Something I’m Proud of:

A few years ago, I decided I wanted to become a counselor.  To do this, I would have to go back to school to get my second master’s degree.  For four years, I was a full-time grad-student, but they were not easy years.  These were also years when my bipolar disorder tried to take me down.  These years were full of mania, depression and more therapy than I thought was possible.  This was the scariest time of my life.  There were days when I wasn’t sure I would survive.  But I did.  Not only did I survive, but I graduated with my counseling degree.  And not only did I graduate, but I graduated with honors!

Advice for Newly Diagnosed:

Learn your limitations and embrace them.  Having bipolar disorder many times requires us to take life at a slower pace than we may want to.  For myself, I had to slow down considerably in order to reduce my stress levels if I was to ever find stability.  It was hard at first, but once I realized how my busyness was negatively affecting me, I knew I had to make necessary changes.  When I was finally able to accept my limitations and embrace them, it was a turning point for me in fully accepting my diagnosis.