Hi,<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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 \u2013 Things that they are good at doing. A teacher, for example \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
People in general should try to better themselves, too. But a supporter particularly \u2013 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?”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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\u00a0others. Or maybe you would like to go to (or go back to) college to take a course or two.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Well, I have to go!<\/p>\n
Your Friend,<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Dave<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Hi,<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Well, you may not be going back to college,<\/p>\n