hullo my lovely peoples!
it has literally been months since i checked in - big thanks to everyone who has spared me a thought or sent a PM or hug. i really appreciate it. i'll probably journal later, but for now i just want to say hello, wherever you are! i'm so glad DS is here and we're able to support each other.

i have a lot to catch up on. and i have a lot on my plate right now, but i'm trying to set up new habits: sleep diary every day, meds every day, some activity and accomplishment from my to-do list everyday, journalling every day - either here on in my notebook, maybe mood charting too.

my mental heath team is pleased with my stabiity for the moment. i have a med combination that is really and truly working well for me - even though it screwed with my metabolism something awful but even that's coming under control now.

i made it through the stress of application season. it has been officially determined that i *suck* at math, but that's ok becuse i still got in to the programme i wanted. YAY! it starts in august, and i need to be there by mid-july so i'm very slowly getting things together to pack and move house. i'm a little stressed about it, but i'm not panicked (yay meds) and i seem to be handling the stress of it all pretty well so far, though i am worried about maintaining my equilibrium.

i'm excited about being in a new place, meeting new people, and exploring new opportunities. there's a lot of logistical stuff to work out between then and now, but i'm taking slow sure steps.

i've been so encouraged by my DS friends, i can't thank them enough. and really, i'm just going to throw this out there - we often feel we can't achieve that we're too mired in our condition and the cycles. slow, steady steps toward a goal, visualisation of achievement, med management and maintenance, and support are all key aspects to success. i certainly didn't get here alone, and there were times i wanted to give up, or thought it was too much, but i have my support from DS to keep me moving, and now i'm on my way to earning my degree! in a new place! it's going to be very hard. i'm scared i will fail, but i'm determined not to fail and i know my friends and support network won't let me fall. that's a great feeling - and with it i feel like i can take on the world and come out victorious.

my advice for today? dream and do. forget the naysayers in your head, and in your life - dream of what you can accomplish, what you *want* to accomplish, and do the small and large things neccessary to making your dreams reality. it takes time and work and *patience* but you can get there in the end. don't be afraid to dream.