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Sometimes, little things can create big changes. My new column for HealthCentral shares tips on how to change your life:

“Last year, an article I wrote for HealthCentral inspired me to create a new way to improve my life and achieve my goals (despite the overwhelming mountain of stuff that comes with living with rheumatoid arthritis): I call it #3Things. Here’s how it works:

Every month, I choose three things to focus on—one for the body, one for the soul, and one that is prosaically called “miscellaneous.” To help me stay on track (hello, accountability!), I invite my personal Facebook-peeps to join me by sharing their own #3Things. We get really small with the choices. For instance, last January, my “body” goal was to drink more water; in February it was to make green smoothies. My “soul” goal has ranged from meditating to getting outside every day to playing with my camera. And most months, for that last hodgepodge category, I inevitably come back to a two-minute tidy to keep down the chaos in my home. This is quite literally what it sounds like—spending two minutes (no more) straightening up an area that needs it. It’s something I can do most days, even the bad ones.

We track our daily progress and get together every Saturday morning on Facebook to talk progress and cheer each other on. It’s been a resounding success!

Instead of setting big, vague goals that I give up on three weeks into January, chipping away at these small specific ones has helped me be successful in ways I haven’t been before. For instance, I usually procrastinate on my taxes, agonizing at the last minute, and getting them in late. Last year, I started gradually pulling all the information together in early March and sent them in long before the deadline. No more tax stress. And for anyone who thinks two minutes is not nearly enough time to make a dent in anything, consider this: Once my mini tidies had dealt with the surface chaos, I started digging into drawers and shelves. One year later, my home is organized and calm. Yes, it took an entire year to get there, and I could get lost in the frustration of being slowed down by RA. Instead, I have focused on the joy of every week getting a little bit further. There is something to be said for feeling accomplished on a regular basis!”

Read more about how my #3Things have changed my life more than ever on HealthCentral.