Wow! I haven’t written at this website in ages. I must tell you that I’m currently swamped with work for my graduate program: a Master’s of Social Work (MSW) degree. I’ve had a dream of getting a graduate degree for quite a while— I’m not sure why, besides the fact that I love to learn. I simply have this goal on my list of “life to-do’s.” This being said, I am also trying to log a more basic accomplishment list for day-to-day triumphs. As you probably know, living with multiple sclerosis can take a toll on your ego when your abilities wax and wane (or completely disappear) and you find yourself feeling less than accomplished.
Take heart: although we are challenged on a daily basis, we can track what we achieve, because it ALL COUNTS. I used to think that major accomplishments were necessary to feel important or validated. I have to be candid and completely honest with you now— some days just getting out of bed IS the day’s accomplishment! It’s true. So I log this achievement and treasure what it means on particularly challenging days.
Here are some ideas for you to start your own MS accomplishment log:
- choose an inviting notebook to log your achievements
- set up your log in a simple manner, much like a journal with daily entries
- you can list your daily accomplishments or write about them in paragraph form
- remember: no accomplishments are too small (include the fact that you made the bed or swept the entryway, if these are challenging tasks for you)
- don’t feel compelled to list a certain amount of daily accomplishments– this is your space to state positive achievements, whatever the number
- this log can be much like a gratitude journal where you give thanks for what is possible
This will be your log, so make it as personal and as uplifting as you like. Pat yourself on the back for making dinner one day, or for enduring a long day at the office. Whatever you do, it is important to YOU and it COUNTS. Over time you can look back and see all of the positive things you’ve achieved on a day-to-day basis and this will help you in challenging times to remember how absolutely vital you are and how far you go, in spite of MS.
Good luck!
