After reading last week's column, hopefully you have had some time to ponder the all-important question: What am I going to do with the rest of my post-cancer life?

As you continue to identify your post-cancer priorities, it is time to set some goals to help make your new life plan a reality.

Goal setting can be difficult for any cancer patient—but especially for those with multiple myeloma. We live in a “no man's land” filled with uncertainty. Many of us are living longer than patients who came before us. Some of us are not. How can we cope with that? Setting goals and creating a plan can help!

The goal setting process should be basically the same for a longer-term survivor or newly diagnosed patient. Let's get started!

First, what type of goals should you set? Financial goals? Goals for health and nutrition? Spirituality? Yes! All of these things. Each is important and deserves careful thought, organization, and planning.

Some life planning experts recommend organizing your goals by the calendar—daily, weekly, or monthly. Others teach prioritizing one's daily tasks in addition to goal setting.

I'm not suggesting you start a bunch of “to do” lists. These are fine. But a multiple myeloma patient needs more.

Think about grouping your daily tasks into bundles. Each bundle is designed to help you reach one or more of your short-term goals. Then bundle your short-term goals to reach one of your long-term goals.

An example of a short-term goal would be to “walk at least 30 minutes six days a week.” Bundled with several other health-related short-term goals, this might help you reach one of your long-term goals: Developing a stronger body to help keep your blood counts and spirits high while undergoing therapy month after month.

I will be specifically covering how to create a budget and financial plan next week, so let's focus on nutrition and fitness as our example.

I can't imagine anything more important for a multiple myeloma patient to do than maintain a strong, fit body. The new wonder drugs being developed and tested today are going to help us live longer—but at a cost. Yes, a financial cost. But what about the cost to your body? You are essentially exposing your body to “poison” month after month.

If you want to live a longer, more productive life, you must do everything you can to keep your body strong.

Here is a brief example of how a multiple myeloma patient might use short- and long-term goals to help keep their body strong enough to withstand treatment:

SHORT-TERM GOALS

Improve my nutrition

• Eat four or more servings of raw vegetables daily.
• Eat at least three sources of lean protein (to help keep my bone marrow strong) daily.
• Toss my Teflon-coated cookware and replace it with stainless steel.
• Use the microwave as little as possible.
• Choose locally grown, organic foods whenever possible.
• Drink lots of fresh, clean water.
• Cut back my diet soda consumption to one can per day or one can per week.

Improve my wellness

• Exercise a minimum of 30 minutes each and every day—walk, bike or swim.
• Add strength conditioning three or four times each week. Concentrate on the core muscles in the abdomen, back, and legs.
• Achieve my goal weight and maintain it—within 5 pounds—each month.
• Make time to meditate at least 30 minutes daily.
• Get plenty of sleep!

Keep my white and red blood cell counts as high as possible

• Work with my doctors to adjust chemotherapy doses and frequency to help maintain my blood counts in an acceptable range.
• Use supplements recommended by my medical team, which might help.

LONG-TERM GOALS

Minimize treatment-related complications

• Create a health and wellness team.
• Learn as much as I can about my therapy and research other possible, safer alternatives.
• Always get a second opinion before making important therapy changes or undergoing a major procedure.

Make the most out of the extra time I have

• Take wellness courses at our community college.
• Drive to the coast and spend a weekend doing absolutely nothing!
• Commit to helping a local charity or place of worship.
• Take the time to visit friends and family.
• Thank my caregiver and others who help me each and every day!
• Work hard, play hard, and have fun!
• I'm running out of space and time—but you get the idea.

I'm not suggesting you become a slave to lists and goals and plans, but setting goals helps us stay focused. It forces us to take the time to think about what we are doing and why we are doing it. Is it important? Will it help us achieve one of our short- or long-term goals?

Time is precious. Use goal setting to help make the most of it.

Feel good and keep smiling! Pat