When you focus on what you can do, you feel capable, productive, and encouraged. By focusing on what you cannot do, you give yourself the opportunity to assess, evaluate, and commit. Rather than turn away from what you can't do -- face it!
Step 1 - Assess
What can't you do? Consider this question carefully. Look at how having osteoarthritis and living with chronic pain has interfered with your ability to do certain things. Make a list of those things and be specific. Include daily activities, work activities, and leisure activities. For example, do you have difficulty cleaning house, running errands, cooking, or with personal hygiene? Do you have a problem doing your job or keeping up with your work schedule? Have you had to give up leisure activities such as gardening, sports, or walking the dog?
Step 2 - Evaluate
Take a look at each task or activity on your "Can't Do" list and answer the tough question --why? Why can't you? Pain, stiffness, fatigue, decreased range of motion, mobility problems, and possibly depression may be the factors that hold you back. As you evaluate why you can't do something, take it a step further and evaluate if you are doing all you can possibly do to manage or control the factors that hold you back from doing something. For example, are you taking pain medications as prescribed? Are you exercising to improve range of motion, or using assistive devices to compensate for lost motion? Have you been advised that you need a joint replacement surgery but you have put it off? Is there anything you could be doing that you are not doing to improve the circumstances responsible for what's on your "Can't Do" list?
Step 3 - Commit
If your assessment and evaluation have shown you that you could be doing more to improve your condition or circumstances, make a commitment to do those things. That's exactly how focusing on what you can't do may improve your life with osteoarthritis. The improvement will follow the commitment.
