This blog is about being resilient. I took a bad experience, breast cancer, and used it to toss out anything that was negative in my life to create balance. I started the journey overweight, unhappy and stressed and ended up where I am today: in a great shape mentally and physically, looking ten years younger and feeling stronger. I plan to share my tips with you, my readers, and invite you to share yours. This is not about just fighting cancer, although much of the content will address it and, specifically, fighting breast cancer. I want it to be about more, about reinvention and about tossing out things that are weighing you down and turning the negative into a positive.
Believe me, I am not an every day Pollyanna. Viewing the cup half full versus half empty has always been a challenge. It took a kick in the butt, excuse me, a punch in the chest, to make me realize half full is much better than half empty.
Today, 18 months after being diagnosed, both my cups are quite full. I just finished my last round of breast reconstruction, have a clean bill of health, started a new company, The Connected Table, started this blog and am working on a companion book by the same name. That sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? Well, I did not do it all at once. I took small steps.
Whether you have just been diagnosed, are in the middle of treatment, or in recovery, here is my one tip for today: Whatever seems overwhelming right now can be managed if you take baby bites. Don’t tackle everything at once. Remember when your mother would say, “Don’t stuff your face! Chew your food slowly!” It makes sense. If you eat the whole pie or eat too much too fast, you are going to feel sick. Take one slice and savor it.
So, my advice today us this: Take one thing on your cancer “to do” list and focus on that only. Then take the rest of the day to do anything else you need to do, or want to be doing.
Remember, if you try and grab too many candies out of the candy jar your hand might get stuck. Don’t get stuck trying to do too much too soon in too little time.
How do you manage to control your cancer-time so it does not take over your life?
Thank you!