Goal for the Day - All are Welcome

[swgrl09]

Some of you may be familiar with "SMART" Goals. Goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. SMART goals are helpful because they show success in a brief amount of time. They are realistic, they aren't setting the bar too high, and you can be held accountable too :blush: Overall achieving these goals increases your successes, self-esteem, and self-confidence that you can do this! If we do it as a group, we can support each other.

I think setting some smart goals for myself will help me get through my current blip. I used to do this when my HA was bad or my anxiety about anything was getting difficult. Now it is rearing it's ugly head again and I have to take charge of the situation before it takes charge of me.

I am going to post a SMART goal and then will post later if I have achieved it. I invite others to join in and set SMART goals for themselves.

For today, my goal is to leave my lymph node behind my ear alone until 5 PM. It is 9 AM here right now. I have been prodding it too much and that is not helping it go away nor is it helping my anxiety. I think it is realistic, will be a challenge but not impossible.

Feel free to set goals for yourself on this thread if you want to join.

[Sam123]

Ok my goal for today will be to stop slumping over at my computer and sit up correctly, use my lordosis cushion at all times and keep a good posture.

Not doing my back any favours recently and i keep stressing over it, so this needs to be done, but i'm too stubborn half the time.

Who's next! :)

[swgrl09]

Awesome, good luck Sam!

[swgrl09]

It's 3 PM and I gave in ... I'm disappointed in myself but I will say having the goal helped me check much less than I normally would. I got outside and did yard work instead, which also put me in a good mood. Maybe I should shorten the time to 3-4 hours and gradually increase.

[Sam123]

Oh no! I haven't yet but it's really uncomfortable having to sit correctly, i suppose it;s something i have to get used to!

Yes maybe start of smaller with targets and work up :)

[swgrl09]

Good work, Sam! Today I am going to try to have a more realistic goal ... maybe only checking halfway through the day and again at the end of the day. I'll give myself 2 checks. We'll see how that goes.

[GingerFish]

I know exactly what you mean about the lymph nodes! A year and a half ago, a giant hard grape sized one came up behind my jaw/ear and a small pea sized one in my neck when I had an ear infection and I couldn't stop touching them and getting anxious over them and convincing myself I had lymphoma. I still have them to this day and they are still the same size. At my worst, I was touching them over 100 times a day. No wonder they have stayed! I got them checked out by 2 GPs and they haven't grown so anyone else would accept they are in the clear but my health anxiety about them flutters every now and again though.

My goal for today is to stay awake if I get a panic attack. The last few days I have been quite bad which sucks as I was doing well for ages but hey ho and as soon as one is done, I go to my bed and just wallow instead of just continuing whatever I was doing before it started.

[swgrl09]

Thanks for joining in, I have been forgetting to post my goals but still am trying to only feel my lymph node 1x in morning, halfway through the day, and 1x at night. It seems to be helping.

I was pretty successful, although yesterday was quite anxious because I had a client pass away unexpectedly and triggered my HA again. I am trying to be patient with myself.

I know what you mean about struggling after doing well for a long time. We have to see it as a blip that we will get through.

[Modestaustin811]

my goal is to get some where nice outside and read for a bit.

[swgrl09]

Halfway through and doing ok so far.

[Sunflower2]

My goal for the day was to go back on the road I panicked on yesterday. I did do it and panicked less today. :)

[Davit]

Smart stands for: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. Make sure they fit all five.

Mine for today is to transplant cauliflower, my not smart goal is to hook up the water pump in the pond, but smart would be to aim for half that goal.

[swgrl09]

Nice, it's helpful for me to have others in on setting goals too. Kimberley, glad it got easier!! Davit, I've had some not smart goals with moving into my house and getting it fixed up, I like that you are aiming for half :)