Each New Year gives us the chance to look back and reflect on the previous year. We wonder what will happen in the coming year and even make a few resolutions to make some positive changes in some area of our lives.

Setting goals to improve our lives is always a good idea and especially in managing our pain. Many of us rely on our medications for pain relief, but, as you may already have found out, medication isn't always enough. We need to manage our pain ourselves to a great extent. And managing pain is really about managing life.

It's not rocket science!
Most of managing pain is plain old common sense. For instance, if you spend two hours digging in the garden and are in agony afterwards, that's OK once, a lesson learnt. But if you do it again and again, well... need I say more!

The answer is pretty obvious, do a little at a time. In other words, 'pace your activities'. Tackle jobs in small steps, breaking off often to do something different to give you and your pain a break.

Remember the PainSupport motto: "I can if I plan"

On the PainSupport website there are many pages of great ideas and techniques that are easy to follow and really do work. Just be willing to give them a try and you may surprise yourself at how effective they are. I especially recommend the Breathing, Pacing and Relaxation pages to begin with.

Even if you're experienced with self-management, it's a good idea to take a fresh look at what you do and how you organise your day, and the New Year is a great time to do this. You may find some even better ideas for bringing more comfort and enjoyment into your life.

Find different ways
To gain control over your pain you need to adjust the way you do things for your own benefit. No-one knows your pain and your body like you! So, if you're getting too much pain during or after an activity, just be willing to find a different way to do that activity.

The changes don't need to be big ones. See what small changes you might make for yourself. Perhaps introduce some relaxation techniques into each day, buy a grabber stick or use a timer to help with pacing your activities, take up a new interest or make more time for something joyful and fun.

Most of all just be open to giving some new ideas a try in 2012!

For You To Do Today

One good resolution might be to do something nice for yourself or for somebody else. Helping others gives us a wonderful sense of purpose in our lives.

Take a look at the Breathing, Pacing and Relaxation pages in the Pain Relief menu on our PainSupport website:
PainSupport's Pain Relief pages

First of all, notice the level of your pain. Then concentrate on one of your hands. Rub your thumb and the fingers of that hand against each other and focus on the sensation you can feel in the fingers. Notice everything about it, texture, temperature, sensation, etc. Now notice your pain level - has it changed?

You can also use the rubbing sensation to remind yourself to take several slow deeper breaths which will help to reduce any pain as well.

Let me know your pain relief tip!
painrelieftip@PainSupport.co.uk

Click the links in the box for any of the items below.

Newsletter and Pain Relief Toolkit.
- Sign up for monthly email newsletter and Toolkit.
- Order another copy of the Toolkit.

Pain Logs.
Print as many copies of the Pain Logs as you need. They will help you keep track of your pain and find out what affects it. They can be used for medical consultations to show your doctor how your pain affects you.

Relaxation Tips. Download our two collections of relaxation tips.

Contact Club & Discussion Forum. Find friends, ask questions, find answers...

I hope you find the above ideas useful. For more information and ideas for pain relief, please go to the PainSupport and/or Perfect Relaxation websites, addresses below.

Happy New Year, everyone - and keep smiling!
Jan at PainSupport
www.painsupport.co.uk
www.perfectrelaxation.com