Using Distraction to Handle Flares
Blerg. The flare-up continues. Thankfully the good thing about having a flare right now is that the holidays offer plenty of distraction!!
Sweetie Pie and I spent Saturday night feverishly writing notes and addressing 50+ Christmas cards. Those are done and out the door, but a few special folks will also be getting custom ornaments, which still need to be glittered, addressed, and mailed.
Glory be we are hosting a party this year - so many opportunities for funsies!
It's for the staff at the yoga studio where I teach; it's a wonderful, sweet, close knit little studio in downtown Oakland, but all year we are like ships passing in the night, everyone popping in to teach at different times.
Our little community has grown quite a bit over the past few years, going from one room to two and doubling the schedule. We've grown to 36 teachers teaching over 50 classes a week! There's also a team of four bodyworkers and a bookkeeper, graphic designer/web wizard, etc, who help keep our studio going. I am super excited to see old friends and meet new folks who I only know through our frequent email requests for subs... and love that we get the opportunity to meet each other's families and loved ones.
My fellow yoga teacher and friend Karen and I are organizing it. She's putting together the craft project and playlist, I am providing the location, invitations, beverages, and of course, decor.
It's less than two weeks away so I am in full party mode. Invitation design (pretty ones from Paperless Post!) Beverage menu planning! What decorations can I put up that won't overtake the precious table space needed for the craft project? Where can I find cute name tags?
The combination of creativity and planning all in the name of fun and growing community makes me so happy. Prepping is just as awesome as the event itself!
* * *
"Whoa Nelly! How do you do this without it making the flare worse?"
Well darlin', I accounted for all of this activity back in early November when I was creating my holiday plan, so it's not a stressor. I carefully plotted out my priorities and this was one of them. I didn't expect to be in a flare when I was making said plan, but in this case it's only provoked pain instead of unprovoked ("only," ha), so I'm not totally out of commission.
Instead of crying on the couch, I am living my life, using my strengths, and growing my gratitude muscle.
Sometimes the best thing to do is to keep truckin'.