A Program to Redefine Health for People with MS (continued)

Steps to Follow

Steps

1. Make a List: You can make your own form following these instructions. Your task is to sit for 15 to 30 minutes with one sheet of paper. Write the following words on the paper, leaving room after each for a list: “Physical,” “Emotional,” “Social/Relationships,” “Mental/Intellectual,” “Places,” and “Spiritual.” Under each heading, write a list of opportunities for increasing health that relate to that particular dimension of health. Don’t worry about the lists overlapping and don’t agonize over where to place an item – it doesn’t matter. For example, your list could look like this:
• Physical: Exercise more, eat better, take my medication, go for walks, get more sleep.
• Emotional: Relax more, not be so stressed, talk with my friends and family more.
• Social/Relationships: Spend more time with family, go on a date with my spouse, join a self-help group for my illness.
• Mental/Intellectual: Read a book, study another language, make career progress.
• Places: Clean my home/office/car, use more candles/scents, weed my garden.
• Spiritual: Reconnect with religion, pray, meditate.
2. Do One Thing Each Day: For the remainder of the week, choose one thing on your list each day and do it. You don’t have to complete the task – just take a step. If you wrote that you wanted to join a yoga class, then look up class schedules today and pick a class to join. If you wrote that you would like to spend more time with your family, plan a weekend activity. Put in motion a variety of things to make you healthier. Do this every day.

Commitment: I will make a list of the things that can make me healthier and do one every day this week.

See page three: Tips to Redefine Health

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