Recovery in bipolar is about the little things. Last evening, I experienced the pleasure of beating someone in chess who didn't know how to play chess. Okay, this is a rather dubious achievement, but earlier in the week I had a friend over for a home-made pizza, which meant I first had to clean the house, which involved a number of tasks that I'd been putting off for weeks, so I felt good about that.

I also felt good about my delicious pizza and the hospitality I extended to my friend.

Later in the week, I felt good about paying some of my bills on time. Small stuff, really, but when you think about it these are very important indicators that we have control in our lives. And when we feel we have a sense of control, we feel better. There is far less a chance of us worrying ourselves into an episode. There is a far better chance of moving our recovery forward, step-by-step.

The little things. Huge implications.

Think of this week's question as an exercise in the kind of vigilance our illness demands of us. Question:

Cast your mind back over the past week or two and try to recall some of your small accomplishments. What were some of your challenges? How did you feel afterward?

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