Seeing the Wildflower in the Weed: How Focus Can Improve Your Mental Health
How I learned to see more flowers in my world.
Hi there!
When I was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I saw nothing but the weed: the worst of everything.
The diagnosis felt like a curse, and I couldn’t imagine anything good coming from it. But over time, I began to see the wildflower in my weed. Through gratitude, I’ve learned to find joy in even the darkest of moments.
Now I’m not going to go so far as saying bipolar is a gift.
I see some say that on social media and then get ripped apart by trolls because of it. No mental illness is a gift, and especially not bipolar. But if you look for the flowers, you’ll see there are still many in your garden.
"Some people could be given an entire field of roses and only see the thorns in it. Others could be given a single weed and only see the wildflower in it. Perception is a key component to gratitude. And gratitude a key component to joy."
- Amy Weatherly
Scott Ninneman publishes two newsletters each week. The Sunday All Things Bipolar Newsletter features the newest content about bipolar life. The Speaking Bipolar Positivity Club Newsletter shares inspirational stories three times a week to help you maintain a positive mindset.
See the Flower
Some days are really hard, but choosing to see the wildflower in the weed can make all the difference in your mental health. Here are three ways to do it:
Recognize the good: Make a list of things that make your life better, no matter how small. Maybe your day is improved by a comfortable bed or a great cup of coffee. Your light may come from a friend who understands you, or from a cloudless sky. Whatever it is, take a moment to recognize the good in your life.
Dark days with depression chase a lot of light from your life, but there’s always something good to be found. I have a fuzzy blanket that’s soothing when I can’t get out of bed, and a bedside fan that keeps me from getting too hot. Both things make my life better if I take the time to recognize them. They are the flowers growing in the dark.
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