Whether you are recently diagnosed with cancer or further into the cancer journey, you are probably well aware that many issues are coming at you—and all at the same time, you are experiencing a plethora of emotions. As cancer takes center stage, specific strategies for improving hope and healing will increase your inner strength. These approaches can help cancer patients and survivors incorporate a new world for thriving.
Embrace the Essentials
Many cancer patients want treatments to diminish the disease and become cancer-free. While it may or may not be possible, gaining knowledge in the area of optimal anticancer and well-being strategies is a necessary step in the direction of thriving. These include healthy foods, quality sleep, exercise, minimizing stress levels, optimal environments, and embracing joy. As a result, ‘hope’ is present. Of note, obesity, smoking, alcoholism will not support health, healing, and a hopeful attitude.
Your Mind-Body Connection
The state of the mind impacts health and healing through the mind-body connection. Research shows that the mind does not dominate the body or vice versa. Instead, the body and mind are one. Since emotions, feelings, thoughts, beliefs, actions, behavior, and the ego impact and shape aspects of biological functioning, mind-body vitality strengthens the mental and emotional inner life that supports optimal health and healing. Mind-body strategies stimulate vibrant hope and healing. Approaches include meditation, visualization and guided imagery, a healing environment, and movement. More on the mind-body connection can be found here.
Darkness Creates Light
Over 100 years ago, physician records, textbooks, and journals showed certain common emotions in cancer patients: depression, despair, emotional loss, hopelessness, grief, and disappointment. Today, those same feelings are evident in certain cancer journeys. Those cancer patients can experience dissociation physically, mentally, and emotionally. The physical body housing cancer cells can create a sense of alienation regarding the self and other people. Unresolved, painful thoughts and feelings can cultivate disconnect internally and externally. Without the capacity to identify, stay with, move through, and express the mental and emotional reactions, people can reject themselves and others. Any suppressed, stuck emotions can become toxic to the body.
Striving to embody hope, and embracing wellness, requires an understanding of this process. Learn more about Emotions and Cancer, including scientific findings on that front, and Profound Emotional Support for Cancer Patients and Caregivers.
Zest for Life
The quest for optimal health and healing for those dealing with cancer and its many aspects can involve vulnerability and tenderness. The recognition of a shift from fear to faith, and integrating it, can take time. Help for hope requires a gentle awareness of the tools to create the environment for faith, including rest, restoring, revising, regenerate, and reviving.
Stimulating a zest for life is essential because research indicates that some cancer patients are focused on what they should do rather than what they want. In Cancer As a Turning Point, Lawrence LeShan, Ph.D., says, “What kind of life would they be living if they adjusted the world to themselves instead of—as our (cancer) patients generally have done—adjusted themselves to the world?”.
A positive mindset with various ingredients invokes clarity, which invigorates and mobilizes the immune system.
I’m Here To Help
Cancer patients and survivors do not always know where they stand in life and what will happen next. This can be incredibly frightening, not to mention exhausting.
Being proactive and engaging in actions, taking real steps to support optimal health and healing, is equivalent to turning the light on in a dark room.
We are hopeful by nature; hope is already with you on your journey—embracing that hope is a logical and life-affirming next step.
If you would like to engage in essential ways to improve your quality of life and affect your survivorship, contact me and learn more about my coaching here.
