Right now I am feeling pretty good. It maybe fleeting but today I feel okay. I have also been doing the same stuff for quite some time so I am a bit bored. I need to do something new. Feel needed and wanted.
I do some things besides work already. I am an Arthritis Ambassador. I am a block captain for my Neighborhood Watch. I am a part of the Neighborhood Emergency Response Team. They are all small commitments.
Tonight I spoke to someone about the possibility of joining a board of a nonprofit organization. I have been on boards before, one I liked and one that didn't work out. So I will see how it shakes out. It is not health related. It is safety related. That is also something I am passionate about. I believe people need to be prepared for disasters. Fire, hurricane, flood, earthquake, etc.
So when do you know you are taking on too much?
Unfortunately only when my joints start throbbing, my energy levels plummet to below zero and I am either in the midst of the commitment or done with it. Even after 14 years with ra I still can't get my prediction down on what I do will impact my illness. It can be soooo frustrating. And since ra is so unpredictable I sometimes avoid making commitments. I no longer make ones that require a regular daily or weekly commitment as this disease is just too unpredictable and I would hate to wig out on my word. My word is all I have left these days and is precious to me. Earlier on in my disease I found I was making too many commitments until I learned the hard way...flares.
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