6 Reasons the Chronically Ill Should Shun Making Resolutions

"3-2-1 Happy New Year!" Is it? When that ball dropped in Times Square did you have some New Year's resolutions all ready to start January second?

- I'm going to exercise more
- I'm going to lose some weight
- I will try to get rid of my bad habits
- I won't let little things get to me any more
- I'm going to start making wiser choices about money

We've all been there. And we've all faced March 23rd rolling around and feeling like a failure because some of those goals haven't crossed our mind since December 31st.

For most people, going through the steps of setting goals is an expectation of themselves. For those of us who live with chronic illness or chronic pain, however, it can be frustrating and intimidating. illness symptoms change constantly, hence our life, feels like it is out of our complete control most of the time, following through on the little things, like jumping on a treadmill, seem impossible before we've even began.

The list of why we may "fail" at our resolutions even seems justified.

--> I'm going to exercise more . . . And then I have surgery and my illness is exasperated. Even my doctor said to take it easy and not overdo right now.

--> I'm going to lose some weight . . . But a simple trip over a curb turns into a broken bone and then the doctor puts you on steroids. Soon you just want to maintain your weight and not gain even more.

--> I'm going to stop spending so much money . . . And then one emergency room visit sets you back two-thousand dollars

So how do we move forward when everything seems stacked against us?

First, if you didn't set any goals in January, give yourself a pat on the back. No universal rule has been broken that said you must start your New Year's goals in January. The month of January is a time for recovery. You're likely exhausted from the holidays, the travel, or visiting relatives. And most people with illness pack December's calendar full of doctor's appointments too, before their health insurance deductibles all start over in the new years. If you've managed to survive January without any colds or infections, you're in the minority. And in most parts of the country the weather alone can make you feel disabled.