Everyone has heard the phrase, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Well, if you're like me you have to take it up a notch. I'm making lemonade then adding vodka so I can have a cocktail. In the metaphoric sense, this phrase suggests changing perspective. It's the mindset of taking a bad situation and finding a way to bring good to it using what you have. Sour experiences can present an opportunity to grow if we're open to it. The decision has to be made to see things differently. Depending on the situation, this can be a hard thing to do. I completely get that. I've found that overall this attitude has been essential to rise above the disruptions life has thrown at me. Specifically now as I battle breast cancer.
Dealing with breast cancer is challenging, there are phases to this journey. Each phase presents new realities. I've chosen to meet this disease on its terms and do what I can to take care of myself pulling strength from everywhere possible. That includes fighting to keep a positive attitude because there are dark days. I don't deny those dark days or act like they aren't real. I have to process the emotion and give myself space to recalibrate my attitude which is a means of changing my perspective. I control what I can control because so much of this journey is out of my control. At this phase of cancer treatment, I'm going through chemotherapy. Chemotherapy sucks and the side effects can be brutal. It takes me about a week to feel like myself after a treatment.
After my second treatment, I chose to shave my head bald because my hair was shedding from the chemotherapy. The support of family and friends has been a confidence booster and reaffirmed that I can be beautiful with or without hair and ultimately it will grow back. Through it all, I'm grateful that the cancer was detected early and it's treatable. Early detection is key and proactive engagement with our overall health is imperative.
I've accepted the fact that I must go through this process to get to the other side of this journey where my healing is. I'm learning so much about myself. I'm thankful for the introspective personal growth in this season of my life. I feel as though God has given me an opportunity to see life with fresh eyes. I have a different perspective. As much as I'd like to think there could have been an easier way to get here that didn't involve a cancer diagnosis, this was the test for such a time as this. I have a deeper spirit of gratitude, self-love, love for others, empathy, and self-discovery has been empowering. God knows best and I guess it took this test for me to get these specific lessons. I'm still learning. Growth can be painful, but I chose to believe there's a reward on the other side of the challenge. Cheers to growth!!
How has changing your view of a difficult situation helped you have a different perspective?
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