Your life is your story. Write well. Edit Often ~ A cancer survivor 

Balancing life in itself can be a challenging act. Constantly juggling between one’s work, home, money, health, and relationships. Life comes with a bid to accomplish one’s goals, but sometimes we fail to understand that there is a need to balance our lives. This isn’t just important for our health, but also for our happiness, productivity and stress management to help unleash our true potential.

Learning about a cancer diagnosis can be a very depressing discovery. This reminds me of a little girl alongside her distraught mother whom I had an encounter with at an oncology ward. She was so full of life. Regardless of the difficulties she faced during her time surviving with childhood cancer, she loved to paint, sing along to rhymes and was full of joy in general. She taught those around her to appreciate every moment of life as we cannot confidently predict what comes after. She was a source of inspiration to many, including myself.

A popular saying goes ‘you only live once’ but I dare to say you relive every day that comes your way, so make it count while cherishing every moment you have left in life. The discovery of a cancer diagnosis is many times seen as a death sentence. Especially with challenges of financial implications, work-life rebalancing, and relationships. Living life as we had known it tends to become obscure. Instead, see it as a war that needs to be fought, to one day tell your story as a strong survivor like many other counterparts. 

Why not shake down the pressure and re-balance your lifestyle!

• Time Out: 

Try as much as possible to take some time off. Time off? Yes! Take out time to just relax, reduce screen time, recharge and unwind. You could spend time taking a walk, talking to someone who is precious to you, meditating, or even just reading a book. You may be anxious about what your diagnosis means in terms of medications and medical workups or maybe the common complications of the diagnosis. Such overworking worries can have negative effects on your mental space.

• Healthy lifestyle; 

Health and well-being is not only the absence of an illness. It also involves your emotional and mental state. Try to invest in these by drinking enough water, frequent exercise, regularly eating healthy balanced meals, keeping social circles and just doing that which makes you happy in general. Nothing beats one’s happiness.

• No Bad Vibes: 

It is all about the mindset. What do you think about? what do you worry about? Flooding your mind with positive content cannot be overemphasized. How about appreciating things or people that you would have originally ignored. Try dishing out compliments freely. Avoid criticizing yourself; you are amazing! Do away with those whom you find toxic or make your lifestyle difficult as much as possible. In general, stay away from negative influences in order to settle in a place of peace and find something that keeps you happy. 

• Prioritization:

It’s technically what this discussion has been all about – balance. ‘How can I rearrange things now that my life is supposedly different?’ it’s not just about cramming how your life should be or how many things you intend to do in life. Try evaluating how much of your time you should invest in the things that really do matter to you. It could be something as basic as a night out with friends or buying a particular product of your dreams. It’s all about finding that which your energy is inclined to. Prioritise, make that bucket list! Stay focused, manage your time and prevent yourself from burning out.

• Treat yourself:

From time to time, do things that keep you all sparked up mentally and physically. Just do you. Don’t you think it’s time you scheduled that ‘vacay’ with friends or is it ‘baecation’? Go shopping, buy things that make you happy or chill out with family or go for that spa appointment you’ve been longing for. Basically, anything that you’ve been thinking of for the past…I don’t know long. Time to have that ‘Babygirl / boy lifestyle’.

•  Beliefs:

Stay informed about your diagnosis from credible sources not living life based on myths. Be in close relation with your spiritual elders and brethren to draw emotional strength.

Having all these listed out should not eliminate having a regular checkup with your doctor as it is also important to adopt any lifestyle changes recommended by the health care personnel. The search to balance life in general is all about you! It’s not based on someone else’s life but yours. Balance it according to your values, your own priorities and lifestyle.

They say ‘a problem shared is half solved’. I recommend joining a support group such as the Pearl Community or Mankind community (Oncopadi Breast and Prostate Cancer Online Support group) to aid in finding the needed support. Having conversations and guidance in a community of those who also battle balancing life in general since the discovery of their diagnosis.

Still, got questions or need further clarification? Please drop it in the comment box or chat with our psychologists directly. We would love to hear from you.

Until the next time, Sending you light and love wherever you are #Stay Safe“.

Loads of Love

xo xo

Oncopadi cares