You're Not Alone

You're Not Alone... Really

coping wtih the ups and downs of being an expat

Take the Time to Cultivate New Beginnings

Goodbye, 2020! And good riddance, right? 2021 couldn’t be a better year for all of us to hit the reset button. But while the New Year is a good time for change, it isn’t always that easy. I have it on good authority that, sometimes, it takes time to make new things happen for yourself. I published my book, Bipolar Phoenix, on World Mental Health Day in October of 2020, and as the name suggests, sometimes we burn out before we can rebuild. The book describes how I turned many failures in my life, due to bipolar disorder, into a whole new, bigger and better life I am living today. I believe that everyone of us can be a Phoenix in our way. With that, I wanted to share with you a few tips that helped me turn my life around from the inside out.

RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO

CHANGE: I always say this. You have to want to change and you have to work on it every day. Yes. Every. Day. This is the part that takes time so you have to be patient if the results don’t come right away. It took me more than eight years to get things right! GIVE BACK: Try giving a little back this year. Do one thing that can help someone else, whether it’s a day chopping vegetables at Willing Hearts with the AWA or just picking up something someone dropped. When you stay accountable to the world around you, you will feel needed and hopefully, loved. You matter. The world wants you here. (Editor's note: see pages 3-5 on volunteering opportunities with AWA.) BELIEVE: Whether it’s your faith, a good meditation practice or just pure gumption, you have to believe in yourself or no one else will. Cast away the doubt

Written by Andrea McKenna Brankin

that you can’t reach your goals. Practice daily affirmations to rewire your thoughts. WRITE IT DOWN: I’ve been known to journal a bit; in fact some of my best book chapters came from journal entries. I even led an AWA Zoom workshop on it last November which gave some different options, such as intuition journaling, topical (one topic at a time) journaling, or unsent letter journaling. Write down your woes, your complaints, and your joys. Write down your hopes and your dreams. Lay your thoughts out on paper. Your brain and body will make the connection and your mindset, and your life will start to change. Also, you can reread it any time you need a boost. LOVE YOURSELF: I know what it’s like to hate myself. I did it for years in the throes of bipolar misery. But it’s time to take a look at the real you and start appreciating what you already have and already are. Chances are, you’ve been way too hard on yourself. Love is the answer. Love is the key. Love is everything. Turn all the love you have for others and give it to yourself. Although facing change can be daunting, try to look forward to it. Make that decision to try, and really go for it. Get excited to make 2021 the year to start over to be your best self. You can do it. And you’re not alone. Andrea's first book, Bipolor Phoenix, is available for purchase on Amazon and Kindle.

Andrea runs the AWA Listen Ladies Group, providing confidential support for members at regular meetings. listenladies@awasingapore.org