Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual Health
Cancer takes a toll on a person, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Our mental, emotional, and spiritual health also plays a role in our physical health, and this is an area of healing that often gets overlooked when we are dealing with cancer or another serious diagnosis. We are so focused on healing physically, that we forget to take a look at what we might need to heal mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Here, I will discuss things that I did to achieve and maintain my mental, emotional, and spiritual health throughout my journey and today, and I will explore their critical role in our overall health and wellbeing. I hope that you find advice and tools that will help you throughout your own journey and beyond.
So why am I sad?
I just got my third annual MRI results, and, thank goodness, they were completely normal. It always takes a few minutes for the news to sink in. I hang up the phone. I text Jesse and my family right away. And then the tears gently start to fall. And then not so...
Surviving a Pandemic 101: Advice from a Former Cancer Patient, Part 2
Last week, I talked about some of the more obvious things from the experience of a cancer patient that we can look to for tips on getting through the COVID-19 pandemic (find that Part 1 post here). Then there are the less visible or obvious things, which are all of...
The Dichotomy of Existence
I’m sure I am not alone in feeling like I have had a lot more time for thinking and reflection lately. In the midst of COVID-19 and having to isolate and social distance, there have been many more quiet moments filling my days than usual. And on top of that, crises...
Roots
As many will know, this winter I was lucky enough to cross something big off of my bucket list: a two-month trip to Southeast Asia. That in and of itself was extremely special; getting to see the beauty of parts of the world I had never explored before and getting to...
Valuing Where You Are At
If you’re here reading this, I likely don’t need to tell you what a rollercoaster cancer is. The emotions are intense and all over the damn place. The initial fear, shock, and disbelief eventually give way to confusion and different fears, likely some anger and...