3 Ways To Live Your Life to the Fullest With Cancer

One of the most difficult things to hear are the three words – you have cancer.  This short phrase can stop you in your tracks and certainly change the course of your life forever. Initially you may feel nothing at all as your mind attempts to process what was just said. At some point there will be a rush of emotions that may range from fear to anger. Overwhelm can start to creep in as you are given information that isn’t part of your everyday vocabulary and you try to process it all. It is a lot and it comes very quickly.

What is important to remember is that you are not your diagnosis. You are still you. You can find ways to live with cancer and enjoy your life outside of treatments, appointments and surgeries.

Cancer brings on big life changes that may seem insurmountable. Big changes are difficult and take a lot out of a person, but there are some easy steps that can be taken right now. These steps, even small ones, can allow you to live your life to the fullest with cancer.

Create A Better Life Today

It may seem easy to say, right? But is it easy to do?

No one is saying it is easy. But when you start looking for small ways to make your life better in the moment and to bring joy into your daily life, even if you don't accomplish anything immediately, you are caring for yourself. Thinking about change sets your mind and your motivation in motion. You're not expected to just put your diagnosis aside or to just make things better today. Seeing that you can find some joy and make memories in the moment will motivate you when you face the more difficult steps.

Consider some of the following simple actions:

Write down the things you would like to do (then do them). This makes the possibility of living life to the fullest in the now more real and it not only gets your mind working but distracts it, even momentarily, from cancer. Start turning this "wish list" into real actions; do the things you want and can do now. Life is meant to be lived in the present. Now is the perfect time to get started. Each action that you take will fill you up. It will create joy in the moment. Your list will help you to move from want (inaction) into desire (action). This is important for your mental health and your physical well-being.

Close your eyes and breathe deeply. Inhale and exhale through your nose whenever you feel stressed. Stress is one of the biggest impediments to a better life. Simple stress-management techniques like this can help a lot when you are facing overwhelming thoughts or feelings and when it is time for appointments and tests. A calmer mind that is feeling less stressed can help you think more clearly and has the added benefit of supporting your immune system, which is critical when you have cancer. As you find clarity you can start to take that important action piece that will let you leave cancer behind for a few minutes or even hours so that you can feel a little more like yourself again.

List the good things you've got. This may seem trite but a good mood makes life better. Ever buy a car and start seeing that car everywhere? The same thing happens when you buy an idea or a feeling. Imagine how it will affect your frame of mind to start seeing good things everywhere and to feel a little more uplifted by what you see and do. Write a list of what is good in your life. It can serve as a reminder when things feel hard that you have more to your life than just cancer. Seeing and feeling the good will help your brain to stop sending you all the scary thoughts and feelings and instead show you the good stuff in your life. Positive thoughts create positive feelings. 

Mindset can make all the difference when you are living with a cancer diagnosis. There will be things that have to happen when you are living with cancer – appointments, surgeries, treatments and more, but this does not have to control every aspect of your life. You get to be in control of what you want to do and how you want to make the most of your life. It is important to remember that you are not your diagnosis – you are still you and you deserve to live your life to the fullest right here and now.

Kathryn White is a Certified Holistic Cancer Coach who supports women to turn their cancer diagnosis into a thriving story one woman at a time.