Here is something that is very true and can help a lot for those of us with bipolar disorder:
You do not have to feel good about something in order to do it well.
I really believe that we keep ourselves from many projects simply because we expect a mood to be there that will help us along. The facts are that when y0u’re depressed- the mood is not going to be there. It’s not going to be there when you are anxious either! So, you just have to dig in your heels and do something anyway.
You will be shocked to see that the outcome is almost always just as good as if you wanted to do the project in the first place.
So, never forget- how you feel about doing something is not always the best indication of how something will turn out. Go ahead and do your best no matter what your mood is telling you. That is how you accomplish great things even when your mood is low.
Julie
Here is a podcast on this topic! may_8_blog_getitdone_2010
Thanks you Julie. I needed this so much. I have quilts waiting to be finished that I put off, but it isn’t going to look bad just because I feel bad! I did sewing today.
wow! that is a great story. It’s true. You will never be able to tell what you quilted when you were depressed- but you will always know that you didn’t quilt at all! Good for you. I am impressed and inspired. Julie
This is so true, and I know I need to be reminded of this throughout my life’s walk. I’m a writer at a newspaper, and during my last significant depression (in 2008) it was so hard for me to meet deadlines – harder than usual – I didn’t want to start stories because it just felt like my sadness would show through in my work and tarnish it in some way, even though I knew I hadn’t lost my abilities. I remember struggling through one assignment in particular – I suppressed tears the whole time I was on assignment and then felt worse because I felt so depressed. I almost felt ashamed about it. But when I read my story that I’d written, I was just as proud of my work as on a “good mood” day. My “well” perspectives and “not well” perspectives are SO different. It’s good to remember that they are just that – perspectives – and that just DO-ing what you know you can do regardless of how you feel is the best way to go. Unless I am sick enough that I truly can’t sit in my chair and work (and that has happened only twice in my life), ultimately I can do what I need to do, even if it takes repeated tries and lots of crying.
Oh! This is so true. We just have to keep going through the tough days and then wait to judge our work. It always comes out much better than expected! Thanks for your words of wisdom. Julie