Day 30 – Friday, Nov. 30 Recap We Go Health’s National Health Blog Post Month”. #NHBPM #NaBloPoMo

Chato Stewart: [Looking at all his cartoons for the month with a joyful tear in his eye.]Caption: 30 cartoons for  National Health Blog Post MonthDay 30 of the National Health Blog Post Monthof the blog party at We Go Health.. What a wonderful experience of accomplishment I feel right now! With this blog post makes a complete 30 days and 30 posts for National Health Blog Post Month!

This is my second year participating. Last year, I was only able to participate 15 sporadic days out of the month. I made it a goal this year not to miss a day during the We Go Health blog party.

I focused on drawing from the cartoon series The Family Stew. A unique thing happened while drawing cartoons for this series…I found the real voice and characters for the cartoon. I was able to polish up who Chato Stewart is in the cartoon series as a likable guy with a unique perspective and point of view. I felt drawing him wearing a blue T-shirt and a black pair of pants really fit with a character living with bipolar disorder. He’s gone through a lot emotionally and physically– he’s black and blue.

Although the cartoon series normally includes my protagonist wife, semi-aloof son, and my three wise girls, I opted to focus mostly on me. My character is the underdog, anti-hero of sorts living in my own twisted reality. I was able to include my three wise girls to a few cartoons. That brought them a lot of joy … They love it when I draw them into the cartoons.

Date .29: I did this …

Day 29 – Thursday, Nov. 29 “If I could accomplish one thing (anything) in 2013 it would be…”. #NHBPM #NaBloPoMo

We Go Health Prompt: “If I could accomplish one thing (anything) in 2013 it would be…”Chato Stewart: [searching for his humor]Caption: To find and keep my sense of humorDay 29 of the National Health Blog Post Month of the blog party at We Go Health comes to a close with the bloggers participating by thinking about the future.  “If I could accomplish one thing (anything) in 2013 what would it be? First off, I cannot believe it’s 2013!!! This cartoon above may be a little confusing to some of my regular readers, you may be thinking how can I lose my sense of humor?  The truth is I am not a very happy person. Yes, that’s hard for me to say and even harder for me to write.  That is why I truly believe in the power of humor as a coping mechanism and tool to keep balanced.

Laughter and laughing is like a muscle that needs to be moved and flexed and worked out to build up so you can keep using it. It is true that people can lose their sense of humor. Especially undergoing the trauma of mental health episodes. In 2013, I am going to work harder to find and keep my humor and to smile and laugh more…and that’s no joke!

If you need some help check out: 19 Ways to Enhance Your Sense of Humor

1. First, regain your smile.
2. Treat yourself to a comedy festival.
3. Recall several of the most embarrassing moments in your life. Then find the humor in them.
4. Anytime something annoying and frustrating occurs, turn it on its head and find the humor.
5. Read the comics every day and cut out the ones that remind you of your life.

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Friend me on Facebook @chato B Stewart.

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Day 28 – Wednesday, Nov. 28 “How you take time for yourself”. #NHBPM #NaBloPoMo

Cloud Nine: I have to pick the wife up some dish soap. Can you hurry up feeling sorry for yourself?Chato Stewart: [standing under a black cloud and in a puddle]Caption: Taking time for yourself shouldn’t take any of my time!Day 28 of the National Health Blog Post Month of the blog party at We Go Health. My cartoon differs from the daily prompt a little bit and goes to the bonus prompts/suggestions. Mainly because the problems they had for this day, I touched on earlier this month. This suggested blog post that I chose was “taking time for ourselves.”

It is my firm belief that I do not take enough time for myself as I would like. Granted, I have responsibilities with my family that include financial responsibilities, physical responsibilities and spiritual responsibility. As father and head of the household, it is my job to provide for my family. I have to balance that with dealing with bipolar disorder, crippling anxiety and other emotional issues that I can’t let seep into my regular fathering responsibilities. So talking about taking time for ourselves, I can’t help but think of the movie I recently saw where the subject came up and the hero and actor pulls out a picture of a paradise island. He stares at it for a few minutes to find his peace of mind.

This visualization technique can really work well if you have a strong imagination. I like to visualize myself in the water swimming, scuba diving and snorkeling. But my realistic and pessimistic view of life, finds some way for me to avoid actually getting to do it.

About six months ago, I took up the idea that I will get things done immediately…I won’t procrastinate! Instead, I will make plans and arrangements right then and there when an opportunity presents itself.  How am I …