My 2023 RA Intentions and Beyond
My sincerest hope is that your 2022 was a better year than mine.
Don’t get me wrong, there were many moments of happiness and fun. However, overall, 2022 was very difficult for me because of my mom’s serious cancer diagnosis, managing other chronic illnesses, and parenting 2 littles in the mix. I am ready to turn a new page and enter 2023 with the hope of a brighter and healthier year for all.
Setting intentions for the new year
Each new year, I like the idea of setting goals. However, the word "goal" feels very rigid to me, and I often feel let down if I can’t maintain it. Establishing goals is supposed to help you work to be the best version of yourself, not make you feel bad about yourself.
Instead, the idea of "intentions" gives the person wiggle room to attempt something, reframe it, try again, or move on. Here are my 2023 intentions for RA and beyond!
1. RA intention
Living with RA this year has shown me that not all treatments are created equal. While my pain was initially controlled on Plaquenil for a few years, that isn’t true any longer.
Even now, Cimzia injections don’t seem like the right fit, either. My intention this year is to continue working towards finding a safe, tolerable, and effective treatment to limit my pain. Maybe 2023 is the year I can take methotrexate? We will see.
2. Mental health intention
The year 2022 opened up the world of counseling to me. As I mentioned before, my family has had a hard year with the diagnosis of my mom’s cancer. It’s been particularly hard because my mom and I have always had a special relationship since I lost my dad very young.
I felt like I needed an outside source of support in order to help me cope with what’s going on. I know in 2023 I will make grief counseling a priority as well.
3. Happiness intention
Within the last couple of years, I’ve rediscovered the joy of reading as an adult. During the pandemic, I read more than 20 books over the course of the year.
However, with all the stress this year, I just didn’t have the mental energy to read. This year, I hope to get back into reading and be able to join a book club with friends as a means to bring myself a little more happiness and fulfillment.
4. Motherhood intention
There’s this really great idea about spending 1000 hours a year outside with children that I really love. "One thousand hours outside" is an attempt to combat screen time and enjoy the benefits of the outdoors together.1
Everyone feels better when we get our bodies moving, take in the beauty of nature, and clear our minds from our to-do lists back home. I feel like our family is the perfect fit for an intention like that. Many long walks, playground trips, picnics, gardening, playing, hikes, and bike rides, here we come!
What are your 2023 intentions for your health and beyond? Share your thoughts below!
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