How to Make 2022 a Better Year With Sickle Cell

'I want this year to be better than last year.' Have you ever told yourself this? Sure you have.

A better year

As humans, we always want more in life. As someone living with sickle cell, getting more might not be as easy.

I remembered wanting to make plans for the new year on the first day of the year, but I could not because I was in the hospital. It was until the fourth day of the year that I got better.

Don't be discouraged

This tells you that sickle cell disorder can disrupt plans at any time hence getting a better year might not be easy. However, you don't have to be discouraged. We cannot afford to let ourselves down so we need to continue making plans on how to get the best out of life.

So, if you live with sickle cell disorder and want to have a better year, then keep reading.

I believe having a better year and living your dreams is possible even with sickle cell and that is why I have written six ways to have a better year below.

1. Have a flexible plan

Having the best year begins with having a plan. With sickle cell, you need not just have a plan, but a flexible plan.

Why do I say this? It is important to have a flexible plan because of the nature of sickle cell disorder. With sickle cell, this minute you feel fine and alright but the next, you are in pain and perhaps on your way to the hospital. There is no way you can follow any plan when you are in pain.

Even while some people living with sickle cell do not have crises often, there are complications that can arise at any time making it difficult to follow your plans so it is important to have a flexible plan. A flexible plan is one that supports your health. A plan that you can put on hold and edit to suit your goals at any point in life.

2. Set SMART goals regularly

When you have a dream or plan, the next thing is to set goals that will help you achieve that dream.

Setting goals is important to have a better year. However, it is better to set SMART goals regularly. Set weekly SMART goals. Take time to set monthly SMART goals, too. Make sure the goals you set are small goals that lead to your bigger goal for the year. Also, take time to review your progress as the year unfolds. It is advisable to do this monthly or at least quarterly. Keep an eye on what you did differently that worked or did not work. Tweak your plans to favor your next goal.

3. Believe that you are worthy of the best things in life

The world is full of beautiful things and people, don't let sickle cell disorder stop you from getting the best things in life.

You are worthy of the finest and best things in life. Always remember this. Napoleon Hill said, "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

If you believe that you are worthy of the best things, you will begin to attract beautiful things to your life. It's the law of nature.

4. Make your health top priority

As someone living with sickle cell, your health should be number one. I mean both your physical and mental health.

Try your best to avoid things that trigger your crisis, explore non-drug pain management techniques, get better with your diet. Try to live a healthier life generally. Most importantly, guard your mental health. Sickle cell can really be frustrating and it can mess with your mental health.

Explore the different ways to keep your mental health in check. Meditation, mindfulness, deep breathing, and saying NO to what does not benefit you or will hurt you, are some of the ways to improve your mental health.

5. Seek knowledge

Now that you have a goal and know what you want to achieve, it is important to go out of your way to seek knowledge.

If you want to have a better year, you need to become better. Take out time to seek knowledge. There are tons of free resources on Google and Youtube for whatever you want to learn. Follow experts on social media, some of them post tips for others. It might help you. Consider taking paid courses as well.

6. Take actions

This is a very important step. Nothing is going to change if you do not take action on your plans. Start small but let your imagination grow big.