Manic v.s. Driven Part Two

After writing the Manic v.s. Driven post, I talked to my wife about it. We first talked about how she was driven. For her, drive was not being able to stop thinking about what you need to do. She said she would only think about all the emails that are piling up in her inbox or the reports she has to run. If she keeps thinking about them without acting upon it, she starts to get anxious. She knows that if she doesn’t do something about it she will toss and turn all night and not be able to get any sleep. She also knows that she has to balance her home life with work. She said that if we are watching a movie together, or eating, or swimming, etc. she will not leave for work because it’s a family activity. However, if the girls are on their iPads, my son is on his video games, and I have my nose buried in a book she feels like she is just sitting there thinking about all the work she has to do, or the shopping that needs to get done. So she acts upon it. Then the conversation came around to my bipolar disorder. She absolutely thinks I’m in a manic phase. She is worried about it and where it will lead to but for now she will let it ride. The reason is that she thinks I’m only doing positive things right now, nothing negative. I’m reading self help books, I’m writing, I’m exercising. Nothing that is detrimental to the family. She first noticed it when I joined WW (formally Weight Watchers). I became obsessed with my eating and exercise. I was on the WW Connect app all the time which is WW’s form of social media. I was writing posts, making motivational videos, and commenting on other people’s posts nonstop. That’s what sparked the idea that I wanted to finally become a motivational speaker. Yes I can become obsessed with things. However, like my wife said, it’s currently all for the positive. I’m happy because I’m being creative again. It’s improved my morale, and also even helped me with my job. Our biggest fear is that if I give up I’ll crash into a depression. Then I’ll have a whole new problem on my hands. But for now, watch out world here I come!