Ritualistic planning!

The count down is on! 13 more days until we leave for Cuba. This will be our 5th time visiting this resort and we love it. Even better, every year that we go we can better plan based on what we know to expect there. This is our one week per year completely alone to enjoy ourselves.

For some reason this year I have been really concious of the planning and being very intentional around what I do to get ready. As soon as we booked the trip we agreed to each drop 10 pounds.  We also agreed to be thoughtful in what we bring as gifts this year and equipment we need to stay busy. So I started packing right away.

It has been about two weeks since we booked the trip and this morning I realized some things about myself. With my recent "diagnosis of lupus" I have to be more concious this year and I somehow just seem to intrisically use person centered thinking tools to help me plan.

What is Important to me about this trip:

• alone time with Mike, sunrises, walks, exploring, BEACH
• staying active and not getting bored as we have in the past
• getting lots of sun, coming home tanned and full of vitamin D
• having a few....... drinks each day
• wearing my two piece bathing suit; never having to wear a one piece
• feeling like I can wear a two piece
• that my kids are safe and well cared for while I am away
• RELAXATION
• giving to the people who serve us well
• a good game of tennis
• to talk with locals and build relationships
• to pretan in the tanning bed to get ready

What is Important For me on this trip:

• to take my medication
• to avoid sun light, any UV lights
• to avoid sulphites of all sorts (red wine especially)
• to eat well
• to stay active, find energy to keep up with Mike
• to keep anxiety to a minimum
• to smile and not look so grumpy so people are not discouraged from talking to me
• to not drink with my medications
• avoid the "blood sucker beggers"

Good luck with all of that combined...sooooo!

Here's my balance:

• An all inclusive resort - i refuse to give up my daily drinks; but there is great potential that I will get very sick drinking with my medications...so I am going to cut down to my morning dose only. We get up at 6 am, I can take it then and then have drinks later in the day and I should be just fine. I will have to deal with increased pain and neuropathy but I am willing to do that. It's my choice and it's only one week.
• A beach resort and I love my sun - i refuse to give up my sun and my pretan routine so I am pretanning and dealing with the sores and rashes I get, I will take a really good sunscreen recommended by other "lupies" but I will NOT cover up and, being my choice, I will deal with the consequences.
• We will plan our days (me conciously, Mike just goes along with me) around my needs; meds in the morning - go for a walk, head to beach about 10 am when my "zoned out, sleepy" time comes over me. Once we have drank all day and sit down to relax about 6 my "sunrash" should come over me and it will be time to head to the room to shower and get ready for dinner, by 7 my rash should be mild enough (and its dark enough) that I can go out in public again without embarrasing my husband.
• I am watching what I eat and exercising before I go so I look ok in a two piece suit....losing weight is not important to me....looking good in a two piece and avoiding feeling like I should cover up in a one piece is VERY important to me. (makes me feel younger)
• I am going to make more of an effort to meet people and commnicate this year
• I am bringing gifts for specific people this year and some extras instead of just randomly leaving hygiene products.....showing my appreciation to those who I have missed and who have served us well over the years is important, they deserve it. We have been able to identify some of the people who steal and beg and they get nothing from us.
• my kids are going to places that they are comfortable and safe with good people that I trust to take care of them as I would.

What about Mike? Well I know that:

• getting up early and seeing the sunrise is important to him
• being very physically active all day, tennis, walking, swimming, fishing, snorkelling, jogging is important to him
• not spending too much time sitting on the beach is important to him, walking is fine
• my health is important to him
• beer all day and wine at night is important to him
• getting dressed up nice for a nice meal is important to him

I am trying to plan to accomodate both of us purposefully this year. It seems weird, different but awesome. There is something about being concious of both of our needs that makes everything run smoother and makes me feel much more prepared.

The difference is immeasurable for me. Paying attention to the little things. Dreaming big and planning small. Small steps make the biggest difference.

It's about enjoying life. Knowing myself and what I am willing to balance to make things work well for me and those around me.

I'm going to have my trip and enjoy it too! Hola!