If you cruise through social media, you will notice many people posting and commenting with #Goals. We also term getting points in games like soccer and hockey, goals. We term the end of a race a goal. But in life, especially when it comes to managing lung conditions like COPD, bronchiectasis, and NTM lung disease, is a goal really the endpoint? When it comes to our COPD360social community, our goals may not look the same as others and often they may be the same each year. For many, the goal is to breathe better, feel stronger, or improve relationships with others. Here are some tips for setting health and wellness goals for those with lung conditions in the new year.
Take some time to reflect – As the year draws to a close, spend some time thinking and reflecting on this past year. I always find it productive to write some positives and negatives on a sheet of paper. Once you have identified what went well and what didn’t, you can also make notes about what you learned from those experiences. Taking the time to complete this step will help you focus your thoughts on goals that you would like to have for the upcoming year.
Example:
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Event
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Outcome
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What I learned
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I attended all my check-ups
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I feel up to date with my health and in touch with my physician.
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Doing this relieves anxiety about my health.
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I started having discomfort in my knees.
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I learned I have arthritis.
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I started treatment right away and didn’t lose ground with my exercise.
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I cut back on eating out.
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My cholesterol level came down and I saved money.
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Taking small steps with my eating habits can make an impact.
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Envision the next year – After you have taken time to think about the past year, it is time to start envisioning the coming year. What does a good year look like to you? How do you see yourself by the end of the year on your current path? Having an idea of “where you want to be” will help you determine your goals for the year.
Set realistic goals – Once you have thought about the past, what you have learned, and have an idea about how you want the next year to be, it’s time to start setting realistic, measurable goals. You do not have to always think “big.” Goals can be as simple as you wanting to start improving your nutrition. Another goal may be to avoid skipping a single day of airway clearance in the next year. Be sure you can measure your goal’s effectiveness in your life. Whether you measure your weight, record the number of flare-ups, or get bloodwork to show improvement in cholesterol levels, you need to have a way to account for your success.
Start an action plan- Every goal needs an action plan. A good action plan will help you decide how you are going to achieve the goals that you have set. If your goal is to feel stronger, how will you do this? If your goal is to avoid having to go to the hospital, what steps will you take to avoid illness? Occasionally throughout the year, you may find you need to change your action plan to help you get better results. Do not be afraid to make changes to your plan if they will help you to be successful.
Establish a network of support – Share your goals and thoughts with loved ones. If needed, let them know how they can help you reach your goals. You can also find support by reaching out to others with similar lung conditions like COPD360social or BronchandNTM360social.
Goals can be a productive way of focusing your efforts on an ideal outcome. I challenge everyone in our community to set a health goal for the New Year. What will your goal be in 2024? Can you share some tips that you may have used in the past for setting goals?