Setting and reaching goals is especially tough when you have fibromyalgia (FMS) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS), but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t set them. It just means we have to customize our approach. I try to set some resolutions every year to keep me focused on my goals, but I try to be realistic about what I can accomplish.
Why Set Goals?
Having something to work toward is good for us. It can give your life some structure, improve your self esteem, and, as you reach a goal, it’s actually therapeutic — you know that feeling of accomplishment? That comes from a release of norepinephrine in our brains, and most of us with FMS and ME/CFS don’t have enough of that particular neurotransmitter.
However, goal setting can backfire if you’re too ambitious. You don’t want to set yourself up for failure, and the negative feelings that go with it.
Setting Realistic Goals
Being realistic means taking into account your limitations and not expecting too much of yourself. For example, if you decide you’re going to lose 5 pounds a week, you’re likely to fail frequently and feel bad about it if you lose 2 or 3. A more realistic goal might be 1 pound a week. You’re more likely to achieve that regularly, and suddenly a 2-3 pound loss is a major victory.
Be sure to consider all of your resources — do you have the time, energy, money, etc. to reach your goal? If not, downsize your expectations.
Here are some goal-setting guidelines:
- Think in baby steps. Break your goal into small components so you can see each step as an accomplishment. That can keep you from being overwhelmed, and also give you more opportunities to feel a sense of accomplishment.
- Build in more time than you think you need. You don’t want to beat yourself up for getting behind, and yet your energy levels are unpredictable. Expect delays and plan for them.
- Write your goals down. Research shows that people who write down their goals are more likely to reach them. Try putting them someplace where you’ll see them regularly.
- Re-evaluate periodically. Every so often, look back at how much you’ve accomplished and see whether your expectations were unrealistic.
- Identify potential barriers and ways to overcome them. Make a list of the things that may keep you from reaching your goal, or things that have kept you from reaching it in the past. Then, find solutions.
Here’s an example: Last year, I had resolved to lose weight. I used Calorie Count, a free service from About.com, to set my goal weight and see how much I needed to lose each week of the year to get there. Because of my illnesses, I decided I’d need to stretch that out over 2 years, so I cut the total loss I wanted for 2009 in half. My goals were entered into the online system, and I looked at them daily when I went on to log my food and enter my weight. I know that I have a sweet tooth and that I’m bad about exercising regularly, and I implemented strategies toward eliminating those problems.
Things were going fairly well, until I started being seriously impacted by a new set of symptoms. After a couple of months, I figured out that I’m gluten intolerant and had to completely re-vamp my eating habits. I really struggled with this, physically, mentally and emotionally, and soon I decided I couldn’t focus on eating both gluten-free and low-cal. I couldn’t function at all on gluten, so the choice was obvious.
So here I am, many months later, with about a 6-pound weight loss for the year. That’s far less than what I’d hoped for, but I accept that I had to alter my goals. Now that I’m pretty well into the swing of my new diet, I feel once again ready to start watching my calories — so yes, once again this year I’m resolving to lose weight. I’m planning to get back into the habit of using Calorie Count and I’m optimistic that I can make more progress this year.
Do you have any resolutions for 2010? What is your plan for reaching them? What helps you reach your goals, and how have you overcome your barriers? How has setting and reaching your goals changed your life? Leave your comments below!
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New Year’s Resolutions With Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome originally appeared on About.com Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome on Tuesday, December 29th, 2009 at 03:00:58.
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