Something significant happened to me a couple of weeks ago. Something that has made me stronger. A game changer! It was a very small shift in perspective, but a powerful one in helping me continue to redefine my relationship with cancer.
It all came about when I was coaching a friend. She was telling me about some difficult issues she was having in her personal life. As I heard her speak, I recognized that her focus was on things that were bugging her and so she was not able to get any traction. I challenged her to redefine her focus and think not only about what was bugging her but rather, how she wanted things to be. By clarifying what she wanted, she was able to move forward more productively.
And that’s when it hit me. I needed to do the same. I stopped focusing on the cancer and shifted my focus to living fully, with vitality and intention. By doing this, the cancer has become a very small part of my life. Yes, I have weekly hospital visits, chemo treatments, side effects, blood transfusions, etc. Yes, I have tough days. Yes, I am aware of the reality of my situation and I know what I’m up against.
But I don’t focus on this. I accept them as things that need to be done and then move on. I don’t fight it or get mad about it. And the result has been outstanding. Cancer has become a part of my life, but a very small part — one that I don’t give too much energy or attention to. Not making cancer the focal point of my life, has allowed me to focus on things I want to pay attention to and given me the bandwidth to explore what I want to do. And the possibilities are endless!
By shifting my focus, I feel energized and alive! In the past two weeks, I have built a website, started recording my third CD, spent quality time with friends, attended a reading done by a friend at The Totally Unknown Writers’ Festival at The Rivoli (http://www.liferattle.ca/festival/2012festival.html) and worked on projects around the house.
I have learnt a valuable lesson. It’s not about what challenges or issues we have in life — we all have our fair share. It’s about what we choose to focus on. When we focus our time and energy on the right things, we can accomplish extraordinary things.
– Munira.
