Ciao resolutions - hello SMART goals and habits!

Ciao Vorsätze - hallo SMARTE Ziele und Gewohnheiten!

Jan 16, 2023 by Christin Bauer

“Everything will be different this year!”

Does this phrase or a variation of it sound familiar to you? The turn of the year tempts us to want to change everything according to the motto "new year, new me". However, it is not always that easy. Only about 12 percent of people actually stick to their New Year's resolutions. [1]

Especially with regard to the diagnosis of thrombosis and lipoedema and lymphoedema, the list of possible resolutions is long: wear arm and leg compression every day, go for lymphatic drainage weekly, read more books on the subject, practice better skin care, etc. If you see yourself in it again then this blog article is for you. We've rounded up some helpful thoughts and strategies that can help you as you seek to make changes in your life.

Take a deep breath first

The first thing you can do is breathe deeply into your stomach a few times - it's good for the lymphatic system and at least as good for your nerves. And then you can forgive yourself and leave all failed resolutions in the past. Because we are now concentrating on what you can change: namely your present and consequently your future. And before you read on, close your eyes and take a minute to thank yourself for being a fighter and doing your best every day. Even if you don't believe it right now. You rock!

know your why

When it comes to New Year's resolutions, the author Domonique Bertolucci distinguishes three different groups in her book "This year will be different":

The first group has no New Year's resolutions and after a few months feels that they have missed the opportunity to change something. The next group sets huge goals that they want to achieve almost overnight - these unrealistic expectations then lead to disappointment. The last group is so focused on their resolutions that they completely neglect everything around them and sometimes ignore the important things in life .

So instead of listing resolutions, the author advises thinking bigger and formulating a statement of intent. To do this, she recommends asking yourself the following question: What do I want to say in a year's time about who I am and how I live my life?

People often fail because of resolutions that don't really correspond to their inner vision and therefore encounter resistance. An example that most of society (and especially our community) should be familiar with is the resolution to lose weight. There is often an ideal of beauty that is influenced by external circumstances - the diet therefore becomes a compulsion. A completely different motivation, on the other hand, can be the desire to be fitter in order to lead a long, healthy life.

So take the time to explore your heart's desire - whether today is January 20th or June 20th. How do you say "one day or day one?" If you are not satisfied with your life today, then take a close look at what YOU can and will change about it. If you haven't dealt with it yet, it is very helpful if you know your most important values .

The book "A Good Plan" is open and the web of life can be seen

That's exactly why you'll find A good plan (undated) in the Power Sprotte online shop . In addition to the calendar function, there is a large part for self-reflection. In it you can find out what your values are and thus guidelines for future decisions . But there is also room for goals and wishes, as well as the exercise "The Web of Life" to determine how satisfied you are in the twelve areas of life. Since it's undated, you can start at any time. So your new better year can start right now.

Set SMART goals

If you know your "why", then it will also be easier for you to think about "what" you want to achieve now. A proven method to achieve goals is the SMART method, which states that goals
specific ,
measurable ,
attractive ,
Realistic and
T erminated - just SMART .

Using an example, the whole thing looks like this: Instead of making “I want to get fitter” your SMART goal agreement could be: “In six months (timed) I want to be able to jog 6 km in 30 minutes (specific and measurable) and with my Friends: participate together (attractively) in the city run.” It is important that the goal is both realistic and challenging. If you are currently running 6 km in 35 minutes, the challenge may be too small - but if you are interested in jogging in principle and are looking for a small and manageable challenge, this can be just the right thing. So you can set goals in every area of life that correspond to your values and desires and you can in six months. You can use your self-reflection to check whether a formulated goal corresponds to your values and can have a positive effect on the changes you are striving for. [2]

Establish beneficial habits

Many goals can be achieved by establishing good habits. In relation to the diagnosis of lipedema/lymphedema, it could look like this:

You want to be fitter a year from today and wear your compression every day . You also want to be an absolute self-management queen . If you are doing your first compression and are still struggling, you can start slowly.

In week one you wear your leg brace every day as long as you can. If that works out well, the arm care will be added in week two - initially only one arm per day and only as long as you can stand it. So you can slowly get used to it and wearing it becomes a habit. To get fitter you can also start with mini habits such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, five squats a day etc. Do whatever you feel like and start SMALL .

Incidentally, habits can also be stacked. What do you mean with that? If you want to invest more time in your self-management in the future , then the whole thing could look like this. Your existing daily habit is getting up. Now you set your alarm five to ten minutes earlier and combine the existing habit of getting up with simple exercises that get your lymphatic system going at the beginning of the day. When it comes to skin care, our suggestion is: when you take off your compression, apply the skin care immediately afterwards. [1]

What else is important to us

Dear flat knitting hero, in the end we want to get rid of something important.

How much or how little you implement from now on is your decision and lies in your hands. Yes, it's good to establish beneficial habits in life BUT only as long as it feels right for you. There is a lot of talk out there about self-improvement. Many things are helpful, but some things can leave you believing that you are not good enough. Yes you are.

It's great that you're there.

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