Cancer is a life-altering experience that can leave a lasting impact on a person’s life. The journey from the life-sentencing news, through treatment can be tough, both physically and mentally. However, with the right mindset and a positive attitude, one can overcome the challenges and like many, even thrive after cancer.
Mindset is a set of beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions that shape the way we perceive life, the world and ourselves. It can be either positive or negative and can influence our behavior and decision-making process. It can be inherited from long ago based on other people’s experiences during their life. We don’t even realize all the myths imprinted, the stories we tell ourselves, often in other people’s voices, specially parents, religious figures, doctors, elderly, etc telling us their truth – that not always help us succeed.
A positive mindset can be a powerful tool in helping you thrive after cancer. From the moment you learn about it, the never-ending self-talk, going through it, and afterwards. Here’s how it can help you:
- Enhances your resilience: Starting from the idea of it, the diagnostic, go through treatment and the prognostic can all be both physically and emotionally draining. Sadly, many people decide to just just give up. A positive mindset can change the outcome even before it starts and help you build resilience to bounce back from any setback life presents you.
- Increases your motivation: Believing “this too shall pass”, will give the strength you need to continue with treatment and recovery. It can also help you stay committed to making positive changes in your lifestyle.
- Improves your overall well-being: Finding ways to stay positive doing things you love, getting inspired by others who have succeeded, can help you manage stress, anxiety, and depression. Grounding yourself back to the present can also improve your overall well-being and quality of life.
There are inspiring stories of countless people who have thrived after cancer. Here are a few:
- Lance Armstrong: a former professional cyclist diagnosed with fatal metastatic testicular cancer in 1996. After undergoing surgery and chemotherapy, he went on to win seven consecutive Tour de France titles. He founded the Livestrong Foundation, helping millions of people affected by cancer.
- Olivia Newton-John: actress and singer diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. After undergoing treatment, she became an advocate for breast cancer awareness and started the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre.
- Kris Carr: Kris Carr is a wellness activist and author who was diagnosed with a rare and incurable form of cancer in 2003. She has since become an advocate for healthy living and has written several books, including “Crazy Sexy Cancer.”
- Myself, a “normal person” just like you that thought it was the end… Awaken by cancer, I rebirth to a new life of self-discovery where I found myself and my mission to inspire and empower people to their best life.
If you or someone you know is going through cancer, here are some actionable tips to help you not only survive this phase, but thrive:
- Cultivate a positive mindset: Focus on the things that bring you joy, watch out for the “ANTs” – Automatic Negative Thoughts and override them with successful cases. Always have a positive attitude.
- Build a support system: Choose to surround yourself with uplifting people who support and encourage you. This can include family, friends, support groups, and healthcare professionals. Move away from negativity. Feed yourself with inspiring stories of overcoming challenges.
- Take care of your physical and emotional well-being: Exercise regularly (if you can), eat a healthy diet, get quality sleep, and stay present, instead of inside your head thinking bad scenarios that create stress and anxiety.
- Set goals: to stay motivated and focused on your after-recovery. Aim high but start with small, achievable goals and work your way up.
- Be kind to yourself: It is okay not to be okay… PJ days are also allowed. It’s important to allow yourself to rest when you need it and go easy on yourself if things don’t go as planned, sometimes it is for the best.
Whether you think you can or that you can’t, you are correct.
Henry Ford
Make sure you become your own advocate. Talk to the doctors, ask questions, look for a second opinion. Always choose the positive side, have a winning attitude. Believe you can do this too, as many did. Try to see things from a different perspective, reframe, aiming new possibilities.
I did it, so can you. I believe. Please do. Make a decision today that you are okay. Let’s together bring light and inspire the world. It’s much needed.
Sending you Love, Healing, Blessings & Gratitude,
SZ
P.S. Everything I talk about is based on my own surviving journey and my thriving experience. None of this substitute doctor’s advice or treatment. Those are add-ons success factors. Follow your treatment, believing those are just the steps you have to go through to get to the thriving side. Find a doctor that is optimistic and positive. They often present us statistics and numbers, but we are much more than that, discuss that too. Get a therapist and a coach also, if you can, as part of your “Thriving strategy”. This winning team should be aligned and focused on you aiming your best life.
