Had you asked me to create a plan to change from being weak and debilitated from a long-term flare to the strength and stamina I have today, I would likely have curled up into a ball, overwhelmed with the task and not believing that it was possible. Luckily, no one asked me to do that and instead, I took it one step at a time and – by necessity - focused on what happened in the present.

The Long-Term Perspective

Creating any kind of lasting change takes time. Depending on the kind of change you're trying to make, it can take anywhere from two months to a year. In other words, change doesn't happen overnight. Remembering that your one step at a time is just one piece of a larger picture can help you stay motivated. Just make sure you don't get stuck on focusing how far you still have to go.

Keeping the long view is also a built-in protection against the times when you fall off the wagon. Some days you'll forget, some days you'll hurt too much to make the extra effort and sometimes you won't be in the mood. As you set about making a change in your life, assume you won't be perfect. Be ready to forgive yourself when you get sidetracked from your goal or RA takes the lead for a while. When that happens, don't waste time and energy berating yourself or getting lost in frustration — it undermines resolve. Instead, just get back on track at the first available opportunity. Sometimes, your process will be one step forward, two steps back, but when you look at it from a long-term perspective, the direction will still be forward. And that's what it's all about.

Making changes that stick is an easy for anyone, but when you have RA or another chronic condition, you may have additional barriers to reaching your goals. Focusing on what you can do in the present is an excellent way to exert control over your life in a situation where sometimes, the disease takes control. Remembering that a lot of small moments add up to larger change in the long-term can give you the motivation and patience you need when life throws you a curve ball.

Carrie Beth’s post on making resolutions last has more on making resolutions work in the long-term.

Lene is the author of the award-winning blog The Seated View.