Chronic illness and life threatening diseases put one in a battle for their life. A will to live can defy medical odds. Being in a positive state can promote healing by stabilizing hormone levels, raising immune response and can lower stress hormones. These factors and many others can help slow down and even stop some disease processes.

Having something to live for can give you power to triumph over your ailment. Remember, it doesn’t have to be one big thing you focus on. Some people work better with just one or only a few larger goals to work towards, some people need to rotate the many smaller goals. Know which works best for you. Make a list of things you want to be able to do and a list of things you feel ya just gotta to get done!

Sometimes just feeling there’s something you need to complete or you’ll never rest can be a motivating factor for many people. Now after you have your list, don’t worry about deadlines, just focus on living and doing well so you can meet your goals and slowly check stuff off your list!

There have been many studies about cancer patients who extended their lives by things they wanted to get done for their loved ones. About chronically ill people who will themselves to feel better to accomplish something important to them. Looking forward to doing something or feeling a feeling a sense of accomplishment raises Serotonin levels [your brains happy chemical]. When you do that you set off a positive domino healing factory in your body.

So even if the disease seems overwhelming, focus on your ultimate goals and not all the little details. Keep the the small stuff in the blur of your vision, because they don’t need your energy as much as your end result does. Don’t be a person that finds it hard to see the forest through the trees.