Life is busy. We are all crazy busy. Add a cancer diagnosis and not only does it turn your world upside down, but your to-do list seems to implode...
- Treatments
- Scans
- Blood tests
- Doctor’s visits
We are constantly on the go, running from one thing to the next. That is until we are just too tired to run anymore. The cancer, the treatments, and even the care-giving wear us down. We become exhausted, adding all of these new activities to our already busy life. So we have to learn how to slow down.
I believe we can find joy in most situations. Sometimes it is burried, but if we look closely, the gift of joy is there.
Anyone that knows me, knows my love for Lake Erie. I love the beach, the water, and the sound of the waves. We have a 1960 mobile home on the coast of Lake Erie. We bought it when my husband was still alive. It was a few years after his cancer diagnosis and while I was pregnant with our son.
During all of the crazy times I had balancing his diagnosis and treatments, my busy full-time job, and a young son, the lake became my happy place. We went up every weekend during the summer. For a few days each month, I could sit down and read a book while I played with Luke and allowed myself to relax.
Opening the door to our trailer soothes my soul. The smell of the water and the sounds of the lake make me happy.
Do you have something that soothes your soul? You should. Maybe yours is a long drive, or some time with a book. Maybe it is cooking a meal, or just taking a nap. There is no magic formula or specific activity or a particular geographical location that is one-size-fits-most for what helps you relax and be you, for a moment. The place or activity that soothes your soul is more than likely that “thing” that slows down your breathing, quiets your mind, and gives you a smile.
I have found that taking a moment to reflect on what you're going through and telling yourself that you are doing your best can help ease the ebb and flow of anxiety. And usually, the place or activity that soothes your soul gives you the best opportunity to reduce overall anxiety. Practicing mindfulness and meditation in the place that soothes your soul can work magic on your stress levels. Here's an online self-compassion resource I have found that can provide the building-blocks for managing overwhelming anxiety.
I also enjoyed this quick reference on 7-Ways-to-Soothe-Your-Soul-and-Refresh-Your-Spirit.
So don’t stress about your need to slow down- see it as a gift. Find your literal "happy-place" and allow that to help soothe your soul. And, do it now.
There is beauty all around us when we slow down and take time to soak it all in.
- Treatments
- Scans
- Blood tests
- Doctor’s visits
We are constantly on the go, running from one thing to the next. That is until we are just too tired to run anymore. The cancer, the treatments, and even the care-giving wear us down. We become exhausted, adding all of these new activities to our already busy life. So we have to learn how to slow down.
I believe we can find joy in most situations. Sometimes it is burried, but if we look closely, the gift of joy is there.
Anyone that knows me, knows my love for Lake Erie. I love the beach, the water, and the sound of the waves. We have a 1960 mobile home on the coast of Lake Erie. We bought it when my husband was still alive. It was a few years after his cancer diagnosis and while I was pregnant with our son.
During all of the crazy times I had balancing his diagnosis and treatments, my busy full-time job, and a young son, the lake became my happy place. We went up every weekend during the summer. For a few days each month, I could sit down and read a book while I played with Luke and allowed myself to relax.
Opening the door to our trailer soothes my soul. The smell of the water and the sounds of the lake make me happy.
Do you have something that soothes your soul? You should. Maybe yours is a long drive, or some time with a book. Maybe it is cooking a meal, or just taking a nap. There is no magic formula or specific activity or a particular geographical location that is one-size-fits-most for what helps you relax and be you, for a moment. The place or activity that soothes your soul is more than likely that “thing” that slows down your breathing, quiets your mind, and gives you a smile.
I have found that taking a moment to reflect on what you're going through and telling yourself that you are doing your best can help ease the ebb and flow of anxiety. And usually, the place or activity that soothes your soul gives you the best opportunity to reduce overall anxiety. Practicing mindfulness and meditation in the place that soothes your soul can work magic on your stress levels. Here's an online self-compassion resource I have found that can provide the building-blocks for managing overwhelming anxiety.
I also enjoyed this quick reference on 7-Ways-to-Soothe-Your-Soul-and-Refresh-Your-Spirit.
So don’t stress about your need to slow down- see it as a gift. Find your literal "happy-place" and allow that to help soothe your soul. And, do it now.
There is beauty all around us when we slow down and take time to soak it all in.
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