Julie Foster writes about her experience of surviving breast cancer diagnosis and treatment with a positive outlook
I wouldn’t say that surviving breast cancer is easy, but I do believe that you can choose your perspective and create an easeful experience.
I love the power of thought and have used it to create the results I want in my life for many years. I believe we all have choice, every minute of the day; to choose our perspective on any situation. Wow, that still blows me away – to know I have that much power
In April this year, I received a diagnosis of breast cancer. Prognosis for me was good as it had been discovered early, in situ (non invasive) and could be removed relatively easily. Follow up radiotherapy to prevent a re-occurrence and that’s it. You see, those are the facts – only when I attached any meaning to the facts did it start to affect my emotional state and how I was feeling.
I have learned that sitting in all emotions is necessary, not to deny any of them, they all have a purpose in our human experience. However, the decision not to sit in the lower energy feelings for too long is key to my success in dealing with breast cancer with ease.
For many years I have studied human psychology, spirituality, trained as a coach and mentor, reading many books on the subject of mindfulness and investing a lot of time and money on self-development and self-care. I honestly believe in a ‘toolbox for life’. A pool of resources that you can draw on at any time to empower you to live your life with ease.
My ‘toolbox for life’ is essential and I feel blessed to be in the position I’m in – resourceful. So, what did I draw from my toolbox when faced with the prospect of having a potentially life-threatening disease. Trust, faith, meditation, a strong foundation of beliefs, focus and support.
- Trust – trust that the universal energy field can be affected and changed by my thoughts
- Faith – that spirit is always there to help us, all we need to do is ask and be ready to receive
- Meditation – mindfulness, breathing and stillness
- Strong foundation of beliefs – choose only the beliefs that will support me and dissolve the rest
- Focus – on me
- Support – surround myself with people who will respect my viewpoint, who vibrate at a high energy level, who are like-minded in the belief that we can choose how to be at ease
So, how have the tools helped me so far? In the beginning, waiting for a clear diagnosis was difficult because of the uncertainty created as you wait for test results. Instead of allowing my mind to wander into the ‘what ifs’, I focused my intention on healing my cells through meditation. Every time my mind wandered off I bought it back to a few affirmation and prayers focusing on healing every atom of my being.
During tests, in particular a very sensitive and potentially painful biopsy, I used meditation to take me into a pain-free zone. I did have to ask the doctor and nurse to stop talking to me, I understand they were only trying to put me at ease but actually their efforts only served to induce feelings of fear.
I was amazed at the results and most grateful for the power within me to produce such results – a pain-free experience! My consultant was shocked and asked me,
“How did you do that”? I need you in my waiting room!”
The surgery required to remove the cancer meant that my body has changed forever. Body image can really blow your mind if you allow it to. So again, I choose not to allow it to affect me negatively but rather to learn to accept and love my new image; every day looking at myself in the mirror and loving what I see, really loving it not just saying it but feeling it at a deep level. Overall I have decided to live my life as normally as possible while respecting that my body needs time to heal and recover.
Using these tools and having a clear strategy has enabled me to see this experience as an opportunity to learn and help others where I can. Perhaps this is my purpose? Perhaps the universe is giving me this opportunity to experience so that I can use it alongside all my other qualities to shine brightly in the world? So my underpinning belief will carry me through this time with ease.
Surrender into the experience, go with the flow, trust that I will be supported and guided at every step of the way and ultimately will contribute to the evolution of humanity by my efforts.
