By:  Pat Kennedy, RN, CNP, MSCN, Nurse Educator - Bio

What is the most important part of the upcoming holidays to you?  While some “love it all”, few of us can “do it all”. 

For people with MS, doing less but enjoying it more might be a new wellness goal.  We often repeat activities year after year because they are a tradition but are they always the highlights of your enjoyment?  This year might be a good time to take inventory of all those things you do that make you so busy.  You might want to talk with your family and find out what their favorite parts of the season are. 

After you have done that homework, sit down and make a list of activities that are important to continue and prioritize them.  Ask yourself if they are all doable given your timeframe, energy and abilities.  If not, choose the ones that are most important for you and your friends and family.  Maybe some can be put off until another time of year.  Maybe others can be done by other people instead of you. Utilize as many time and energy saving tips as you can.

When maintaining wellness, remember the key points:

• Physical wellness means achieving good nutrition, continuing exercise as you can and practice positive lifestyle habits.
• Social wellness involves family relationships, enjoying friends and family, interacting with others in a close and meaningful way.
• Emotional wellness means managing your stress, accepting some limitations and being able to express your feelings to others.
• Intellectual wellness means continued learning and growth and facing new challenges.
• Spiritual wellness means attention to those things in life that bring you meaning and purpose.

So when deciding on which activities to choose to do and which to let go, consider these points in your decision to see if they meet your goals for a meaningful season as well as one that contributes to your overall wellness.