Coping Calendar 2020 - The ACPA€¦ · behave assertively, It enables feelings and needs to be known. 18 19 Try looking at people directly when talking with them. 20 Speak up today

American Chronic Pain Association © 2020

American Chronic Pain Association

®

Coping Calendar 2020

(R)


Be the change that you wish to see in the world. ~ Mahatma Gandhi


Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1

New Year’s Day

2

3

STEP 1:

Accept the Pain

4

Learn all you can about

your physical condition.

Understand that there

may be no current cure.

5

STEP 2:

Get Involved

6

Take an active role in

your own recovery.

7 8

STEP 3:

Learn to set

Priorities

9

You need to have a clear

understanding of what is

important to you.

10 11

12

STEP 4:

Set Realistic Goals

13

Set goals that are within

your power to accom-

plish or break down a

larger goal.

14

15

STEP 5:

Know Your Basic

Rights

16

Basic Rights will em-

power you. Such as the

right to make mistakes.

17

STEP 6:

Recognize Emotions

18

What you feel

emotionally will effect

how you feel phys-

ically.

19

20

Martin Luther King Jr

Birthday

21

STEP 7:

Learn to Relax

22

Pain increases stress.

Learn how to reduce

stress levels through

relaxation.

23

STEP 8:

Exercise

24

Muscles that are out of

shape feel more painful

than those that are toned.

25

Chinese New Year

26

STEP 9:

See the Total Picture

27

Pain doesn’t have to be

the center of your life!

28 29

STEP 10:

Reach Out

30

Once you begin to man-

age your chronic pain,

reach out and share what

you know with others.

31

January 2020 Ten Steps from Patient to Person


I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.

~ Oscar Wilde



1

2

Groundhog Day

3

Own your feelings.

Don’t make someone

else responsible for what

you are feeling

4 5

Use feeling words to

express yourself.

6 7

Your emotions are a

significant part of who

you are. Recognize and

deal with your emotions

daily.

8

9

Journal writing is a good

way to express your

emotions.

10

Tu Bishvat

11

Tell someone how you

feel. Otherwise, how

will they know?

12

Lincoln’s Birthday

13

Depression is part of any

long term illness, includ-

ing chronic pain.

14

Valentine’s Day

15

Unresolved pain can

create anger and frustra-

tion.

16

Take time for yourself.

Quiet time allows for

self assessment of feel-

ings.

17

President’s Day

18

Focus on your emotional

self today. Ask yourself,

“How does that make

me feel.”

19 20

Take lessons from a

child. It is okay to be

who you are and allow

yourself emotional reac-

tions.

21

Maha Shivaratiri

22

Ignoring emotions can

lead to an inappropriate

reaction to a minor inci-

dent.

23

No matter how hard you

explain, no one will ever

be able to feel your

physical or emotional

pain.

24

Believe in yourself and

your right to have your

own feelings, no matter

what they might be.

25

Learn to compromise to

find solutions to a

problem.

Marti Gras Day

26

Ash Wednesday

27

Resource:

ACPA, Patient to Per-

son: First Steps, Chapter

8

28

Resource:

The Angry Book by

Theodore L. Rubin, MD

29

Emotions play a huge

role in how we cope

with chronic pain.

February 2020 Recognizing Emotions


Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for.

We are the change that we seek. ~ Barack Obama



1 2

What would you like

to change in your life?

3

Make sure you don’t

confuse “I should”

with things that need

changing.

4

5

If you don’t like

something, you have

the ability to create a

change.

6

When faced with

change, consider all

options before

making alterations.

7

Ask yourself what

you think about your-

self and how your life

is going.

8

‘

Daylight Savings Begins

9

Holi

10

Purim

11

Realize that you are

the one who makes

choices each day.

12 13

To create change you

need a clear vision of

what you want to ac-

complish.

14

Think about the bene-

fits you gain if you

create some type of

positive change.

15

Don’t get

discouraged if your

attempt at a change

didn’t work.

16

When thinking about

change in your life,

you need to look at

your attitudes.

17

St. Patrick’s Day

18

19

Look for areas in your

life that you can

change to improve

your quality of life.

20

21

Try to incorporate

your personal skills to

create change.

22

. Isra and Mi’raj

23 24

Do you resist change?

Ask yourself why you

fear making changes.

25

Make a list of what

you want to change in

your life. Revisit the

list frequently.

26

If you are strong in

one area of your life,

use that to create

change.

27

28

29

Re-evaluate your

goal and determine if

the change is

realistic.

30

Identify your good

habits and incorporate

into your daily chang-

es.

