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Breast cancer survivors who redefine their goals show an improved well-being overall, according to a new study.

Once the self-imposed pressure of now unrealistic goals was removed, breat cancer survivors' quality of life improved, as did their level of physical activity, Canadian researchers found.

"By engaging in new goals a person can reduce the distress that arises from the desire to attain the unattainable, while continuing to derive a sense of purpose in life by finding other pursuits of value," said an author Carsten Wrosch of Concordia University's Department of Psychology and Centre for Research in Human Development. "Abandoning old goals allows someone to invest sufficient time and energy in effectively addressing their new realities." 

The researchers were interested in looking at how to encourage breast cancer survivors to become more active. Statistics show that as many as 48 percent of breast cancer survivors are overweight or obese. They also tend to be more sedentary than women who have not been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The researchers studied 176 breast cancer survivors between the ages of 28 and 79, who were, on average, approximately 11 months past their diagnosis and close to three months post treatment. Self-reports of the individual's capacity to adjust their goals were measured at the start of the study. At the same time, the them also measured self-reports of physical activity, sedentary activity, emotional well-being, and daily physical symptoms such as nausea and pain. 

Three months later, they took a look at another round of self-reports. The study found that goal reengagement (being able to set new goals) was associated with more physical activity, less sedentary activity, increased emotional well-being and fewer physical symptoms. 

"Our research reveals that the capacity to adjust goals plays a pivotal role in facilitating not only high physical activity but also low sedentary activity and thereby contributing to overall improved well-being," said Wrosch. "Given that it is possible to influence adjustment to specific goals; it may be beneficial to integrate goal adjustment processes into clinical practice."