So something personal about me is that I’m dealing with a diagnosis in May of being bipolar. I had thought I was dealing with a nasty case of postpartum depression, but in fact, it is actually bipolar disorder. So now I’m on 3 regular meds (I worked so hard to have a natural childbirth, and here I am on meds all the time!) and giving myself grace and space to rest and be peaceful.
The complete (and don’t get me wrong; completely miraculous) collapse of Life as I Knew It has got me thinking about what pieces of my former life I really need to hang on to. There is much more limited time and energy now, but parts of my old life have to be worth fighting for. It’s those pieces that I’m trying to figure out. Choosing my battles, as it were.
The doctor told me that I essentially need to clear some space off my plate and have less obligations so that I can concentrate on being well. So I’ve made two lists. The Still Important list, and the Not So Much Right Now list. It pained me to put some of my favorite things on the NSMRN list, and so I am going to review the list in 6 months, and move some things around.
The things on the Still Important list include:
I’ve moved a lot of what I consider to be priorities to the NSMRN list, and that pains me. But even looking at the Still Important list as it is, pared down, still overwhelms me. When can I get time to meditate daily, like a practice? When can I get time to write every day? How are we supposed to do this? The simple act of life, and the busy-ness of life (paying bills, going to doctor appointments, buying toilet paper) can get so overwhelming. Add to that a job. And a husband, who expects some attention (the nerve!). And you’re supposed to sleep 8 hours a night. How is there any time left over for anything vaguely resembling a hobby or interest?
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Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast,  the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop. She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 20 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history.