Zippy in action

Dear friend,
Past few days I have been getting up around 3 am and getting 3-4 hours sleep. Certainlly getting a lot o creative things done.
I still walk an hour a day usually to the beach. I use an exercise bike, weights and do stretching exercises when I can. Physical activity helps a lot with my mental state.
Do you find physical activity helps your state of mind?
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Enjoying the journey

Dear friend,
Started this blog wanting to go to NY and more and more doctors, friends and family say it will be impossible for me and for today it certainly is so I am enjoying small trips instead. There is a cheap Sunday public transport ticket and I am going traveling to places really close by. Caught the train to local beach suburb and had a scone, jam and cream, did some sketching and came home. I was thrilled.
I don't dare tell some people in my life as they'd find my enthusiasm ridiculous. My mum and some of my friends are now joining me on my/ our adventures.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Full moon high

Dear friend,
I get high around the full moon as many people do with mental illness. It is a full moon now and I was up at 4 am and delighting in the moon amidst the clouds.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Inner child

Dear friends,
I have decided to start another blog on a "Ning" creativity group I belong to. It will be a light relief from this more serious blog. There was a request in the group for baby photos and I thought I'd add it here as well.
I've been put on more medication to see if we can smooth out my rapid cycling. I didn't want to do it and even asked my mum along to the appointment to make sure I followed orders. Many of us bipolars don't take our meds and I have a long history of non compliance.
I am finding the new creativity group I belong to delightful and very uplifting.
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Survived another rapid cycle

Dear friend,
Just been through another hellish down cycle of mental illness. I only get it mild ....I don't buy ferraris, murder anyone. I just wonder if I have friends at the end of it and look forward to getting out of clothes I've slept and lived in for a week and hope I haven't done any damage abusing medications. In my down cycle I usually sit in a chair staring into space not wanting to be alive and making numerous phone calls to my mum and a close friend begging for help.
It's the mental torment, the insane thinking that is the real hell part...it's pain beyond description although I have read others who describe it well.
I feel for those of you who aren't rapid cyclers who go through months of hell at a time.
Lots of love from Susan in AUstralia

Lighten up

Dear friend,
I received a tarot reading from a Celtic priest who told me to lighten up more. I enjoy my walks to the beach and paddling but a lot of my life is very intense. How do I lighten up?
How do you live your life lightly?
Lots of love from Susan in Australia

Regret

Dear friend,
There are a lot of mistakes I have made in life but I have no regrets as my choices have landed me here now and I like where I am on the journey.
Do you have regrets? Do you like your life?
Lots of love from Susan in Australia