Hi,
I’ve been noticing all the things you can buy for a college dorm room in the stores lately. It’s amazing, really. Even mini-refrigerators! And all kinds of space savers. So it made me think about these students. Some of them are going to college for the first time. But others are going to college to further their education. They are trying to better themselves.
Well, you may not be going back to college, but let me ask you this: Are you continuing to better yourself? Everybody has gifts and talents – Things that they are good at doing. A teacher, for example – Not everyone can be one, and you remember the ones that were really good for the rest of your life. If you have children, you want them to have the best education possible, so naturally you want a teacher who has a talent and a gift for teaching. Well, teachers always have to work on bettering themselves. They have to go for what’s called CEU’s (Continuing Education Units) so they can improve themselves as teachers.
People in general should try to better themselves, too. But a supporter particularly – You need to better yourself not just as a supporter, though, because that’s only part of who you are. But you need to continually better yourself as a person, too. Your whole life should not be revolving around your loved one’s bipolar disorder. Otherwise it just might overwhelm you. You should have outside interests as well. You need to examine yourself and ask yourself: “Am I bettering myself?” Then ask yourself: “How can I better myself today?”
When you better yourself, you can reach further goals. You can enrich your life. You will grow as a person. What do you enjoy doing? You can start there. It can even help you and your loved one financially. Many bipolar supporters (as well as survivors) start their own home businesses.
It helps with the cost of bipolar disorder, if nothing else. Do you like dogs? Maybe you can become a dog walker. Are you good with children? Maybe you can start a home babysitting or day care service. What are you interested in? Do you like to read? Join a reading club at your local library. Do you like to help other people? Maybe you can volunteer your services to help others. Or maybe you would like to go to (or go back to) college to take a course or two.
All of these are ways that you can better yourself. Bettering yourself is a way to increase your self-esteem as well. People who do this are always growing. And that’s definitely an advantage if you’re supporting a loved one with bipolar disorder.
Well, I have to go!
Your Friend,
Dave
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well ill start off by saying this site has helped me alot with my wife,,,but at the end of the day theres just nothing to smile about anymore,,,its just really to much to try and do…my own heath has been lacking…after just 6 yrs of dealing with her and her bipolar ,,married for 18yrs its just life anymore..nothing exciting..im mentally just to tired to enjoy anything …even sex has just became something in the past anymore…i wont give up and quit,,you just get tired of the normal rountine we get into
Thank you for these words today. I am trying but other caregiving for my husband whose health deteriorating therefore in a negative space. I am going to counseling and trying to take care of myself. I am a very positive person and refuse to be negative. but sometimes it is hard. At least I don’t stay there long at all.
I was just thinking what a wonderful life I have. No annoyances, no relative with bipolar, and definitely not a cheating lover!!! Your website has helped me much in this sense that I get to “empathize” with others who are “afflicted”. I mean, I would want the same situation had I been there.
My wish is to have a respectful mate whose eyes are always on good things and only to see me in the “best light”.
What a clean life I have now that I’ve taken my head back from the technology world and am who I truly envisioned myself to become. I felt Willie Mae Thornton – BIG MOMMA’S plight – a woman with so many kids, not enough help and sometimes the kids let you down.