sanity
Breathing Space
I’ve been in a state of overwhelm lately. It’s not all bad, it’s just a lot. A lot to take in, a lot to think about, a lot to do. And still, I’m supposed to sleep every night? Nah, when everyone else is sleeping is the one time I can think. I’ve got several posts […]
What are you looking for?
I’ve written about my gratitude practice a few times lately, and one of the things it has most reinforced for me is that you find what you’re looking for. This video has been making it’s rounds of the internet lately, and for good reason. It’s lovely, and it’s inspiring. it’s worth the three minutes to […]
Letting the moss grow
a lesson in mindfulness, and enjoying right now.
Grateful for gratitude
My gratitude journal started out as a quick list every night. I just got in the habit of listing 5 things for which I was thankful each night before bed
Contending with change
These are big changes that impact programs that were built with sweat, tears, and heart by unpaid volunteers. They are mucking about with, what is for many of us, our safe place. But I went home feeling ok about the situation, not because I agree with everything that has been decided, but because of the way the announcement and the subsequent activities were handled.
Normalizing – in a good way
“People give you 3 months to mourn, and a year to have cancer, then they expect you to get back to normal.” I don’t know where I heard this quote first, but I’ve experienced the truth of the statement both in terms of mourning and cancer recovery. It’s not that I’m faced with the reality […]
Reset
Spring cleaning Spring Break New year – well in some cultures, but I’ll take it. Even Easter and Passover speak of fresh starts. Time to stop and take a deep breath. It doesn’t matter that I’m not at a good stopping point; when does that ever happen? Mommy needs a time out. Mental margarita Everything […]
Letting go of the illusion of control
I like to think of myself as having superpowers. My favorite superpower is the ability to make things go away by not believing they are true. I’ve had a lot of practice using this superpower; I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer while I was still breastfeeding my baby.
I have a lot of practice using this superpower, but not much success.
One of the first things that hits you over the head with a cancer diagnosis, after confronting your mortality, is the understanding that you are not in control. Control is an illusion. That is a very difficult concept around which to wrap your brain.
Not Now
let’s face it: sometimes NOW sucks. Sometimes it’s downright unbearable. If I lived only for the moment, I wouldn’t have gone through chemotherapy. If now was all that mattered, I’d eat chocolate all day.
Dear Gem – Month 23
Today is the one year anniversary of my cancer diagnosis. This is actually a big day for me. It’s the anniversary of the day my life was turned inside out, and it has put me on a wild emotional roller coaster ride. Thinking about this cancerversary has eaten up all my energy and focus lately – […]