Learn a Lesson From the Mountains
What the mountains teach every day.
Hi there!
I’m blessed to live in a beautiful valley in southeast Tennessee. Every day, I need only look out my window and marvel at the surrounding mountains.
I’m always amazed how mountains can be stationary objects, yet rarely look the same two days in a row. From the purple tint of late winter all the way through the golden brown of fall, the mountains change every day. Yet, they also remain the same.
We are a lot like mountains. There are a lot of things we can’t change. When you received your mental illness diagnosis, it likely changed your reality. I know it did mine. Unless doctors discover a cure, it’s going to be part of our stories for the rest of our days.
Even so, your life didn’t stop with your diagnosis. Like the mountains, you can still change every day. The mountains change with every season, and you can change with your circumstances as well.
“These mountains that you are carrying, you were only supposed to climb.”
- Najwa Zebian
Scott Ninneman also publishes the free All Things Bipolar Newsletter (off Substack). The Sunday email features the newest content about bipolar life. Every Sunday in December will focus on closing your year in the best possible way.
Manage Sleep Schedules
One of the hardest lessons I had to learn was how to manage my rest with bipolar disorder.
Through lots of trial and error–and more errors than I’d like to admit–I learned I have to go to bed at a set time at night. I also have to get up at the same time every morning regardless of how much I slept.
These unbreakable rules are vital to my stability. Every time I get off schedule, I soon regret it.
By managing my sleep schedule, I’m able to live a full life. Yes, there are a lot of other things that go into the mix, but rest is one of the most important. My sleep routine is my stationary mountain in my chaotic world. It’s one thing I can control.
One good thing can make all the difference.
Track What Works
The key to managing your illness is to track what things work for you.
In the post, Learn What Makes Your Bipolar Worse, I highlight unexpected things that can intensify bipolar symptoms. It’s important you keep your eyes open and watch how everything you do affects your life.
Try keeping a health journal. In it, write about what you did, what you ate, and how much physical activity you had. Then list how you feel, both emotionally and physically.
Keep track of how much you sleep and put that in there, too. After a few days, look back and see if there are any trends. It may take a few weeks to see the patterns, so don’t give up too soon.
How did what you ate affect you? Did sleep or exercise have an impact? Can you use those lessons to make better decisions?
Bipolar may be a mountain, but it’s not all you are. You are a whole world, and your mountain is just a piece of your scenic beauty.
Never forget that you are a complex, beautiful human being with a unique story to tell.
Show your colors and sprout new leaves, just like the trees on my mountains. Don’t let mental illness define you. Define yourself.
Journal Prompt: Pick an item near your home (like my mountains) and explore what it can teach you about your life with bipolar disorder. Write the life lesson.
Creative Writing Prompt: You are climbing a mountain with friends. Suddenly, a friend finds an amazing item–an object that might just change the world. Write the story.
Until next time, keep fighting.
Scott Ninneman
Additional Reading:
The book that started it all…
Disclaimer:
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This is a great post. I completely agree that rest and sleep are so important to managing symptoms. Thanks for posting!