I find that the words "You have ..." can be life changing.
I struggle with why so many of us wait for the diagnosis of some disease in order to take positive steps to change our lives. I know change is hard for everyone, especially when you hear "You have..." For some it may be "You have diabetes, HIV, heart disease or a drinking problem ?" for me, it was when I heard, "You have cancer."
In fact, after having cancer twice, I've learned that hearing the words "you have" can result in kick-starts to positive changes and doing something different in life. So where to start? Denial is great, but it only goes so far. I tried it for a while and it just furthers the attitude of becoming a victim. In fact, I learned quickly that self-victimization gets you nowhere. Why be a victim when you can be a leader? Life is NOW, and we have the power to change now. So why wait?
No doubt it is difficult to make changes to a daily diet, quit smoking cigarettes, cut back on coffee or get more sleep every night, but would you rather feel the pain of trying to change these things or the pain of suffering the health-related consequences? Making changes before hearing "you have," can prevent the diagnosis. The difficulty is learning how. Challenge yourself and dare to do something different every day. The key to sustaining change lies in the repetition of doing something to take care of yourself each and every day.
Each thing that you do is a daily victory to be celebrated and cherished no matter how small that one thing seems. For me, change began when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 as a 27-year-old. Now that I am 31 and cancer-free, I am daring others to think about how we can take a stand and push ourselves to make decisions that change our life before a diagnosis. I'm also daring others who have been diagnosed to continue to maintain those goals, even if their condition persists for a lifetime. Lastly, I'm daring those in the supporting role to be there for another person. They should be there to remain strong and be that beacon of light to help another rise up and overcome their obstacle.
The answer for me going through bouts one and two of my cancer diagnosis was LIVESTRONG.ORG. For me, LIVESTRONG means to take the help offered and follow through with what is necessary. Yes, it means heeding the doctor's advice even if it is the most difficult thing in the world to do. Now that I'm on the other side of cancer, I continue to find support and comfort in LIVESTRONG.COM. Taking the LIVESTRONG approach has positively impacted my life and the many lives of others faced with challenges. The site's DARES help make a difference in our health.
I have a new perspective on life and I hope that no one ever has to go through what I went through to gain the clarity and the perspective that I now have. Unfortunately, the reality is that many will.
I dare you to LIVESTRONG daily before and after diagnosis. I dare you to change your diet. I dare you to run a marathon. I dare you to quit smoking--and if you are already successfully doing these things, I dare to you help others. At the heart of the site is the belief in helping yourself and helping others.
Change is difficult, but there is peace in everything. You just need to be open--dig deep inside and know that the power to change is in you now.
If your changes lead to a happier, healthier you, you win and hey, who doesn't like to win?
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