“Because of all I have gone and am going through, there may be times when I feel like I have little or no energy. During these times, I will be gentle with myself. I have been through a lot. I need time to recover. I will remember that having an abuser removed is major surgery of the soul. I need time to heal, and I need rest. It is okay for me to let myself take it easy.”
~ J.R Smith
Time to let go of the ‘shoulds’ and de-prioritize
You may be putting off activities for good reason, so be honest with yourself, do you really want to do them? Is there something more important you could be doing with your precious energy. Is your procrastination a sign from your intuition.
By letting them go, you can make space for what you really want/ need in this moment,
‘Action expresses priorities’.
Intrigued?
Start looking for the areas of your life plagued by “shoulds.”
I am a yoga instructor, yet I always think it’s unnecessary when people say they should do yoga. There are many other opportunities to find inner calm or exercise or even wear those killer yoga pants. Maybe it doesn’t make sense for you, even though your friends are doing it. That’s okay.
Take notice of the things you keep de-prioritizing.
We like to think that when we will be older, we will have ample time to get all the things in order that we neglected when we were young. Maybe you really don’t need to have your photos organized. Maybe the boxes will do. You can use the time you would have spent organizing (or trying to talk yourself into organizing) creating new memories instead.
Acknowledge that if something brings more frustration than joy, it may not be worth your time.
There are many things that we can’t control in our lives. What we do in our free time, however, we can control. After my second knitting class, I realized that I wasn’t getting the benefits that knitting devotees swore by. I was spending most of the time silently cursing. It wasn’t my passion. I recently tossed those knitting needles. Maybe another version of me will want to pick it up, but the one I know right now certainly doesn’t. And there’s no reason to waste time trying to like something I don’t.
There’s no better time to explore this concept than during the “coulda woulda shoulda”–laden holiday season. We tend to add on to already full plates rather than using this time to sort out what isn’t actually a good use of our time.
Maybe you don’t want to travel this year. Maybe you don’t want to be in a relationship and you are enjoying the sweet freedom of being single. Toss some of those bucket list items to the side. We can start living today, with honest expressions of who we are.
Why not just say, “Fuck it”?
Director and screenwriter, Paul Dalio’s new feature film takes a hard and gritty look at love, mania, creative inspiration, artistic temperament and making peace with bipolar.
Wow, looks interesting.
SG x
Touched with Fire stars Katie Holmes and Luke Kirby as two poets with bipolar disorder whose art is fueled by their emotional extremes. When they meet in a treatment facility, their chemistry is instant and intense driving each other’s mania to new heights. They pursue their passion which breaks outside the bounds of sanity, swinging them from fantastical highs to tormented lows until they ultimately must choose between sanity and love.
Inspired by the film maker’s own struggles overcoming bipolar disorder, Paul Dalio wrote, directed, edited and scored his feature film debut which also includes performances by Griffin Dunne, Christine Lahti and Bruce Altman.
(In cinemas February 12th 2016)
Emerging
Become known, become apparent, become evident, be revealed, come to light, come out, transpire, come to the fore, enter the picture, unfold, turn out.
E
Many of us need extended time alone as we heal. We’re regaining our strength, repairing our wings.
Separating from your old life and circle can be essential. Don’t judge it, don’t label yourself. Don’t believe that ‘you’re a loner’, or that no-one is like you, or that you don’t fit anywhere.
You just need time in your cocoon, don’t question the time, allow it.
You do fit .. you’re just no longer a caterpillar.
You’re growing and changing.
Your cocoon separates you from the caterpillars and it protects your precious budding wings. Those caterpillars will eat anything!
You’re not isolating, it’s a time of growth, self protection and solitude.
Have patience, when you’re ready to show your colours you’ll emerge and join the butterflies.
SG x
This is beautiful.
What wonderful things can you imagine?
Tulku Documentary 2009
Enlightened Tibetan masters return as recognized “tulkus” – reincarnated buddhas. In the 1970s, tulkus began to be born in the West, confusing both the Tibetan system and the lives of the Western children involved.
The ones where brushing your teeth is your biggest accomplishment.
I started a achievements jar when I went through a bad bout of depression lately (slowly coming out of it..) :o)
Simple things like, got dressed (only if I had to go out), bought food (sneak down to the supermarket late when it’s practically empty), cooked a simple meal (rarely – cooking = mess = dishes), spent 10 mins. doing dishes (not often, maybe once..), paid a bill (if they were on my back for payment..), washed some clothes (if I really had to go out), made a phone call (I’d been putting off), lay in the sun for 20 mins (started looking really pasty from staying indoors with the curtains closed), forced myself to socialize with my anxiety group (felt better!), washed my dressing gown (I’d been living in day to day), fed the dog, flea treated the dog, put the rubbish out, open the curtains and let the light in .. then at some point … I made the decision to stop binge eating carbs (gained too much weight), went to my Dtr and got 4 free therapy sessions (needed someone to talk to), got advice from a wise psychic counsellor (excellent!), brought Bach Flowers essences (natural emotional healing aides), started listening to soothing music and tried some new relaxation techniques (instant calmness), poured my heart out on my blog (excellent understanding and healing help from readers)..
These things are hard to do when you’re depressed.. some people can keep functioning .. I really don’t and I don’t always choose the healthiest ways to self soothe..
I should add I watched many uplifting movies, took many long baths, took many long naps, watched TV, ate tons of ice cream, binged on carbs, cried buckets, spent hours on the internet in an attempt to feel connected (find healing answers and alleviate my boredom), wrapped myself up like a burrito, posted positive quotes and articles on my blog, snuggled my dog :o)
Now my depression is lifting (it was about 6 – 12 months of darkness). Even doing nothing was doing something because it was healing my heart and helping me overcome fear. I’ve experienced chronic depression but this was the worst bout I’ve ever had.
Be gentle, do what you can, and do what feels soothing.. add some positive/ healthy self soothing techniques too.
Depression isn’t easy but you do get through and you come out stronger and wiser.
SG x
