President Obama just announced that May is now Mental Health Awareness Month! I'm very happy about that, and I hope you are too! My hope for this is that people will realize that everyone is affected somehow by mental illness, and that we are not scary!
Now I want to move on to the original purpose of this blog. I want to tell you all about how I live magnificently despite having Bipolar Disorder! It's true...I love my life, but I didn't always! These ten things that I have changed about my life are the reasons why I love my life! This post is long, by the way, but I hope it's well worth the read :)
1. My wife, Stacey...she is the best thing that ever happened to me! She always has loved me unconditionally and with her whole heart, as I love her. She is my rock and I love her so much!
2. and 3. Max and Oliver... Max is our 10-year-old min-pin/beagle mix and he is the light of my life! He is quite independent and likes to be by himself sometimes but whenever I am having a bad day he always snuggles really close to me...he knows. Oliver is our 8-year-old bishon/poodle mix and he is a rescue. He is so sweet and loves me so much. Along with Stace, they are the other best things in my life!
4. Medications...I have been told by many people that a lot of those with mental illness do not take their meds. I have to take my meds or I cannot function! My doctor and I have come up with a good cocktail of meds and they help tremendously!
5. Therapy...I have been with my therapist for 6 years and she is amazing! She knows me better than anyone except Stacey. I don't know what I would do without her to vent to and get advice from!
6. Running...I just started running in August of 2012, and now I can run up to 10 miles! It helps me so much with my symptoms and is a great way to feel accomplished and get fit! I have run 2 5ks, going to run 2 more 10ks, and just registered for my first Half-Marathon in October. I'm excited!
7. Eating healthier than I used to...It's hard, and I mess up a lot but now I am consious of what I'm eating and try to eat better. Most days I have a fruit shake for breakfast, a chicken caesar salad and activia for lunch, and a good dinner. I try really hard to eat well!
8. Not working...due to the symptoms of bipolar I would get while working, I decided to not work and become a housewife. I love being able to go at my own pace while doing the cooking, cleaning, laundry, dishes, grocery shopping, and taking care of our boys! And luckily, Stacey and I have been financially able to make this happen. I am also on Disability and get a monthly stipend from them.
9. Not talking to my family...I decided three and a half years ago to stop talking to my family. This was a tough decision to make, but ultimately, it was the best decision for me. I mainly stopped talking to my mother for a lot of reasons, and then everyone else followed. I currently e-mail my mother, but don't talk with anyone else except for one of my step-sisters. Stacey's family is more my family, and I wouldn't have it any other way!
10. I went on a meditation retreat in June of 2012. I was watching Super Soul Sunday on OWN last year and they were showing a film about prison inmates who went through a 10-day Vipassana Meditation retreat. Afterward, they were less angry, more calm, and at peace. I decided that I needed that and found a meditation center not far from my home. I went and it greatly helped my symptoms and helped calm my mind down. I am going again in June of this year!
I have also realized that I have limits and try to stay within them. Like I know that I need more sleep than others if I am to stay well, so I sleep more. And I don't do very well with nighttime acvitivites, so I try to do things during the day.
There are more things I do to stay well, but that just about covers it! My hope for all of you is that you can find the things that help you to live magnificently, and do them!
I posted the pictures, too. The first one is of flowers that my honey gave me! She gives me flowers a lot :)
Second one is of Stace and I being silly!
Then there is Max, then Ollie and me, and then my beautiful honeybear (that's what I call her).
