New Year's Resolutions: Chronic-Illness Style

We are almost two weeks into the new year, which means we have been bombarded with talk of resolutions. Resolutions are often lofty and hard to keep, but there is still something freeing about making them. It is a way of recognizing that if there is something you want to change, add or subtract in your life, you can wipe the slate clean and go for it.

However, when you have a chronic illness, resolutions can have the opposite effect on you. There is often little you can control, and the things you would like to change, add or subtract are outside your realm of power. So should you just forgo this annual tradition?

Lots of snow and cold from the "polar
vortex" this week, but even the solar
lamp finds a way to shine without
the sun!

I don't think we have to, but our resolutions have to take a different form and must be forgiving to our condition and abilities. For myself, I would like to read more (especially books about health), but I am not going to set a certain number of books for the year. Also, during weeks and days when I am feeling strong enough I will set a few mini goals for myself, but if I don't reach them no big deal. (Yes, taking a shower is a valid goal.)

I know. Those don't sound like very resolute resolutions, but setting expectations for ourselves and putting additional pressure on ourselves is really going to be counterproductive. It is easier to take baby steps and make progress when you allow yourself to be flexible and take the weight off of – what are essentially – self-imposed restrictions. Here is an example of how this works for me.

On Tuesday, I was feeling strong, so I ventured down to the basement to reacquaint myself with the treadmill. Speed would be determined by my HR, but I would aim for at least 10 minutes. My speed was fairly slow compared to where I once was, but I did walk on an incline. Including my warm-up and cool down, I walked for 29 minutes. Feeling good about this, I set a few goals for the next day: do my laundry, take a shower and try to get out of bed at 11am.

Just an epsom-salt bath when I was achey this week,
but with the right imagination, it is a luxury spa.

I started off the day by failing at my wake-up time, which I figured I might. My sleep cycle has been a mess lately, and my fatigue has been extreme. I didn't let it ruin my other goals though. I was able to do my laundry, take a shower and clean up the kitchen a bit since my mom has been ill. I felt accomplished, but paid for my victory the next two days. I ached from head to toe, had a low-grade fever, was very dizzy and was exhausted.  That means I did not set any goals for myself these past few days.  My only goal was to rest and let my body rebound.

For those who are bed-bound, you can still set mini-goals for yourself.  Maybe a goal is to do some stretches in bed or write down one thing per day that you are grateful for or even to get through a TV series you have always wanted to watch on Netflix. It all counts. The purpose of resolutions is to enrich your life in some way, and we all know its the little things that count the most anyhow.

Did you set any resolutions for yourself this year? What are they?