When diagnosed with cancer, people often perceive it as a punishment to be borne or a death sentence. But the more you understand the cancer you will discover, how to heal from it and live a better life.
Accepting your cancer
For a lot of people a bitter part of their lives, that’s best forgotten. Is this because of the immense suffering and pain that one has to endure? Or the feeling of being dependent on others for even small needs? Or fear of loosing one’s life and leaving loved ones?
Death is biggest fear that comes with cancer. As per studies, over 50% of the people who have cancer are likely to die in less than 5 years. But what these statistics fail to tell you are those numerous people who not only survive but also thrive.
Cancer Thrivers: You can be one too
So who are cancer thrivers? They are a small minority of people who do not see their cancer as a suffering but a learning curve. They take it as an opportunity to learn more about themselves and life. They transform the cancer narrative from life-threatening to life-changing.
Through their journey they look for the deeper meaning in life and seek answers to fundamental questions: What is the larger purpose of cancer? Why does cancer actually exist? How does it fit into the larger scheme of nature?
5 Things That Cancer Thrivers Do
These are 5 characteristics that differentiate cancer thrivers from survivors or patients.
1. Reclaim your power
As you deal with the shock of cancer, it is only natural to become vulnerable and dependent on your support system. It could be your doctors, family and even your spiritual teacher but in the process, you give up your sense of power. At some point, you need to reclaim that power or you will end up living your life on other people’s terms.
2. Take the fork-in-the-road
Instead of viewing cancer as the ‘bump in the road, cancer thrivers view cancer as a ‘fork-in-the-road.’ And this fork guides your life in new directions. The stable and comfortable life that you were once satisfied with might not seem fulfilling anymore. Your cancer experience will lead you to find the new direction.
3. Access inner resources
The obvious thing to do when one is diagnosed with cancer is to gather as much information as possible. From the vast body of information, it is important to find insights that will be useful to you and then apply it. While we may look for information all around, often the most valuable insights lie within.
4. Focus on quality of life
How long will I live – is one question on the mind of cancer patients. Do you want more days in your life or more life in your days? That’s an important choice you have to make. Improving the quality of your life involves discovering what your deepest desires are and trying to fulfil them. It’s about living a life of purpose. Incidentally, when your focus shifts on quality of life, quantity also improves.
5. Offer your experience in service of others
The cancer journey is exhausting physically and mentally. But it also teaches you many life lessons. Cancer thrivers often feel a sense of compassion towards others in distress. They go a step further and try to use their experience to help others. It doesn’t matter whether they can help one person or hundred people, they are dedicated to offering selfless service.
Will You Stand Among Cancer Thrivers?
Cancer thrivers show us how cancer is not the end of the road but the beginning of something new. Do you want to be a cancer thriver? Well, the journey might not be easy but it’s definitely worth it. The new life is often free of the previous pretensions. You can derive the motivation to bring about the change from within. Alternatively, you can seek help from a cancer coach.
