I got this off another forum....
hugs to all!
bizi




ZENMUSICMAN 7/9/2003 10:30 am
To: ALL (1 of 9)

10356.1


TO ALL
Recently i have had the occasion to be hanging around with a former TUTOR, he helped me out in school a great deal. Anyway to get to the point.

HE PUT FORWARD THE IDEA THAT BEEPERS ARE A GIFTED BUNCH, THAT FOR ALL THAT BIPOLAR DISORDER TAKES FROM US WE GET IN RETURN SOMETHING THAT HAS IN IT A VALUE THAT CANNOT BE MEASURED.

So what do we gain, simply put we gain the ability to stretch the boundaries of conventional thought. Now at first i filed this idea AS A JOKE, but it wouldn't go away. You see my tutor is also Bipolar and a rather unique one at that.

This was not just manic thought but it is based in grand reason !!!

His contention is that as we have peaks and valleys that normal people do not have. We live a greater spectrum to life.. we do not only think, but indeed we LIVE outside the box... This gives us a flavor to life that others cannot see; so in misguided belief think of us as strange. Business is continually wanting new and innovative ideas and normal minds have been conditioned to believe this is wrong, or, that things can't be done The old saying:

" We cant do that because..."

Well after the first word the world of conventional society is already lost.

However for a bipolar person this barrier does not exist. Oh true a lot of manic thought is a bit over the top however the small percentage within the so called " top " can provide amazing results.

NOW I HAVE SCARED A GREAT MANY OF YOU READERS ALREADY ( RIGHT ).

Because the response to us is a conditioned one...

"they say we are, so we must be"

A depressed mind believes this negative type of thinking. Please bear with me i make a valid point for us all.

I recently read an old book called " Think and Grow Rich " now on the surface the title is a bit put-off-ish ( if that is a word ).

Believe me i had seen this book many time and passed it by. My tutor had to almost glue it in my hand. I read it and by the time i was into the first chapter i understood why i had been pressed to read it... in a lot of ways the book does not address money at all.
It addresses potential for self repect, personal advancement outside of business or money, and a possiblity of a better life. WE ALL NEED A BETTER LIFE. yes?

It was a truly inspiring read and backed by proofs out of the world of successful people. People like Edison, Ford , and many others.

Ford did not even complete elemenatary school yet became one of the most respected and successful men in business ( even today ). HE THOUGHT OUTSIDE OF THE BOX.

BUT I HAVE DONE IT AGAIN I HAVE GONE OFF COURSE. SORRY. I do tend to ramble.

It is hard for the majority of society to understand us as the
persons we are. Are you very good at one thing , i mean very very good. If your depressive mind at this time ( today ) says NO then ask yourself tomorrow OR WHEN YOU ARE BETTER.

I WILL SUGGEST THAT EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US IS EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD AT ONE THING IF NOT MORE...

In chat i speak to so many others who have our shared illness, Some have degree's some more than one. Some have an ability to write, read, paint, draw, or some other art... WE ARE GIFTED

BIPOLAR DISORDER IS AN ILLNESS THAT USUALLY AFFECTSPEOPLE OF ABOVE AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE. Why? Noone knows, my personal feeling is that as a manic state kicks in we process information faster than others.

SO WE GET BRANDED, out of ignorance,and fright.

IN CONCLUSION:

I suppose what i am trying in a very long and wandering way is that we, EACH AND EVERYONE OF US, can " be all that we can be ". TAKE PRIDE IN YOURSELF, in some way at some time in your life you have done wonderful things and YOU SHALL AGAIN.

Dont fall prey to those who try to tell you that you are "CRAZY".
The reply to that is " NO, YOUR CONVENTIONALLY HANDICAPPED ".


I BID YOU PEACE..

ZEN

wow. a bit at a loss for words. maybe feel like i'm one of those jack of all trades master of none... i can do a lot of things - but do nothing "with" what i do, and do very little of it.

still this perspective is a very useful one. I remember talking with a friend who is bipolar, soon after my dx, and she was telling me she thought it was a gift, in a way. we talked about that. neither of us depressed, then.

now we are both depressed and both like... ehhh? meds no worky? stop the world i wanna get off? stop the universe period? get off my case coz i don't got no case anyway?

ok now i've blown to bits a nice nice nice inspiring post

but key word INSPIRING? as you suggest, i will keep it for times when i am more able to "hear" it.

thanks Bizi. you always find such great stuff to post.

~ waves ~

Waves, I have frequently felt, often with a great deal of angst, that I am not, can not be, in an envelope with one address on it. I have convinced myself that it is something to be proud of, otherwise I would have had to throw my hands up, or throw the towel in, or whatever!

Anyway, I am in a highly competitive creative profession that has a bunch of talented people with fancy degrees and diamante apprenticeships. Yours truly has a degree in a subject that is soooo unrelated that it never fails to amaze 'them' or me. No apprenticeship. Not much money.

Bipolar? I am certain.

What bothers me is that I can NOT socialize, chat up buyers, etc, very important in this world, and as my daughter says I need an attitude IE, nose up in the air!

So I don't have my face all over the media, much less money than I should, and even my loyal clients don't know what I look like.

But it gives me time for everything else that I wish to do. I am happy with that.

sounds like you have found yourself a good niche. that is great. it is hard to do, even for those who are not emotionally challeng(ed/ing).

me, i have time for all those things i want to do. those things all sit there, and i have no inclination, not enough umph... to do even one. but i have plenty of time. heck i don't even need to make time. i feel like i'm doing time.

thanks for relating about the multiple interests and i liked the envelope analogy it made me smile.

~ waves ~