{"id":13937,"date":"2021-08-28T08:00:32","date_gmt":"2021-08-28T13:00:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=13937"},"modified":"2022-04-20T11:09:52","modified_gmt":"2022-04-20T16:09:52","slug":"small-steps-carry-you-a-long-way-on-cancer-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/small-steps-carry-you-a-long-way-on-cancer-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"Small steps carry you a long way on cancer journey"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you\u2019re diagnosed with cancer, your whole life changes.<\/p>\n

You have to curtail certain activities, perhaps even stop working. Treatments can tax you physically. Uncertainty can drain you mentally. Family and friends might treat you differently, even if they don\u2019t mean to.<\/p>\n

What to do?<\/p>\n

Give yourself grace<\/h2>\n

A positive attitude is an important part of your survivorship journey, but that\u2019s not easy to achieve. People aren\u2019t equipped with a button that instantly changes darkness to light.<\/p>\n

Fighting cancer is a process. So take it one step at a time. Count every small step as a victory. Remember, lots of small steps eventually take you a long way.<\/p>\n

A good place to start is being honest and gracious with yourself, said Jozie Allen, LCSW, a counselor with OSF Cancer Support Services<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t act like nothing has happened. Acknowledge your feelings,\u201d Jozie said. \u201cIf you struggle some days, that\u2019s OK. It\u2019s OK to take a break, or if you need a mental health day from work or household duties. You have to give yourself the grace to not be OK sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s OK to grieve<\/h2>\n

In some ways, cancer survivorship is similar to the grieving process<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can grieve changes in lifestyle, too,\u201d Jozie said. \u201cWhen you get a diagnosis, there\u2019s initial shock, then everything else follows: depression<\/a>, anger, fear.<\/p>\n

\u201cPart of grieving is ultimately accepting the loss, to some extent. Do you have to be happy? No. But to move through life, you come to an acceptance. You find something else to keep you active or to stimulate something similar or equal to the joy you used to have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Draw on personal experience<\/h2>\n

A good early step is to increase your self-awareness. What\u2019s most important to you? What are your goals and priorities?<\/p>\n

\u201cThink about your upbringing and what events shaped you as a person,\u201d Jozie said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who have had difficulties in the past tend to have more resilience. If you\u2019ve had any kind of traumatic or difficult life situation, draw on that. How did you make it through that difficult experience? It\u2019s a strength you can use now. Build on that.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn the flip side, maybe you haven\u2019t had those negative experiences. This, too, can be utilized as a strength when we use it to be grateful for our blessings and seek to find additional blessings during this difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Embrace your routine<\/h2>\n

When it comes to daily living, make a point to enjoy little things. A shower. A glass of juice. Five minutes reading a chapter from the Bible. A sunrise or sunset.<\/p>\n

\"Cancer<\/p>\n

\u201cBe present in the moment,\u201d Jozie said. \u201cUse your five senses. Soak in all those sounds, smells, a breeze, kids laughing. Step back and absorb those things going on around you and think about how they make you feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Setting up a daily routine can help. Establish a quiet time. Make lists. Keep a journal. Plan trips you\u2019d like to take. Exercise<\/a>. Start a small garden<\/a>. Perhaps you can even begin to incorporate some of the pleasurable things you did before your diagnosis.<\/p>\n

You begin to look forward to certain activities, and they become special. When you do them, you might even feel victorious. So why not create a chart \u2013 like the ones many parents use to incentivize good behavior by their kids \u2013 and give yourself a gold star?<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes those mundane, day-to-day tasks can bring joy back into your life,\u201d Jozie said. \u201cTry to stay connected to those things that have always brought you joy \u2013 family things, spiritual things<\/a>, hobbies. Whatever helps you find peace, do it.\u201d Jozie said.<\/p>\n

Support from others<\/h2>\n

Joining a support group<\/a> can also help.<\/p>\n

Every individual is unique, but people with cancer share a common bond of experience. They know what it\u2019s like to spend hours in waiting rooms to get poked, prodded and treated.<\/p>\n

Hearing stories from other people with similar experience can help validate your own journey. They can help mitigate your feeling of isolation. They can encourage you to keep making those small steps. Sharing your own story<\/a> can also bring you the joy of helping others.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are other people who have gone through this, or are going through something similar, and they\u2019re making it,\u201d Jozie said. \u201cYou can, too.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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