I don’t know about you, but I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. Once I’ve made them I seem to sabotage myself and then just give up. Do you feel that way? Well, 2018 is fast upon us and I would like to share some ideas that could prove to be more valuable — and attainable — for those of us with fibromyalgia.

Perhaps instead of resolutions, we should strive for incremental baby steps of our own personal progress. Because of the unpredictability of our illness, making resolutions seems more like setting ourselves up for failure. Keep your resolve to make changes as flexible as possible. Oh, and give yourself plenty of grace.

Let’s say you want to exercise more this coming year. That can be your long-term goal. Break that down into achievable short-term goals. Because it’s hard for me to exercise because of exertional malaise, I set an alarm to walk twice a day for 2-3 minutes each. Over time, my goal is to increase that, but I keep it realistic, so I don’t get discouraged and quit. I need to be willing to change it up, depending on my energy level and symptoms.

Maybe you want to eat better and incorporate healthier foods into your diet. My long-term goal was to stop eating meat. Instead of going cold turkey, I gradually added more veggies and whole grains over time. That way I didn’t get so discouraged that I gave up. Gradual changes are more likely to stick.

How about choosing one friend who you send a card of encouragement to each month for this coming year? Who wouldn’t be excited to get a card in the mail. It could totally revolutionize your friendship. Or if you know someone who lost a loved one, send them a note or card each month for the first year. What a blessing it would be to him or her!

Maybe one of your goals is to find a way to make some extra money from home. This site is a great resource for both men and women. Here’s a Facebook page run by a friend of mine with lupus and I’m sure there are a lot more resources out there.

If you have ideas that have worked well for you, please share.

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Note: Fibromyalgia News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Fibromyalgia News Today, or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to fibromyalgia.