Good for you!!!.... That's great Tiff.... We have to advocate and be plugged in as much as well are able to our own treatment.... This is inspiring..... Big hug.....xo

And thank you for your reply. It helps so very much!

The effects of regular exercise are cumulative, Tiff. That short-lived burst of energy will keep on growing with continued effort.

Push myself to socialize? I still haven't achieved the cumulative benefits of that one for long enough to sort the riff from the raff. Thanks for the reminder to keep trying. I promise, I'll start next week. . . It was on my New Year's Resolution list.

Thanks for sharing this!

Absolutely Tiffany! I am getting better physically. Healthy me takes mind, body, and spirit. All three of those are actually slowly getting getting better. All three were relatively dead for a long long time.

Yoga is a spiritual exercise, if you want it to be. I leave there feeling focused and calm and warm and centered and connected to everything as a whole, exactly like I hope people feel after their trips to church. I know mine is very consistent. Speaking of yoga, is time to go get ready for class. I'm pushing for 6 classes a week and succeeding. 24th class tonight, this year only and one session last year ever.

Socializing gets easier the more you do it, and then it becomes an absolute pleasure. I had a friend for years that I never realized, because I only saw her when I fixed her or her mom's computers. She's becoming one of the best people to hang out with. Neither of us has fear in a conversation and things are like we've been friends forever.
Another friend I hadn't seen in 20 years. We've reconnected and started going to the gym together.

YES!! I joined the gym last week and got a personal fitness plan today. It's addicting!! I can't wait to go to the gym everyday. Writing is also very therapeutic but people make me nervous so I don't like groups. Good for you though!!

Do you enter this "zone" where a bomb could go off next to you and you wouldn't know? Mine seems to be nearly a trance state where I'm encouraging myself to keep going and push through. I find I keep that attitude for a while after the gym for everything else in life. At least for a while

I use to go to the gym and still currently have a membership. Life just seemed to get in the way and your post reminds me its time to get back to trying to do something for me to keep things stable in my life. When i went to the gym everything seemed more even and less up and downs. A way to destress thats healthy. Ive always wanted to try a yoga class but have always felt anxiety about it but maybe someday i can get to that point in my life that i would feel safe to try it :)

Good2go, yoga is a state of mindfulness much more than of physical ability. No one in your yoga class should be giving you any sort of judgement, or they are there under false pretenses. You only do what your body tells you that you can do. If it hurts or is uncomfortable then don't do it. I took a double amputee to yoga Sunday. His first class and the instructor's first class with an amputee of any sort. They both did amazingly well. He's going back tomorrow, although with a different instructor, my spirit guide this time (but I won't tell her). My spirit guide instructor had minor knee surgery yesterday at 4:30 and taught class at 6:15. She didn't do most of the poses but instructed us all just perfectly.

Thanks so much for this Tiffany!

I would be lost without my gym membership it helps me esp on those days where I don't want to go but do...

Reaching out is also wonderful I haven't done enough of that but I applaud you for trying...

The clouds out our mental health will come and go but these steps helps to set up a foundation for us even on bad days so that we have something to hold us together!

Good on you for trying....

Thanks for all the replies..

I have good days and bad days, of course....This board really helps more than I thought. If anyone is interested in some 1:1 chat, please oblige. Everything helps so much as i battle the emptiness and anxiety which i still face.

Thanks for sharing your positive note -- it is true that getting out of the home and moving around with other people -- gym, walking, running, exercise at gym or class for exercise is great to get mind, body and spirit in a better place then in your own thoughts. My yoga practice was a zero when depressed from January to October 2016. I was someone who went to yoga 5-7 times a week and for many years. I also enjoyed long morning or late afternoon walks with my pug James Franco. When clinically depressed it was a drag to get out of bed, shower, eat or just be a real human in home. I was living dead with little interest beyond sleep, TV and sad thoughts. Now, weekly therapy, DBT training and yoga plus walking is the way my life is going. I have sleep issues 3-4 hours get up too early like 3am or 4 am but that is just me.