Friday, April 5, 2013

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Balance




Alcoholics and addicts are notoriously bad at striking balance in life. It's all or nothing for us. I don't drink a cup of coffee, for instance, I drink a pot! 


My life has indeed been off balance for the past month or so. I have been hyper-focusing on my relationships {thrilled to be out of the solitary confinement of depression and anxiety!}, but neglectful of all else. Well, "all else" - especially school work - built up to a critical point recently, causing me great angst; and like a good little addict, I just wanted to run away!

I think I forgot that medication only does enough to enable me to do the real work myself; and the real work in maintaining balance comes from acting on my goals on a daily basis. I hadn't been doing this. I just kept rolling along, doing the feel-good thing of the moment, or attending to the crisis du jour. All the while, I neglected those things that are truly the most important - the things that will give me the greatest return in the future.  

The solution to my loss of equilibrium: I started using my daily planner again. I carved out a chunk of the past few days to review my roles in life and what is truly important to me, and to update my goals and tasks. {I may even do a blog or video on it in the near future.} 

So, with this road map in hand, I began tackling the important things I need to do each day; and lo and behold, in only a day or two, I started feeling good again. I may not be perfectly balanced, but at least I'm no longer stuck!

What do you do to get yourself back into balance?  








Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Stuck

What to do when stuck. Didn't I already write about this - me, Mrs. I-have-all-the-answers?!

Well, I am stuck. I'm tired and stuffy and cranky and STUCK. I have a million bajillion things to do and I don't know where to start; so I sit like a deer in the headlights, mouth open cause I can't breathe through my nose.

Hhhmmm, do I have an inspirational quote laying around somewhere that'll get me going? Let's see...here:




I like the colors, like the motto...that works. Surely an inspirational quote will change my attitude. Ya' know, maybe it is okay to feel stuck, as long as I don't let myself be stuck. 

So, here's what I'm going to do:

  • Take the car in for service
  • Get my prescription renewed
  • Come back and study math, psych, and addiction courses - especially math
  • Go to my therapist
  • Go to class
  • Go to bed by 11:00 PM EDT
...even if I feel stuck.




Monday, April 1, 2013

BE Happy!






Happy April!



God, grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things that  I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

 - "The Serenity Prayer", by Reinhold Niebuhr    


Sometimes the best thing to do when working through a problem is to accept that the only thing we can deliberately control in this world is ourselves - our own thoughts, words, and behaviors - and not those of others. Though thoughts and behaviors can at times slip out of our control a bit (as with depression); even then, we can still control our destiny by admitting our own powerlessness and seeking help.

This month, I will focus my efforts and energy on those things I can control and not on those things that cause me concern, but little or no control. Though I may still be concerned about the welfare of others and wish them the best outcome, I will work on that which I can fully control - me!