“We learn by practice. Whether it means to learn to dance by practicing dancing or to learn to live by practicing living, the principles are the same. One becomes in some area an athlete of God.” ~Martha Graham
I love that… “LEARN TO LIVE BY PRACTICING LIVING.” Keep living… keep practicing living until you become an expert at living. I am going to…
Living with bipolar disorder is like participating in an athletic competition every day of my life.
My fierce opponent is my bipolar brain that I must conquer, overpower, defeat, beat and win daily. I must face and overcome the many obstacles, struggles and severity of symptoms my strong, unpredictable and sometimes dangerous bipolar disorder opponent throws at me with whatever force and amount of severity bipolar has for me every day and moment of my life.
A competition is an occasion where a winner is selected from among two or more contestants. I have won the competition between my bipolar brain and myself numerous times. I am alive. I am living and I have survived, so therefore I am the winner. I overcame and overcome my bipolar opponent every day.
An athlete is a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility or stamina. Stamina is the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort or physical health. Having a mental illness requires great strength and the stamina to cope, overcome and survive both severe mental pain and physical pain.
I have become trained and skilled at fighting my symptoms and have learned how to cope and survive. I have become very skilled in my competition of life and have won, because I have survived suicide and self harm and my daily competitions, fights and battles between my brain and myself. I keep winning and I will continue to win.
I have beaten the odds of the fact that there is a 15-20% rate of suicide for people with bipolar disorder. This rate is 30-50 times higher than that compared to the general population. So I have beaten the odds. I am an athlete of survival.
I have survived numerous suicide attempts and self harm. Beat my sometimes constant strong and fierce suicidal thoughts. My brain sometimes must fight with itself and beat the suicidal thoughts that yell at me inside my mind. I have overcome and defeated my severe suicidal thoughts and my very dangerous suicidal opponent which has been trying to kill me for years. My brain has been trying to kill me for years, but I have fought hard and won.
My brain has been trying to kill me for years, but God said no and saves my life.
I plan on competing everyday in my bipolar Superbowl of life and I will win.
I am the champion of my own life.
I am an athlete of beating, overpowering and overcoming suicide, bipolar 1 disorder, PTSD and mental illness.
I am an athlete of living and surviving this sometimes tough game and battle and beautiful dance of life.
I am an athlete of life.
I am an athlete of God.
I am a warrior of bipolar disorder.
I am a warrior of mental illness.
I am a warrior of God.
Four Great and Inspirational Quotes From Professional Athletes
“Mental health is not a very easy thing to talk about in sports. It’s not perceived as very masculine. We’re so trained to be “mentally tough,” in sports. To show weakness, we’re told, in so many words, is to deserve shame. But I am here to show weakness. And I am not ashamed.” ~Mardy Fish – Mardy Fish is a professional tennis player from the United States and has anxiety.
“A lot of people have to accept that psychological and physical injuries are at the same level of intensity. They can do the same level of damage to somebody’s self confidence and their ability to perform.” ~Oliver Bone – Oliver Bone, Canada, sailing, on depression.
“It took putting one foot in front of the other every single day to get through it to the point where I made it back on the team and won a gold medal in 2008. You’re always going to survive the pain of loss.” ~Hope Solo – Hope Solo, USA, soccer, on depression
“I remember looking at myself in the mirror and wondering where the Olympic Athlete went. She was still there, but I had to find her. I had to learn how to appreciate all aspects of myself – including accepting myself as someone who lives with a mental illness. Bipolar disorder is not all of who I am, but learning to live with it has impacted who I have become.” ~Amy Gamble – Amy Gamble, USA, hand ball, on bipolar disorder
Learn to live by practicing living and become an athlete of God.
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My Loud Whispers of Hope 
What a positive outlook you have, overcoming and defeating youf own obstacles. Very inspiring!
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Thank you very much for your kind and encouraging words. I appreciate them greatly and I am happy you liked my post. Hugs, Sue
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