There are two incredibly powerful words in any language – and no matter what language you encounter, there’s bound to be a way to say it (though, maybe not in two words ).

More powerful than I want, I need, I’m dying.
More powerful than even ‘I do’.

Those two words?
Thank you.

“The Secret” is the reason that most people know about the concept of gratitude, but I heard about if for the first time when another member of Ryze, Marilyn Jenett, in about 2004.  Three and a half years later and I’m still enacting something I researched after she piqued my interest.
The concept I discovered, following Marilyn’s initial lead, was that all it takes is to say thank you.

I get up in the morning – every morning, with my children.  I take care of the breakfast chores, and then I sit down in our dining room, with my diary and I make my gratitude list. 
No matter how bad a morning I’m having, no matter how awful the day before.

For example:
Our car’s gearbox has been trouble from day 1.  We were driving ‘home’ – a 450 mile or so journey from where we’ve settled to the family homes in the city we both grew up in.  It was the weekend before Christmas. Exactly half way, the gearbox ‘died’.   We made it safe to a service station (thank you), we got home, because we had breakdown cover (thank you).  And then his mother rented us a car for Christmas, so we could come home (THANK YOU).  We had a wonderful Christmas with our families.
When we got home, we discovered the car wasn’t worth repairing.
So why did I write ‘thank you – the car broke down’ this morning?
Well, though it’s going to be really ‘tight’ money wise, my partner and I have found a way to buy a four year old car, that’s a good model, low mileage, and a great family car.  Today, the 11^th of January, we get our car.

I write about how I’m grateful for university, for our house, for my children, for my partner.  I write about the good – the bad, the indifferent.  I make a point of choosing something bad to be thankful for, so that I can see the silver lining in my world.
No matter how bleak it is, there’s always something to be thankful for.

More than that though, I’m thankful for being what I am.   I am bipolar one.
I live with bipolar disorder instead of suffering from it.  I’m thankful that I’ve learned that lesson, and I’m thankful that I get to learn a little more every day about the realities, and coping mechanisms that I can work on, because these things are good to share with others.  I get to say ‘thank you’ every day, for helping others, and impacting lives that need support.

D Kai Wilson is a writer, editor, and mental health advocate.  Her nonfiction book, Pictures in the Dark, and her free report on supporting and taking the first steps to managing bipolar disorder are available now, from http://picturesinthedark.com and http://bipolarhometruths.com/ .  When not writing articles, fiction and nonfiction, she is a full time student at her local University, cares for her family and plays online.

The first is to STOP.
Stop running in circles – stop torturing yourself, and others and stop telling yourself that you can ignore it and ‘it’ will go away.

The second is to accept.

Denial in all forms is one of the hardest reactions to get past.  We’re raised in a society that believes ‘normal’ is the most valuable commodity in describing and categorising people.  Whilst being ‘normal’ is no more than a state of mind, being a depressive, or a bipolar, or having ADHD, or any of a myriad of other medical diagnoses doesn’t mean you’re not ‘normal’.  After all, its normal for you.  Getting your head around that concept is one of the best ways to start adjusting to and understanding  how your world relates to you, and your disorder.  Which, in turn, gives you a way to adjust to and intergrate your diagnosis into your life.

And the third and final step is to live.
There is no physical way to change what you are at diagnosis.  You may get better – and you can control anything that you’re diagnoised with by taking prescribed medical action, be that medication, counsellings and beyond.  Many people give in when diagnosed.  They say they’re fighting, they say they’re losing the battle.  But most people forget simply to live, thrive, and survive their disease.  There is no reason not to live on, after diagnosis – and no reason to give in.

D Kai Wilson is a mental health writer with personal experience of depression and bipolar disorder.  Diagnosed over 10 years ago, she’s spent the past five helping to educate, support and aid others in understanding bipolar disorder.
Her first non fiction book, Pictures in the Dark is available on pre-order now.