End of week one

A collage of what I got done one day this week - taking pictures helps me to celebrate that I am getting things done again.

It's the end of my first full week back in 'regular' life since my hospitalization -- acutally since the end of July. That's the last time I was healthy. Then came the two week sinus infection, the cancelled trip, the time at the beach, then the breakdown, then the hospital, then four weeks of intensive therapy, then the discharge.

And onto my first full week on my own. It went pretty well, all things considered. My whole life has been rewritten for treating my depression. My routines have changed, and it's hard to let go of some things. I've always been a morning person and get my best work done then, but my mornings are now full of exercise, scripture study (while getting my light box therapy), and healthy habits.

I guess it's not much different than if I had any other disease that required life changes. All in all, it's gone well - especially on the days that I exercised. But after a couple of days of my new normal, the weight of what I'm battling hit. I'm monitoring my thoughts and rewriting my negative thought patterns. I have to consider my feelings throughout the day, and make adjustments as needed based on how I feel. That meant that one day was about doing things I enjoyed. After three hours in Joann's, however, I knew I wasn't in balance. So back to the drawing board to address my thoughts.

I will get through this. I hope that as I build new habits, life will get easier. In the meantime, I take things one day at a time. Good days are ahead. And today may just be one.