How I Get Myself Moving
What is Recovery International? Just getting one foot out of bed seems to be the trick, but I do have to be on guard for procrastination, which is my down fall when depressed.
What Helps Me Keep Going Once I Get Started
Actually, mapping out the next day's agenda the night before is most beneficial. It gives me a place to start and helps me avoid feeling so overwhelmed that I give up before I start. If I find myself getting bored with one of the items on my list, I'll put it aside and move on to the next item, finish that one, then go back and try to finish the first. This is what I usually end up doing with chores I dread, like washing floors or cleaning bathrooms.
Lessons Learned
- It's okay not to finish everything on your daily lists.
- It's okay to say "no" to requests/demands on your time.
- You must schedule some "me" time.
- You must have one person you trust who understands, really understands, that you are not your disorder.
- The unconditional love of a pet goes a long way.
What are the short-term benefits?
I'm able to keep the house chaos free for at least a few days out of the month. I manage my business paperwork in a more orderly fashion rather than just throwing receipts in a box for my CPA to decipher at the end of the year.
What are the long-term benefits?
I can start to see myself in a better light which is to say that I can see myself as a person who has a problem rather than a problem itself.
What adjustments did you have to make as time passed?
Simple acceptance of myself and my limitations, of others-particularly those in my own field (nursing) who can sometimes be the most hurtful, harsh, and judgmental of those with psychiatric disorders. Of course, there's the always the age old question of who to tell and how much.
What else have you found that would help others?
Enlisting the help of that one person close to you that really gets it, the one that you can call anytime and they will listen. Also the list making the night before really seems to help me.
