by Dave Ciaccio, Parkinson’s Nebraska Board Chair
The second newsletter in a series covering the Parkinson’s Foundation’s “5 Steps to Living Well with Parkinson’s.” This month’s step: determine your personal goals and priorities.
Long term goals are often thrown off by more short term realities.
We’re always told that to be ‘successful’ we have to set goals that are months or years down the road.
But things change. Life happens. The unexpected comes knocking.
That was the case when I had an unexpected career decision . And when I found out I have Parkinson’s. Whatever long term goals I might’ve had suddenly looked very different.
So I try to take the events of life as they come. And to do so thoughtfully and with the advice of others. I set broader goals so I can change them as I go.
Things like ‘exercise every day’, ‘eat healthy’, ‘be positive,’ ‘help others’. This approach is particularly helpful with something as unpredictable as Parkinson’s.
By keeping these goals in mind, they eventually become priorities.
But I try to keep that in check as well. Too many goals or overly specific priorities lead to stress.
And keeping stress under control is one of those short term, everyday goals that can have long term, lasting effects.