31

March 2020 Creating Change


Nothing is unchangeable but the inherent and unalienable rights of man.

~ Thomas Jefferson



1

2 3

You have the right

to:

4

5

Good Friday

6

Be treated with

respect.

7 8

Make mistakes.

9

Passover Begins

10

Good Friday

11

Be listened to and

taken seriously

when expressing

your feelings.

12

Change your

mind.

Easter Sunday

13

Ask for what you

want.

14 15

Ask why.

Tax Day

16

Passover Ends

17

Act in a way that

promotes dignity

and self respect.

18

19

Say “no” and not

feel guilty.

20

Do less than you are

humanly capable of

doing.

21

Yom HaShoah

22

Disagree 23 Take time to

slow down and

think before you

act.

24

Ramadan Starts

25

Ask for help or

assistance.

26

Not have to

explain everything

you do and think.

27 28

Ask for

information.

29

Feel good about

yourself.

Yom Ha’atzmaut

30 Resource:

ACPA Patient to

Person: First

Steps, Chapter 10

April 2020 Basic Rights


Family is not an important thing, it’s everything. ~ Michael J. Fox



1 No one can feel your

pain. No matter how

hard you try to make

family understand.

2

3 4

Chronic pain is a

family problem.

5

Cinco de Mayo

6 Because of the pain,

our family struggles

with many of the

same issues you do.

7 8 Keep the lines of

communication open

between you and your

family.

9

10 Schedule a family

meeting to talk about

personal feelings.

Mother’s Day

11 12 Make this a family

night out. Go out to

dinner with the

family.

13 14 Make copies of the

feeling words in the ACPA

Patient to Person: First

Steps, Chapter 8

15 16 Your family also has

basic rights. Families

should respect each

others rights

17 18 Make a list of ways

your family could help

you to cope better.

Share this list with

them.

19 20 Deal with an issue

as it arises. Don’t ignore

it or put off the

discussion until later.

21 22 Hold an open

ACPA meeting so that

family members can

attend.

23

Ramadan Ends

24

Eid al-Fitr

25

Memorial Day

26 Make a list of all the

things that your

family does to help you

cope. Share this list

with them.

27 28 Chronic pain can

cause isolation. It is up

to you to seek out the

company of others.

29

Shavout

30

Resource:

ACPA, Family Manu-

al

31

May 2020 Family Involvement


The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.

~ George Bernard Shaw



1

To express our wants,

needs, and desires use

open communication.

2 3

Communication is a

learned behavior.

4 5

Use feeling words

listed in Chapter 8 of

the ACPA Patient to

Person: First Steps

6

7

Don’t be afraid to ask

questions.

8 9

Verify the emotions of

the listener. Example:

“You seem angry with

me.”

10 11

Maintain eye contact

with the person

you’re addressing.

12 13

Accept responsibility

for what you do.

14

Flag Day

15

To make sure you

heard what someone

said, repeat what you

thought they said.

16 17

“What I heard you say

was…”

18 19

Talk to the person

instead of about him.

20

Make an attempt to

change behaviors that

prevent open

communication.

21

Father’s Day

22

Listening is as much a

part of communica-

tion as talking.

23

Avoid general state-

ments by using “I” or

“you” instead of “it.”

24

Use words that make

the actions belong to

you, not a third party.

25

Be assertive by asking

directly for what you

want.

26

Use the person’s

name to let them

know they are

important.

27

28

Be very specific in

what you say.

29

Be aware of what

your body tells you.

30

Notice how your body

feels when you are

nervous, happy or

laughing.

June 2020 Open Communication


The duty we owe ourselves is greater than that we owe others ~ Louisa May Alcott



1

Assertive is

expressing yourself in

a positive fashion

while expressing your

needs.

2 3 Nonassertive is

holding back thoughts,

ideas, and needs or ex-

pressing them in a

self-deprecating way.

4

Independence Day

5 If you are someone

who dominates con-

versation, try to allow

others to share their

point of view today.

6 7 When expressing

your needs or feelings

today, make sure you

own it by using “I” in

your conversations.

8 9 Be assertive

today! Make sure to

tell people what you

want. Remember,

they can’t read your

mind.

10 11

You have the right to say

no to any request made

of you.

12 13 Being assertive

makes you more con-

fident, and enables

you to feel good about

yourself.

14 15

Aggressive is acting

in a hostile fashion

16 17 Relationships

improve when people

behave assertively, It

enables feelings and

needs to be known.

18

19

Try looking at

people directly when

talking with them.

20

Speak up today when

you feel you have

been treated unfairly.

21

Reference:

Pulling Your Own

Strings, Dr Wayne

Dyer

22 23

Aggressive people

usually feel superior.

