Connect with others who understand.

sign up log in
Resources
About MyBCTeam
Powered By

Setting Intentions for 2020 With Breast Cancer

Posted on January 03, 2020
View reactions



Eat healthier. Exercise more. Learn a new skill. Pay off a credit card. Many of us have made similar New Year’s resolutions over the years. And many of us have also ended January feeling like failures because we didn’t follow through perfectly. We may feel even more discouraged if our goal was linked to improving how we manage breast cancer.

The problem isn’t that we failed at our resolutions. The problem is that the resolution framework failed us. Resolutions are often binary goals - this or that. Yes or no. Either you went to the gym five days a week or you didn’t. Either you quit smoking or you didn’t. These yes-or-no set-ups can make us feel like losers if we don’t attain perfection. This is true for anyone, but black-and-white goals can be even more challenging when life with breast cancer throws curveballs. Treatment side effects like fatigue or lymphedema can make it more difficult to stick to a new workout routine or keep up a volunteer commitment. A hospital stay or a change in your treatment plan may send New Year’s resolutions right out the window.

2020 can be different. Instead of choosing a New Year’s resolution, consider adopting a New Year’s intention. Intentions and resolutions have similarities - both require us to reflect on our lives and identify areas we’d like to improve. But intentions can be more successful than resolutions because they give us the space to work towards progress, even if progress isn’t a straight line.

Intentions account for the reality that habits don’t change overnight. Research from the European Journal of Social Psychology found that it can take people anywhere from 18 days to eight months to create a new habit. And that’s ok - the study found that missing opportunities to follow through did not prevent people from achieving consistency over time, provided they tried again. In other words, if you’ve had trouble being physically active to help improve your energy and mood, give it another go with a new attitude.

Here are some suggestions for setting intentions that can help improve your physical and emotional well-being:

Find Your “Why”
It’s easy to pick a resolution based on perceived shortcomings, but focusing on your why - your deeper priorities - can make a bigger impact on your overall quality of life. Here are some examples of transitioning from resolutions to intentions that reflect a deeper purpose:

  • “I will attend every book club meeting” becomes “I intend to invest more time in my friendships.”
  • “I will pay off a credit card” becomes “I intend to focus my spending on the bills and purchases that have the greatest impact on my life.”
  • “I will stop gossiping” becomes “I will focus on the goodness in others.”

Once you’ve identified your deeper purpose, you can focus on small actions that will support your why. And when you stumble, you can return to your why to renew your motivation.

Lay the Groundwork for Change
Depending on your intention, you may want to consult your doctor to develop a plan. If you’d like to gain more energy, your doctor can help you decide which types of exercise or nutritional plans are best for your type of breast cancer and any other health conditions you might have. Your doctor may also suggest working with a physical therapist or nutritionist to support your New Year’s intention. With the support of your doctor and other health professionals, you can research new recipes, find online exercise videos, or make plans with a friend to cook and work out together.

Build in Short-Term Rewards
Research from the University of Chicago and Cornell University found that people are better at sticking to goals that yield long-term benefits if they can experience short-term rewards along the way. For example, the study found that people were more likely to eat green vegetables if they found enjoyable ways to prepare them than if they only ate them for health benefits. You can apply the same principle to your intentions.

Show Yourself Compassion
Accept that you won’t always live up to your intentions. Be kind to yourself when you fall short. If you find yourself beating yourself up, stop and think about what you would say to a friend or other member of MyBCTeam in your shoes. Would you knock them down or encourage them to try again? Be as understanding and supportive to yourself as you would to someone else.

Do you have an intention for 2020? Share your hopes for the new year with other members on MyBCTeam.

Posted on January 03, 2020
View reactions
All updates must be accompanied by text or a picture.

Related articles

Nurse Support | Top 3 Questions | Conversation Guide | Maintenance Therapy Breast cancer treatmen...

7 Ways Your Breast Cancer Nurse Can Support You

Nurse Support | Top 3 Questions | Conversation Guide | Maintenance Therapy Breast cancer treatmen...
Nurses are an important part of your health care team as you undergo treatment for human epiderma...

5 Ways Your Nurse Can Help During HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treatment

Nurses are an important part of your health care team as you undergo treatment for human epiderma...
Advances in treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer ...

Life After HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treatment: 5 Ways To Stay Healthy

Advances in treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer ...
When reading about new treatments for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) or advanced breast cancer, y...

What Is Progression-Free Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer?

When reading about new treatments for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) or advanced breast cancer, y...
Based on your answers in this interactive guide, you’ll receive a custom set of questions to ask ...

Get Personalized Questions To Ask Your Doctor About HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Based on your answers in this interactive guide, you’ll receive a custom set of questions to ask ...
Top 3 Questions | Conversation Guide | Maintenance Therapy | Nurse Support Asking questions is cr...

Your Top 3 Questions Answered About HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Top 3 Questions | Conversation Guide | Maintenance Therapy | Nurse Support Asking questions is cr...

Recent articles

In welcome news to many who are immunocompromised, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) re...

Next COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Dose Approved

In welcome news to many who are immunocompromised, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) re...
The first targeted treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast ...

How Early-Stage HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treatment Has Evolved

The first targeted treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast ...
​Most people with breast cancer will undergo tests to determine whether their cancer is HER2-posi...

FISH and IHC Testing for HER2: 7 Things To Know

​Most people with breast cancer will undergo tests to determine whether their cancer is HER2-posi...
HER2-positive breast cancer is often treated with targeted therapies that can specifically find a...

6 HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treatments: What To Know

HER2-positive breast cancer is often treated with targeted therapies that can specifically find a...
The genetic changes found in your breast tumor influence your prognosis and help your care team r...

What Is HER2? Understanding Cancer Genetics and Life Expectancy

The genetic changes found in your breast tumor influence your prognosis and help your care team r...
If you’ve been diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer, the best treatment for you will depend...

Slideshow: 6 Facts About Treating HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

If you’ve been diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer, the best treatment for you will depend...
MyBCTeam My breast cancer Team

Thank you for subscribing!

Become a member to get even more:

sign up for free

close