Whilst I’ve written about Cancer before, I’d like to acknowledge it’s power on World Cancer Day. When it enters a life, it changes everything. It wreaks havoc, nothing will be the same again. The word ‘Cancer’ has enough power to create fear, helplessness, lack of control, desperation, amongst many, many other emotions. Everyone’s reaction to cancer and it’s impact will be unique to them. The person that’s been impacted by Cancer, be it the patient, the carer, the partner, the friend, the daughter, the sister, the son, the mother, the father, everyone will have a different response, but they can all be treated with kindness and compassion, with recognition for their spirit – as one of the most common wishes is for life to return to what it was like before cancer.
As I reflect on my own journey, both as patient and carer, I’ve devised a 5 step approach, focussed on what enabled me to thrive after cancer, and an approach that I believe can be applied to life after adversity in general.
Acknowledgement and acceptance of the emotions that are present. I felt anger, fear, despair and a host of other emotions that impacted my mind, body and soul. I know now that all these emotions were valid and had a huge role to play in shaping who I would become.
Control – acknowledging loss of control in some area’s, but fighting for where I did have control. What could I influence? What could I adapt to? In which area’s could I choose my response?
Find the Sunshine – Who were my people? Which experiences would lift my soul? Where is the light in this situation? People surprised me, in a good way and in a way that hurt.
What’s the gift? What’s the learning? How will my life be different after this experience? Where is the richness? I chose to find the gift as a coping mechanism and a means of survival.
What now? How will I use this experience to thrive? What will be different in my life? I have made a number of changes in my life as a result of this experience – the most significant is setting up a business to share my experience and empower those that I work with to navigate their way through adversity in a way that’s meaningful for them. Challenges are an essential part of life, but we always have a choice in how we respond.
Cancer has been the most enriching experience of my life as it made me STOP. Through the suffering I learnt a lot about myself, at times it broke me, at times it lifted me, it made me appreciate the power of the simple things in life that we can take for granted. It challenges me still today, in a different way, and I have the perspective that enables me to use it in a way that drives me to thrive. I will not let it break my spirit and I will not let adversity break the spirit of those that I coach or mentor through the challenges that we will all inevitably face at some point in our lives.
If you would like to know more about using this 5 to thrive approach within your business or on an individual basis, please drop me a line.