Set Goals for Your Health

Feeling helpless with a serious health diagnosis is real and scary. For me, it was like I was on a bus ride to nowhere and couldn’t get off. What I eventually learned over the years was that all along, I held the power to my fate. I controlled the actions happening to me, around me, and for me. But during the fight with hep C, I could not see that. I stopped dreaming, stop planning for future events because as soon as that diagnosis hit me, time stopped. My life stopped. The clock kept ticking, but my life stopped.

Taking back control

One day, I was getting ready to ring in the new year. I was making my new year’s resolutions, so to speak. I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish that year.

GETTING CURED was on the top of my list. Next was learn more about hep C, get a copyright on the foundation's slogan, and get paperwork filed for my 501(c)(3). It was funny, because for the first time in years, I was thinking of the future. I was setting goals for myself.  What I didn’t realize was that by doing this, I gave myself the power over my health.

I gave myself the courage to stand up and say “I’ve had enough and I am ready to fight! No one is going to do this for me I have got to do it for me".

Today, I still set goals

Today, after being cured almost 5 years, I still write goals for myself.  What I would like to see myself doing in 6 months, 1 year, and 5 years. Recently, I have started setting goals for my fitness training. At first, I was barely able to walk for 5 minutes on the treadmill, but after a year of little goals and determination, I am up to running 6 minute intervals and on the treadmill over half hour, plus doing bike and other machines in the gym. A year ago, I would have said this sounded crazy. But, in my experience, it works.

How to help yourself

If you find yourself worrying about being sick each day, get up and do something about it. Read more about hep C, contact a support group, find a good doctor, contact the drug company, whatever! The key is DO SOMETHING.

The cure for hep C is not going to just show up on your door step... you will need to fight for this for yourself. It is out there and waiting for you to take charge. Don’t just sit back and think there is no hope, because there is. Those thoughts are toxic and will not get you cured. You stand up and you get those gloves on for the fight of your life. YOU’VE GOT THIS!