Five simple, doable resolutions for the New Year from a breast cancer and melanoma survivor.
BY Barbara Tako
PUBLISHED December 31, 2017
Barbara Tako is a breast cancer survivor (2010), melanoma survivor (2014) and author of Cancer Survivorship Coping Tools–We'll Get You Through This. She is a cancer coping advocate, speaker and published writer for television, radio and other venues across the country. She lives, survives, and thrives in Minnesota with her husband, children and dog. See more at www.cancersurvivorshipcopingtools.com,or www.clutterclearingchoices.com.
Hey, I am still here!
Seven and a half years after breast cancer and four years after my melanoma. I am deeply grateful to be here. There has been sadness and loss — 2017 was not one of my better years. There has been chemo brain, fatigue, arthritis, the death of my mom, a move, recovery from a broken foot … and I am still here. I like to think about New Year’s resolutions this time of year. I think it is positive to look forward and make a plan. What about you? As a clutter clearing speaker-author, I try to make my resolutions fewer, simpler and more doable each year. Here are mine:
Reduce my self-beating. This has been hard-wired into many of us and we can work on it. Life is short. Cancer survivors know this, but still some of us say those “not good enough” critical words to ourselves regularly. After my first cancer diagnosis, I make more effort to let go of the guilt or worry that somehow I caused the cancer too. Recently, I tested positive for a genetic defect related to cancer called PALB2. Self-beating is hurtful and unproductive. If I wouldn’t wish it on a friend, why did I do this to myself?
No comments:
Post a Comment