Pacing Ourselves

That's right! The big "N" word is "No!" Learn it, and use it wisely: "No, I can't co-chair the Winter Carnival." "No, I'm not up to caroling for 4 hours in 20 degree weather." "No, I can't cook a turkey dinner for 25 people."

This does not mean that you should become a hermit or that you should change your name to Scrooge. It does mean that we need to learn the art of compromising. Kindergartners will be just as happy with store-bought cookies as with homemade ones. If you can't march 20 blocks while humming "Silent Night," then you can offer your home as a way station for the carolers, and have instant cocoa and doughnuts waiting. (Make sure that they know to clean up after themselves, and use paper plates and cups!) If it's your turn to have everyone over for dinner, most grocery stores have wonderful deli departments with pre-cooked entrees and sides dishes. Throw away the packaging and not even your Aunt Bessie will know the difference!

In the war with lupus, we need to choose our battles. Decide what activities you must participate in, what activities you should probably participate in, and what activities you would like to participate in. If you know that you have to shop all morning, wrap and ship all afternoon and cook in the evening, you probably won't be in any shape to attend that party at 8:00pm. Pick which is most important to you, and plan for that one first. That way, if can't do it all, you'll at least have done what you needed to. (Or what you really wanted to!)

Who knows? Maybe you'll surprise yourself with extra energy, and you'll be able to do more than you thought! (Hey, it's the season of miracles, right?)

While there's no sure-fire way of knowing how to avoid a flare, by taking care of ourselves first, we'll be better able to take care of others, and of all the little things that make the holidays

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