Resolution Success and Lupus Part 2

You have had a couple of weeks to think about what you would resolve to work on in your life, if you could not fail.  You may feel overwhelmed by several things you would like to change. If that is the case, I would like to urge you to choose one major goal and start there.

Unrealistic goals, bad plans and lack of support are a few of the things that will lead you down the road to failure.  For those of us with autoimmune disease, perspective will play a major part in our success or failure.  People often give up on the goal prematurely because they  lose perspective.  That is “they no longer have an  accurate point of view.”  They lose their objectivity.  One way this can  happen is when a person becomes discouraged due to chronic illness.

In 2011 fatigue was almost crippling me a good part of my waking hours.  During a visit to the doctor in December,  he told me there was nothing he could give me to help the fatigue. He did give me valuable advice that changed my life.  He said  if I began to add consistent physical activity into my daily routine, such as riding a stationary bike for 30 minutes, I should see some relief.

If you are reading this blog, you most likely have lupus, Sjogren’s or another autoimmune disease.  In that case, you know exactly what a challenge this advice can be.  I got through the holidays.  Then January rolled around and I found myself still meditating on the situation.  A few weeks into the new year I finally managed to get myself to the store to shop for a stationary bike. We came home with a great bike that my handy husband immediately put together for me.

Next, I needed a plan.  I decided to try a monthly calendar that I could mark  everyday that I rode.  I would record how far I rode and for how many minutes.  This simple record keeping kept me on task and showed me my progress week after week.

I am a list person so this works for me.  If you are not, I urge you to try this idea anyway.  It is very rewarding to see your progress. If the goal falls by the way side,  your charting will show you that if you did it once before, you can do it again.  You have the proof.

Here are some other good tips  to make your  resolution a reality:

• set realistic goals, thus setting yourself up for success not failure
• set a deadline, if applicable    i.e. I will lose 10 pounds by September
• make a plan and break it down into parts if necessary
• be flexible, willing to make adjustments to the plan until you find something that works
• find someone who can support you and be your cheerleader
• look to God and His Word for help as needed
• be kind to yourself, give yourself grace when needed.  Keep things in perspective. Take your special needs into consideration. 
  

Do not be so overly kind to yourself that you stagnate.   It boils down to how much you want to see your goal achieved.  Life is like being in the ocean water.  It is impossible to stay in one place.  You are either working to get to your destination or the current is pulling you where you do not want to go.  But, I have good news for you.  If you keep things in perspective and the goal before you, you have a good chance of  achieving success, whether you have lupus or not.

Until next time when we look at the realities of the resolution journey.  Blessings, Leslie Rose

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Check HERE for some  good information from Proactive Change.