1% Thursday: Tradition
This week start a new (non-mandatory) tradition.
It’s really amazing what a little rhythm can do for your life. We’re rhythmic creatures, of course – be it music, the weekend, sleeping patterns – when the rhythm is right, life is better.
I’m not talking about monotony, of course – but a musical kind of rhythm that changes, pauses, and does the unexpected. Nothing would be unexpected, if it wasn’t for the rhythm.
I’m convinced that starting a new, enjoyable tradition can make that 1% difference for someone who is dealing with an often very non-rhythmic chronic illness. It could be something big – once a year I’ll vacation in Italy. Well, maybe not that big.
How about going to a favourite restaurant with someone once a month? Or a picnic in the park? Or maybe you’ll take the kids to the zoo once a month.
Go for coffee with a best friend once a week (all right, skip the caffeine – try one of those fresh-squeezed juices!). Would you believe roller skating? A concert?
Maybe just a walk. Or a once-a-week cookie bake. Every Tuesday evening I’ll read a favourite novel. Or go rent a funny movie. Buy a flower. Get a magazine. Play tennis with a friend.
The possibilities are endless, of course.
Two rules:
- Make it enjoyable. If it ceases to be enjoyable, change it.
- Make it non-compulsory. People with chronic illness know, you don’t need something else to be guilty of "missing". Make it something you can do when you can, but it won’t be a problem if you miss it.
What is 1% Thursday?
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Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!