(HealthDay News) -- Managing a chronic illness, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, may seem overwhelming.

Here are helpful suggestions for people with a chronic illness, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:

  • Take a look at your unhealthy behaviors, and choose one or several that you want to work on and improve.
  • Come up with a specific plan and goals for dealing with each unhealthy behavior.
  • Devise alternate plans to help you stick to your goals -- for example, how to handle weather that affects your exercise plans.
  • Make sure your goals are realistic, and that you feel confident that you can reach them.
  • Talk to your doctor about your goals, and discuss your progress.