Goals aren't set in stone. If they were, you'd believe you failed if you didn't do what you set out to. Life happens. Our priorities shift and change. But our core values withstand the test of time, and so do the choices we list in our PVC factor, with a tweak here and there, perhaps.

I would love to hear your impressions of what I've talked about in here. I'm convinced it's a myth that people who have schizophrenia can't accomplish much of anything, as some people subtly or not-so-indirectly tell us. Sometimes, the greatest stigma comes from within the mental health community, from others living with the illness and from ourselves. My goal in writing this kind of a blog entry is to get you to see that you have options. You don't have to attend a day program for the rest of your life if you don't want to. You don't have to strive to be a stockbroker or accountant, either, if you feel that or any other goal isn't something you'd like to achieve.

In my life, I've come to accept that even if I were to remain a public service librarian until I'm 65, I'd be happy with that. Publishing my memoir is the one non-negotiable goal. Everything else would be bonus. So, too, I believe you are the expert on your own life, and only you have the right to determine how you want to live. I write about setting goals because goal-seeking behavior is the one true thing that allows us to succeed. It's something everyone can do regardless of disability or life situation.

My next blog entry will be about Giving Thanks: Developing an Attitude of Gratitude.

A happy and healthy Thanksgiving to you all!