Can I, if I may put another spin on this?

I was thinking immediately to the positives of being manic. I don't find anything positive to being anxious or depressed. When so, these things consume my life and my distress becomes debilitating. I absolutely am not able to draw on my strength, will, and motivation. However, when manic, I am queen of my world.

When manic....

Motivation. I have an incredible drive to do all manner of things. I have a thirst for activities that provide excitement. My art work feeds off the mania in that I am motivated to produce it and generally the end product turns out fabulous.

Socializing. I also have a heightened drive to be social. I will go out and mingle with complete strangers even all to avoid a quiet night at home. Some of my better friends I have today are people I otherwise would never have met had I not been manic.

Can do attitude. I tend to take more risks when manic feeling more able to perform them and worry less about not being able to do so.

Confidence and self esteem. These sky rocket.

Sleep pattern and weight-loss. I sleep less which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I tend to lose a great deal of weight too.

The best thing then about being bipolar then has been all of the things I have done that I otherwise wouldn't have.