from curse to strength: How a Tiny Dog Transformed my Attitudes about Life with Bi-Polar

Unleashed: the Breakdown, the Dog, and the Breakthrough(s)

💥 What You’ll Get From This Story:

• 🧠 A raw, real glimpse into bipolar depression—and how to rise from it

• 🐕 Proof that the right ‘anchor’ (or the right dog) at the right time can change your life

• 🧘‍♂️ An invaluable mental trick to scale your reactions: “Is this about me… or just near me?”

• 🔥 How to turn a “weakness” (like mania) into a creative force

• 🪞 A reminder that transformation doesn’t have to be solo—or perfect

This isn’t just a dog story.
It’s a survival story with a side of snark—and a bark.

I was halfway through a crash—flatlined by bipolar depression, barely functional, and totally lost.

I felt abandoned, alone.

Five miles away was a tiny chihuahua, Twinkles. Her ‘caregiver’ my ex-wife, had been rushed to hospital, leaving her dog to fend for herself.

She felt abandoned, alone.

Who Really Was the Reluctant Rescuer? Me or the Dog?

Former rivals, we were mirrors of misery. Conflicting personalities didn’t help either. Thus the indifference towards each other.

This was general malaise destined for disaster.

But over time, we built trust. And with it, the possibility for mutually beneficial relationship became apparent.

·       Twinkles provides Tom: Presence, a path to manage the bi-polar cycling

·       Tom provides Twinkles: Leadership, a path to becoming a dog

Provided Motivation For Us Both

I emerged from the depression and got better at handling the dangerous, explosive mania that was destroying my life for years. The loud outburts and fits were a signicant barrier to my relationship with Twinkles. And pretty much everybody else in my life.

Her ‘presence’ soon beame a ‘mirror’ for me to get immediate, non-judgemental feedback. She didn’t have an agenda.

Wasn’t out to fix me, just ‘make me show up better.’

With her I was different. Focused. Fierce. Weirdly hopeful.

Could the perceived ‘weakness’ of bi-polar mania become a strength?

She unlocked the mystery. It was like I found the key to capitalize on a new type of manic state—one I could use to help me transform my life for the better. Find that right level of edge, instead of the one that was destined to ruin me.

That’s when the adventure started. ‘La Aventura to Unleashed.’

Twinkles and I Hit the Road

Our Latin America Aventura stripped us of our titles, privilege, legacy. We started building a life with purpose, creativity, and risk—not despite bipolar disorder, but in large part because of it.

And Twinkles fed off my new found energy. Yes, dogs can eventually mirror their owner’s personalities.

As my self-confidence (not hubris) grew, she went from ‘Timid Twinkles’ to ‘La Princesa!’

But not easy. atin America is the land of ‘variability and surprises.’ Life in a partical accelerator daily.. Seems like the last thing bi-polar needs. Or maybe the perfect environment to improve self-awareness.

We didn’t have a choice. Nightly meditation became non-negotiable.

It wasn’t about becoming calm. It was about survival. Without it, every stressor—every slammed door, missed call, or weird look—landed like a personal attack. Meditation was the one place I could pause, breathe, and sort through the chaos.

Life threw us curveballs disguised as fast balls. Complications you’ve never seen, impossible to prepare for.

And without a moment to reflect, I would’ve done what I used to do: overreact, internalize, spiral. But meditation forced me to sit still long enough to ask:

“Is this about me… or just near me?”

Continuously challenging myself with that question changed everything. What should I focus on to improve vs. what should I brush off.

Getting Unleashed is the story of a dog and her humans near simultaneous transformation. It’s about mental health, healing through humor, and how loving a ridiculous little dog helped me become something I never expected, she never expected:

UNLEASHED!