Setting goals for recovery
At times,
depression and bipolar disorder make it seem difficult to set a
goal for yourself. It might feel almost impossible to think
about the things that you hope for or care about. But
goal-setting is an important part of wellness, no matter where
you are on your path to recovery. Work on what you can when you
can.
To help
determine what goals you'd like to set, ask yourself:
-
What
motivates me?
-
What
interests me?
-
What would
I do more of if I could?
-
What do I
want?
-
What do I
care about, or what did I care about before my illness?
-
Where do I
want my life to go?
-
What brings
me joy?
-
What are my
dreams and hopes?
It helps to
start small and work up to larger goals. You might want to begin
by setting one small goal for yourself at the beginning of each
day. As you become more confident, look at the different areas
of your life and think about your short and long term goals.
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Examples of short-term goals: |
Examples of long-term
goals: |
- Be out of bed by
__:00 AM.
- Finish one
household chore.
- Call a DBSA
support group.
|
- Get training or
experience for a job.
- Change a
situation, e.g. find a new place to live.
- Build a
relationship with a friend or family member.
|
Remember to
take small steps at first. Looking at a goal such as “move to a
new city” can be difficult to visualize and plan all at once.
Ask yourself – what do you need to do first? What can you do now
that will eventually help you reach this goal?
Creating the Life that You Want:
The Ten Steps to
Accomplishing a Goal
Setting Wellness Achievement and Maintenance Goals
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