Avoid aggressive

people today.

24 25 Use “I” language

assertion today.

“I feel…”

“I want…”

“I need…”

26 27 Reference:

How to Keep People

From Pushing Your

Buttons, by Albert Ellis,

PhD & Arthur

28 29

A firm, confident,

appropriately loud

tone of voice marks

assertive behavior.

30

Tisha B’Av

31 Resource:

ACPA, Patient to Per-

son: First Steps,

Chapter 11 Eid al-Adha

July 2020 Assertiveness Skills


Journaling is like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time.

~ Mina Murray



1

Keeping a journal is

an excellent way to

see personal growth

2 3 Your journal will

provide a verbal

photograph of your

personal growth.

4 5

Find a time each day

to make entries in

your journal.

6 7 Instead of writing

about your pain, use

numbers to note levels

of pain 0 to 10.

8

9 Try to draw a

picture to express

what your day was

like.

10 11

Use feeling words to

describe what you are

feeling.

12 13 Make a note of

the weather each day

and the effect it has

on your pain.

14 15 Make a note of

how you sleep, your

worries, feelings and

your weight.

16 17

Make a note of major

decisions you make

each day.

18 19

Use your journal as a

safe place to talk

about your feelings.

20

Muharram

21 Make a note of

when you exercise

and why you don’t.

Ganesh Chaturthi

22

23

Select a time to write

in your journal each

day and stick to it.

24 25

Note your weight at

least once a week in

your journal.

26 27

Did anyone make you

feel bad his week?

Why, and what did you

do about it?

28 29 How many times

in the past week did

you take time for

yourself?

30 31 Resource:

ACPA, Staying Well,

Advanced Pain Man-

agement, Chapter 11

August 2020 August 2011 Journal Writing


What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.

~ Abraham Maslow



1

Pain Awareness Tool

Kit https://www.theacpa.org/pain-

awareness/pain-awareness-toolkits/

2

What is Chronic

Pain https://www.theacpa.org/acpa_maze/

what-is-chronic-pain/

3

Conditions A to Z https://www.theacpa.org/conditions-

treatments/conditions-a-z/

4

Quick Links https://www.theacpa.org/quick-links/

5 Muscle pain, one

of the most common

types of acute pain,

affects 53 percent of

Americans.

6

Pain is the number

one cause of adult

disability in the Unit-

ed States.

7

Labor Day

8

Pain Management

Tools https://www.theacpa.org/pain-

management-tools/

9

ACPA Chronicle https://www.theacpa.org/about-

us/chronicles/

10

Going to the ER https://www.theacpa.org/pain-

management-tools/going-to-the-er/

11

CARE Card https://www.theacpa.org/acpa_maze/

care-card/

12

13

The Art of Pain

Management https://

www.theacpa.org/pain-management-

tools/the-art-of-pain-management/

14

Treatments A to Z https://www.theacpa.org/conditions-

treatments/treatments-a-z/

15

One in three Amer-

icans lives with some

type of chronic pain.

16

Is There Life With

Pain? https://www.theacpa.org/?s=pathway

s+through+pain

17

Pain Awareness https://www.theacpa.org/pain-

awareness/

18

Find an ACPA

Support Group https://www.theacpa.org/about-

us/support-groups/

19

Rosh Hashana

20

Chronic Pain can

touch nearly every

part of a person’s

life.

21

Pharmacists Tool



22 Chronic pain can

be a source of frustration

for health care profes-

sionals who seek to pro-

vide care and assistance.

23

Fibro Pain Map https://www.theacpa.org/pain-

management-tools/communication-

tools/tracking-tools/fibro-pain-map/

24

Older Adult Tool



25

Nurses Tool Kit https://www.theacpa.org/pain-


26

Clinical Trials https://www.theacpa.org/clinical-

trials/

27 28

Yom Kippur

29

Proclamation Tool



30 Living with a chron-

ic condition changes the

way you think about

your healthcare and

your life.

September 2020 Pain Awareness Month

https://www.theacpa.org/acpa_maze/what-is-chronic-pain/

https://www.theacpa.org/acpa_maze/what-is-chronic-pain/


This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we but know what to do with it.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson



1

Try not to waste time

worrying about things

that you cannot con-

trol.

2 3

Sukkot Begins

4 5

Break large jobs into

several smaller more

manageable tasks that

can be done over time.

6 7

Avoid trying to play

catch-up on days

when you are feeling

good.

8 9

Sukkot Ends

10

11 Establish a list of

priorities and stick to

it. This will help

reduce last minute

rushing.

