“Seeking happiness outside ourselves is like waiting for sunshine in a cave facing north.”
Happy bird in Berlin – photo by howlzap Cologne

I was disappointed to say the least that my bladder cancer had again returned in October 2022. Although I’m usually pretty positive by nature it still took me a while to digest the news and steady myself for the next chapter. It’s happened before but it’s never easy. I set about changing my feelings of dreading the next steps to acceptance and trust in the new therapy.

I looked inside through meditation and writing this blog and:

  • Acknowledged the thoughts and feelings
  • Used my breath to calm myself
  • Trusted the mind body connection
  • Raised my own vibes a notch or two

I looked outside for new or different input to inspire and support me:

  • Kris Carr (whose cancer tips I’ve followed for years) released a very timely ‘Cancer guide’ and despite being familiar with a lot of it I’m finding it extremely helpful and worth every penny. Interviews with big names in cancer research and healing, practical tips and wonderful meditations.
  • Katie Phillips has a podcast that I started following. Talking with Cancer – she started recording a conversation that she shared with friends and family – like an oral blog. She’s made it into a podcast inviting guests and reporting on her own rare thyroid cancer journey. Her positive outlook is infectious and the good humour and straight talking makes the podcast a pleasure to listen to. I was particularly taken by how she was positively looking forward to starting treatment and it inspired me to welcome not dread my own.

Positive energy makes a difference to everything. We can’t change what happens to us but we can change our attitude to it. Inspiration is good but ultimately as a Tibetan proverb goes:

“Seeking happiness outside ourselves is like waiting for sunshine in a cave facing north.”

Those positive vibes and happiness are an inside job.