Many life lessons have presented themselves throughout my life. I wish to take a moment to reflect on some of these lessons and share them with you. I don’t know why cancer happened and perhaps I will truly never know. Truthfully, allowing the mystery to remain a mystery has been one of the hardest things for me to accept. And perhaps this is one of the most intriguing elements of life and faith; trusting each step without fully knowing where we will end up.  Please feel free to share with me a powerful life lesson you have had and together we can share what we have learned so far.

1. Search for self-worth that goes beyond what the world reflects back at you.

2. This search requires help. Alone is too hard. “The secret to the life of a tree is that it remains rooted in something deeper than itself.” Brother Lawrence

3. Choose friends that are life-giving. Not life draining. No one else is in charge of choosing your friends but you.

4. Learn to say no. Practice it out loud if necessary and learn your own boundaries. If someone will not accept your “no” then consider their motivations.

5. Become your first priority in a health crisis. This is not selfish. It is self-care.

6. Find an outlet and take time to play. Perhaps it is a talk outlet? Exercise outlet? Or a Create outlet? This time is essential as “work”.

7. Every day pick 2 ordinary things to appreciate. Say them out loud or to a friend.

8. Shout out an I LOVE YOU at least 2x a day to the ones you love. Fully express it. Don’t wait, there may not be another chance to do it.

9. Gratitude and faith changed everything. It transformed my perception of the challenges in my life from negativity to opportunity.

10. Happiness is a choice. No one is in control of your contentment. Internalize words that affirm and not ones that destroy.