myself from the world.

Still, being able to come out to my wife and few other people has made me feel better about myself, more free and honest and genunine. I do think that coming out has helped me overcome some of my personal demons - such as a volatile temper and bouts of depression - and allowed me to enjoy life more fully.

[t-girlxsophie]

I met,and married a truly remarkable woman who supports me totally and enjoys sharing this part of me.Can't imagine where I would be without her love and support

Sophie