You just got out of the hospital. And you have no idea what is coming for you yet. The next decade or so is gonna be tough, because you were given a diagnosis.
Yes, you are ill. I’m sorry.
Sure, go chase your dreams, but after that, take the time to recover. This doesn’t mean your condition will ever go away, but you can learn to live with it.
Remember though, there is an order in recovery, as there is in life. Work is not the single most important thing there is. Even though work was never just a job for you, but a lifestyle. The fact that you have a job though, doesn’t mean you are doing well. Focus on getting better first: find the right medication, learn about your illness and how to continue your life with it.
You will wipe out a few times before you get it, accept that. Recovery is never finished and not linear. And you can’t do it alone. Build a support system around you; mental health care professionals, a close circle of friends, people that help you keep a roof over your head, people that handle your finances.
You will come to a point where you think you finally got it all figured out (a place of your own, a job lined up) and then tragically lose it again in one weekend. You will be devastated. Don’t lose faith. You will get it all back.
The hardest part will not be the condition itself, but having to start life over and over and over again. Slow down. Don’t try to ‘fix’ all areas of your life all at once. You will be single, unemployed and live without a place you can call home, for years. And right when you have made peace with the past; the losses, the anger, the pain – and found a way to live without a job, or a family of your own – the opportunities will start flooding in. I promise you.
Putting time and energy in volunteer work will be a good call. Your hard work and dedication will be noticed. The job opportunity will come eventually, don’t worry. People will start coming to you for a change, right when you least expect it.
Finally, you made many friends on your endeavors throughout life, some of them will visit and contact you from across the country and all over the world. Hang on to those who make an effort to stay connected, despite what happened to you and the fact they live totally different lives. They will provide you with positive energy and most importantly, remind you of who you are, even though you got lost for a while.
Good luck, you got this!
The Surf of Life 