4. Community Service: Many women find that serving others helps them to get outside of themselves, gain a sense of usefulness and accomplishment and regain a healthy perspective on life. Is there an organization where you might be able to serve on a flexible basis? Explain that your volunteering schedule has to be able to work around treatments, recovery from those treatments and rest, but that you want to help when you can. Generosity refreshes your spirit - it can be as simple as sharing your experience and hope with a fellow sufferer who needs encouragement. There are numerous ways to give back to feel whole again. Just be careful not to overdue it, and be mindful of germs, which can compromise your fragile immune system.
5. Slow Your Pace: Recognize that at some points of your cancer and treatment journey, healing and treatment have to take priority - your regular pace of life and mile-long list of activities and responsibilities are going to need an adjustment. This is a time to prioritize and set boundaries to ensure you have the time and space you need to rest and recover. Talk with other cancer patients and survivors in your support network to find out how they restructured their lives as they walked through cancer, and how they explained their needs to coworkers, family, and friends who may not understand cancer's colossal strength and energy drain.
6. Eat Well: Your body's nutritional needs are different now, and you need to eat in a way that optimizes health and healing. Although it will be tough to learn how to adjust to the new needs of your body, it is important that you do to remain as healthy as possible. If you get stuck, there are organizations and services out there that can help, such as Nutritional Solutions, a company that works exclusively with cancer patients.
7. Exercise: Check with your doctor to find out the level of exercise that is appropriate for you at each stage of your cancer journey and then take it to the limit. In addition to promoting healing in your body, exercise releases endorphins that boost your mood and relieve the stress you may not even realize you are carrying. Do what you can as your treatment schedule will allow. Even short walks and gentle yoga can have a powerful effect on your body and spirit.
8. Spirituality: A spiritual community that can support you and lift you up has been the key to peace and serenity around a cancer diagnosis for many women. If you are a member of a faith community, alert your clergy - priest, rabbi, imam or other spiritual leader - about your diagnosis and treatment process so that they can give you the support and counsel you need. Not a member of a faith community? You shouldn't have to look too long before finding one in your town. Even if you an atheist, many will happily wrap their arms around you.
9. Let Out Your Emotions: Nothing could possibly prepare you for the roller-coaster of emotions and fears that cancer brings into your life - don't avoid them! Are you angry? Damn right you are! And do you want to know something? It's not only okay to be angry, getting angry might actually help you fight this thing. Cry, scream or throw things (not at people, please) – these can all be therapeutic. Find a confidant — someone with whom you can be completely natural and authentic — who will help you to have and process these normal feelings in a healthy, sane way. If someone in your family, or your best friend isn't around, yell at the wall, pound on the ground, or squeeze a stuffed animal. Get it out!
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