Tasks That Could Soothe Bipolar Disorder Symptoms.

• Frame and display a photo of people who have loved and supported you. Seeing the photo will remind you that you are not alone.
• Play with color. Color a page in a coloring book (for adults or kids), arrange your books by color, or put together a few colorful outfits for coming events.
• Dress to feel empowered. Clothes influence us and others, which is why they can be well worth your time, money, and consideration.
• Take one of your favorite childhood books and read it alone. If you don't own your favorite childhood books, buy them--not for your children but for yourself. 
• Rearrange the blankets on your bed. A smooth bed is so soothing.
• Buy a new book. Invest in your future relaxation and happiness (and get to them as quickly as possible).
• Take a bath. I know that even a 5- or 10-minute bath can reset me.
• Read poems aloud. You don't have to "get" them. Just give your brain something to chew on besides itself.
• Go for a brisk walk. Don't think about weight loss; think about where and how you want to be strong.
• Remove as many small discomforts as possible. Tags in your clothes, underclothes that are too tight, mediocre pillows...They are a big deal. Fix them.
• In every room of your home, be sure something reminds you of what you love. I don't just mean your kids; I mean something connected to your life-sustaining passion. By the way, I think it is wise to have a life-sustaining passion that is not connected to or dependent on one's children. 
• Use sunshine. If you're at home and the sun is out, try to move your activities with the sun. My guest room gets great afternoon light, so I sometimes write or read there in the afternoon.
• Go public (when you're ready). I recently "came out" to most of the people I know--they all know I have bipolar disorder. It's a relief. Those closest to me already knew. But I even extended it to Facebook and made this blog public. I didn't want to hide it if it might help someone.
• Just say, "I love you." Do this for someone who has never heard it from you. Who knows when he or she last heard it at all?

Staying Healthy.

What I'm Doing to Stay Healthy

Right now, I:

• walk twice a week
• read daily
• write daily
• listen to music
• cuddle with Oliver
• talk to Mom regularly
• cuddle with Josh
• cultivate a powerful friendship
• continue to avoid smoking, alcohol, and drugs completely
• practice trusting others
• go to therapy every other week

And What Else Can I Do?

I can also:

• read another book about BSD
• read another book about ASD
• watch uplifting movies
• walk 3 or 4 times a week
• swim
• get another case manager through health insurance
• finish my BSD workbook
• clean and pick up more (reduce chaos!)
• eat better
• cuddle more

Invest.

"Be willing to invest in yourself financially, emotionally, and spiritually." --Elizabeth Berg

I think invest was my word of the year last year or the year before. Investment expects a return but not necessarily a quick one. Scribbling I do now could become part of a memoir five years from now.

Investing financially probably means acquiring the tools and space for one's art or one's wellness. Luckily, I can write almost anywhere. Some people need a studio. I have pens, paper, and a laptop. I might invest in stamps to send off submissions, most of which will come back to me. Sometimes, I invest in something that will make writing more attractive, such as a beautiful journal.

But we also invest in our health. I have hospital bills and so many therapy and medication copays. The cost is massive, but I have to invest in my stability, even when nothing seems to be working.

Emotionally, I'm sometimes not even able to connect to characters in a book. How can I invest in myself emotionally? And how is spiritual investment different? Investing in theatre tickets is both financial and spiritual. Emotionally, I need to invest in compassion for myself--allow myself to feel. Therapy is an emotional investment too--one that does not give instant results.

Spiritually, I pray, and I use affirmations to keep me from hitting the floor or floating away.