Hi,<\/p>\n
I heard a saying the other day that I like a lot: \u201cKeep the main thing the main thing.\u201d I know it\u2019s used in a 12-Step Program, but it can be used for other things as well. For instance, it can be used with bipolar disorder, when you\u2019re talking about trying to cope and deal with it, or just trying to cope and deal with life in general. What am I talking about? I\u2019m talking about priorities. Specifically, about keeping your priorities in order. That\u2019s important in life, but especially important when you\u2019re dealing with bipolar disorder. For example: If your loved one gets their priorities out of order\u2026Say, they start to take on too many projects all at once, they can get overwhelmed. And many times, if a person with bipolar disorder gets overwhelmed, they can too easily go right into a bipolar manic episode. And it can take a long time to de-tangle them out of that episode. Because then it\u2019s a matter of getting their priorities back in order. And that can take some time. The important thing is to keep them in order to begin with so that doesn\u2019t happen.<\/p>\n
Before you can keep your priorities in order, you first have to SET your priorities. You want your priorities to be well-balanced and healthy for you. For example: For a supporter of a loved one with bipolar disorder, they often miss the main priority, believe it or not. Too many supporters believe that the main priority is their loved one. Well, it\u2019s not. Now, some people might get mad at me for saying this, but I believe it\u2019s important. Your main priority should be taking care of yourself first. Think about it. If you don\u2019t take care of yourself, who else is going<\/p>\n
to take care of you? And if you don\u2019t take care of yourself FIRST, how are you going to be able to take care of anyone else? Even the airlines know this. It\u2019s true: In pre-flight instructions, they always tell you that if the oxygen masks come down, to put yours on FIRST, and THEN put your child\u2019s mask on them. That\u2019s so that you can take care of them. That\u2019s having your priorities in order. You can only take care of your loved one if you take care of yourself first. So your first priority should be to take care of yourself.<\/p>\n
And there are other things that go along with that priority, of course. Like that you need to be well-balanced: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Like that you should keep a good sleep schedule, eat a nutritious and balanced diet, and exercise. In other words, you should keep yourself healthy, in all ways possible. That\u2019s so that you can be the best \u201cyou\u201d that you can<\/p>\n
be, both for yourself and for your loved one. In that way, you\u2019ll be keeping \u201cthe main thing the<\/p>\n
main thing\u201d as well.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
I heard a saying the other day that I like a lot: \u201cKeep the main thing the main thing.\u201d I know it\u2019s used in a 12-Step Program, but it can be used for other things as well. For instance, it can be used with bipolar disorder, when you\u2019re talking about trying to cope and deal with it, or just trying to cope and deal with life in general. What am I talking about?<\/p>\n