How to Set Realistic Wellness Goals with Chronic Illness
Setting wellness goals can be a bit intimidating for anyone. But, when you add in the unpredictability and additional concerns of a chronic illness, it can make it downright daunting. But, it doesn’t have to be. I’ll tell you how.
Health and Wellness Coaches are trained to encourage our clients to set a SMART goal (Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, and Timed). However, in practice, I have realized that this does not exactly work as planned when someone has a chronic illness. It doesn’t make sense for some people to commit to 5 exercise sessions per week when they are experiencing a symptom flare. That might work when they are having a low symptom week. But, on a flare week, it simply untenable.
So, just like most things related to life with chronic illness, setting wellness goals involves quite a bit of flexibility in how you do it.
If you are experiencing some intimidation in setting a wellness goal that you can ACTUALLY work with in a realistic way, I have some tips to share with you. I am using my personal exercise goals as an example. But, it could apply to any goal that you set for yourself.
Because being chronically ill does not mean you need to give up on trying to be Chronically Well.
In my case, and for most people I know who have a chronic illness, our everyday lifestyle can impact how well we feel, and sometimes, the course of our illness. Our health is not an all or nothing endeavor. The trick is to find the right balance for you that takes into account what would end up pushing you too hard versus not pushing yourself enough. Finding this balance, and making sustained efforts over time, can result in sustained progress.
Here are 4 Tips for setting realistic wellness goals when you have a chronic illness.
1. Create versions of your action plan to suit Your Circumstances
Sometimes the effort that you can put into your wellness goal will be determined by what is going on with your symptoms.
Because this is the reality for many of us, I recommend that you think through what your plan could be depending on what is going on with you. This could include a Plan A for a good day, a Plan B for an okay day and a Plan C for a not so great day, etc.
Here is a example of what this might look like:
Typical Plan A Day (Feeling great)
Symptoms: Minor pain
Impact on priorities and wellness practices: Careful not to overdo activities. However, these are the best days to do physical tasks, exercise, socialize and tasks that require more thought.
Typical Plan B Day (Feeling okay)
Symptoms: More pain - muscle and joint, fatigue, lower mood
Impact on priorities and wellness practices: Will pare down physical activity and expectations. May need to put off some tasks. Meditation will be helpful. Lighter exercise goal.
Typical Plan C Day (Feeling “meh”)
Symptoms: Pain, fatigue, brain fog, emotional pain/anxiety
Impact on priorities and wellness practices: Need rest. Need help with household tasks. More important to outsource/delegate when possible (i.e., food delivery and cleaning). Plan to be more gentle with self (mind and body). Movement goals become more restorative (i.e., stretching).
Typical Plan D Day (Struggling with symptoms)
Symptoms: Increase in all symptoms to the point of needing to stay home/in bed; headaches
Impact on priorities and wellness practices: TV, takeout, rest, hydration, meds. No extra responsibilities or tasks. Need to delegate or outsource all. No exercise.
What do your Plan A, B, C, D days tend to look like in terms of symptoms? How do each of those types of days tend to impact your priorities and wellness practices? How can you set up REALISTIC expectations for yourself based on the type of day you are having?
2. When life or health disrupts your routine, begin again WHen you are ready
Changes in circumstances can end up throwing us off our routine, which can impact any habits that we had formed.
In order to help yourself with this inevitable occurrence, I recommend keeping track of what your goals and routines are so you don’t need to rethink it. That way, if you experience a hiccup in your routine, from travel, a surgery, illness, etc., you can come back to what you were working on without much effort.
It might take a little time to rebuild your habit if you are recovering from a flare, etc. But, by taking the first step of recommitting to your habit you will be well on your way to rebuilding it. The first step is often the hardest. But, once you take that step, it is much easier to reimplement your habit/routine.
I use an app to track what my clients are working on. But, this practice can be as simple as using the Notes app on your phone or writing it down if you are looking for a DIY option. When you are feeling ready to get back to your habit, find your goal/habit/practice list and recommit to begin again!
3. Experiment with what works for you
When there is a change in your health or symptoms, it might require you to reassess what you are doing.
At different points in my chronic illness journey I have experienced a wide range of what I can do in a day. There was a point when I could not stand for more than 30 seconds without feeling like I would faint. When that started happening, I needed some time to adjust to what I could expect from my body. Ultimately, I pursued pilates workouts because I could exercise while laying down. From there, I was slowly able to build up to other types of workouts as my symptoms diminished and my strength and endurance improved. However, it took some time, research and experimentation to figure out what was going on with my body, how I could work with/around it and then find the right people to help me.
Since there is not a “one-size-fits-all” that will work for all of us, it is important to give yourself a little space to try things out. And, if your circumstances change, it is important to meet yourself where you are and pursue whatever feels most nurturing to you as you are today.
4. Have Self-Compassion
If you are feeling discouraged because you think realistic steps towards your goal are too small, I would like to remind you that general forward momentum results in progress over time.
One workout might not seem consequential. However, when you consistently make the effort, and look back over time, there will inevitably be measurable results.
When I started losing muscle mass a few years ago, I added in weight training workouts. When I started these workouts, I felt weak and intimidated by the whole endeavor. But, over months, and now years, of consistent workouts, I feel really strong and much more confident. It took time, consistent effort and a lot of humility.
Just remember that slow progress and imperfect implementation are better than no effort at all. Baby steps and small, consistent efforts can add up to huge transformation over time!
For more support…
into setting realistic goals with chronic illness that are tailored to you, check out my Chronically Well Membership.
I hope you are finding your Chronic Wellness balance by setting goals that make sense for you as you are right now.
If you could use a little encouragement or want to discuss your practical concerns, feel free to reach out. I would love to schedule some time to talk.
How does your chronic illness experience inform your wellness goals?
How do you add flexibility to your wellness goals that accommodate fluctuating symptoms?
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