Living magnificently!

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).