How’s your New Year going? It feels impossible to be starting another year, but here we are. As you read this, I’m in my last hours before a new tax season begins and 9:00 tomorrow morning. The next 15 weeks of my life are going to revolve almost entirely around taxes.

The good news is I took some extra time off during the holidays and was super productive at home. Not only did I get a few longstanding projects completed, I also plotted out the content for my newsletters for the next 16 weeks. It’s not all written, but having a plan is going to make it much easier.

As we talked about in the last week of posts in the Positivity Club, I’m choosing not to make resolutions or goals this year. Instead, I’m choosing to live with intention. My word for the year is clarity, and I hope it will help me understand both where I am now and where I want to be.

I’m not concerned with losing weight or publishing another book, even though I’d like to do both this year. Rather, I’m choosing to make healthier choices when I eat and working a little on my writing projects every day I feel up to it. Whatever gets done gets done, and I’ll be happy with whatever that is.

Are you ready to jump into the next round of content? This week, we’re talking about whether you should focus on trying to cure bipolar disorder or just focus on living your best life. There are a lot of things you can do to make your life with mental illness easier. That’s what we’re going to focus on. Let’s get started with the content below.

Reader, I’m so happy you’re choosing to start another year with me. Together, I believe we can have the best year ever.

Until next time, keep fighting.

Scott Ninneman

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The Myth of the Cure and What to Focus on Instead

Now that the confetti has been swept away and the New Year hype is settling down, it’s time to get back to the reality of our daily lives. For most of the world, this is just the first Sunday of the year. For those of us with bipolar, the pressure of a fresh start can be overwhelming.

For years, I looked for a finish line with my mental health. I thought if I took the right pills, saw the right therapist, or pursued the right healthy habits, I could fix my disorder. I wanted a cure, to be "normal."

When my symptoms inevitably returned with a sudden spike of energy at midnight or the black fog of depression, I felt like a failure. It seemed like I had lost all the ground I had gained.

Here’s the truth I want us to embrace this week: Recovery is not a destination. It’s a lifestyle.

Bipolar disorder is a chronic condition. It didn't go away just because the calendar year changed to 2026. Believing there is no cure sounds pessimistic, but it actually sets you free. When you stop trying to eliminate your diagnosis, you can start fighting for a better quality of life.

Setting realistic expectations means accepting that stability is a moving target. Progress is rarely linear. Some weeks, victory looks like writing a book chapter or hiking your favorite mountain pass (like Papa Bear in the following video.) Other weeks, victory looks like brushing your teeth or changing out of pajamas into leave-the-house clothes.

Both are forms of recovery.

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If you set your expectations too high, looking for 100% happiness and 0% symptoms, you set yourself up to be devastated when the next bipolar cycle starts.

Instead, I’ve learned to aim for resilience. My goal is to shorten the length of episodes and lessen their intensity. Every time I meet that goal, it makes me stronger for the next round.

As we start this year, I encourage you to throw out the resolution to “fix” yourself.

Instead, commit to knowing yourself. Choose to learn your triggers, respect your limits, and forgive your brain when it misfires. You’re not a broken toy needing repair but a complex person trying to navigate a winding and hilly road.

Walk into this year with your eyes open, your expectations grounded, and your hope intact. You got this.

Journal Prompt

Draw a line on your page. On one end write "Rock Bottom" and on the other "Perfect Day." Mark an 'X' where you feel you are today. Write about why you are there and why that is an okay place to be right now.

Additional Reading:

• ​Don't Do What I Did: Fighting For You With Bipolar Disorder​
• ​Surviving Bipolar Episode18: Numbness, Nightmares, and Neverland or Adjusting to Life With Bipolar Disorder​
• ​When Bipolar Disorder Crashes Your Life​
• ​Archive Newsletters​