12

Columbus Day

13

Get the proper amount

of rest. You will be

more efficient if you

are well rested.

14 15

Know when to say

“no,” and don’t allow

yourself to feel guilty

for saying ”no.”

16 17

Devote at least half an

hour at the beginning

and end of each day to

yourself.

18 19 Realize that you

cannot do everything

or be all things to all

people. Recognize

your limitations.

20 21 Remember that if

you find you have too

much to do today, you

can change your mind

and reschedule.

22 23

Don’t compromise your

free time. Allow time

for stretching and

relaxation to maintain

your wellness.

24

25 Get organized

and stay organized.

Too much time is

wasted searching for

misplaced items.

26 27

Keep a calendar with

you for quick

reference before you

make any plans.

28 29 Don’t allow fears

of increased pain pre-

vent you from being

active today. Learn to

pace yourself.

30 Resource:

ACPA Staying Well,

Advanced Pain

Management Manual,

Chapter 8

31

Halloween

October 2020 Time Management


Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.

~ Walt Whitman



1

Daylight Savings Ends

2 3

Election Day

4 5

Take time to enjoy

your surroundings and

relax.

6 7 Buy shoes that are

comfortable and will

not put strain on your

back if you have to

walk a long way.

8 Push heavy

objects instead of

pulling them. And,

don’t hesitate to ask

for help.

9

Before getting out of

bed, do a few simple

stretches.

10

When lifting objects,

keep your back

upright and avoid

twisting your body.

11

Veterans Day

12 13 If you do yard

work today, pace

yourself. Don’t over-

do it and create addi-

tional pain.

14

Diwali

15

Find a place to sit

while shaving or put-

ting on makeup.

16 17

Make sure you get

enough sleep. You

will function better.

18 19 Allow for frequent

stops on long car trips.

And, place a pillow on

the small of your back

for extra support.

20 21

Store frequently used

items at waist-high

level.

22 23

Try something new

today that is within

your limits.

24 25 Rest your foot on

the bottom shelf of an

open cupboard when

working in the kitch-

en.

26

Thanksgiving Day

27 Prepare several

casserole dishes that can

be frozen. It will be

great for days when you

don’t want to cook.

28

29

While shopping carry

bags close to your

body.

30

Resource:

ACPA, Patient to

Person, First Steps,

Chapter 18

November 2020 Hints for Daily Living


Stress is caused by being ‘here' but wanting to be ‘there.'

~ Eckhart Tolle



1

Stress is more likely to

occur during the holiday

months. Start now to

prevent stress from

building up.

2 3

Take today to do less

then you should.

4 5

Maintain a regular

schedule of exercise.

Keeping your body in

shape may help reduce

stress and pain levels.

6

Be forgiving. Anger

can drain you of

energy and be very

stressful.

7 8 Growing Well

with Pain

https://www.theacpa.org/

pain-management-tools/

videos/

communicationeducation/

9

Keep a personal

journal to record your

feelings.

10

Have a “quiet place”

where you can go to

be alone for at least

30 minutes a day.

11

Chanukah Begins

12 Do something

each day to prepare

for the holiday season.

Being overwhelmed is

stressful.

13 Get adequate

amounts of rest. If

you are tired, you will

be more likely to

become stressed.

14

Delegate. You have

the right to ask for

help or assistance.

15 When you are

feeling extra stress,

ask yourself if it is the

pain or something

else.

16

Setting Priorities

Video https://www.theacpa.org/


videos/

17

Relaxation Video https://www.theacpa.org/


videos/

communicationeducation/

18

Chanukah Ends

19

Take at least two

hours for yourself

today.

20

21 Keep a note pad

beside your bed to

write down the things

that are

bothering you.

22

23

Living Better with

Pain Log https://www.theacpa.org/

acpa_maze/live-better-with-

pain-log/

24

Christmas Eve

25

Recognize what is not

within your power.

Christmas Day

26

Kwanzaa

27 Remember it is

your basic right to do

less than you are

capable of doing.

28

29

Reduce stress by be-

ing flexible. Be

willing to alter plans

if necessary.

30

Ten Steps from

Patient to Person

https://www.theacpa.org/


from-patient-to-person/

31

New Year’s Eve

December 2020 Stress Reduction

https://www.theacpa.org/pain-management-tools/videos/communicationeducation/











https://www.theacpa.org/acpa_maze/live-better-with-pain-log/



https://www.theacpa.org/pain-management-tools/from-patient-to-person/



Documents

Coping Calendar 2020 - The ACPA€¦ · behave assertively, It enables feelings and needs to be known. 18 19 Try looking at people directly when talking with them. 20 Speak up today