Please allow me to start by wishing all of my extended Migraine and headache family a very happy new year! You may be glad to read that I'm not going to make resolutions this year, share resolutions with you, or ask you to share yours with us. I don't know about you, but when I make resolutions and can't or don't keep them, it just makes me feel as if I've failed. None of us need that.

Instead, I'd like to introduce a new concept to you this year, a concept that I'll be writing and talking about from various aspects and points of view throughout the year. You've probably already figured out from the image that this new concept is one that I call Migratude. As of right now, I'm declaring Migratude to be a real word. Here's an explanation of the origins of the word:

Our aptitude for learning about and

coping with Migraines

plus

Our attitude toward Migraine management and

living with Migraines

equals

Migratude.

As we've discussed so often, continuing to learn all we can about our Migraines and our treatments is one of our very best tools. The knowledge we gain allows us to work as treatment partners with the members of our health care team, make any treatment decisions we need to make when we get a Migraine, educate others, and more.

Our attitude toward Migraine management and living with Migraine disease has a dramatic impact on many things, including:

• the success of our treatment regimen;

• how successful we are in working as a treatment partner with our doctors, nurses, and other members of our health care team;

• how we interact with our support system;

• our quality of life; and

• much, much more.

That makes our Migratude pretty darned important to us. Don't you agree? Of course, our Migratude can change from day to day, and many things can impact it. It's impacted by:

• how we're feeling;

• the relationships with the members of our health care team;

• our personal relationships;

• the level of support we have at home and at work;

• our ability to do the work we want to do at home and contribute to our families in the ways we wish;

• our ability to work outside the home if we want to;

• the lack of public understanding and awareness of Migraine disease;

• the stigma associated with Migraine disease; and

• more.

What I plan to do is start and continue looking at what impacts our Migratude, what we can do to improve it, and how we can support fellow Migraineurs who need help improving and sustaining their Migratude.

This is my new initiative to help myself; my family; my fellow Migraineurs; their families and support systems; and others learn, understand, and help dispel the misinformation and stigma that continues to surround Migraine. The goal is better health and a better quality of life for all of us.