Looking at things with a fresh eye

Sometimes you just need a break to see things more clearly

As I mentioned before, I am looking through the final proof of From Incurable to Incredible. It’s amazing how many mistakes we are catching! Its par for the course when editing that you can find things after you haven’t looked at copy for a while. Then you can look at it with a fresh eye.

A week or so ago, I told you all that I thought I needed the read my book for inspiration. Well, this proofing process has given me that chance. Like the mistakes I found, reading its stories has helped me see things more clearly…and inspire me all over again.

I talk about all the common attributes the survivors featured in my book share. The one that seems to speak to me most these days is they never gave up. Reading these amazing people’s  stories again reminds me how they each endured incredibly long struggles. Some use the words, “emotional roller coaster,”  to describe their bumpy ride. No one beat the odds overnight and even those who remain cancer-free today  know there are no guarantees.

So yes, reading my book again is helping me as I face another scan, another uncertainty. I realize that I need to trust and be patient. For me, that means trusting God, my doctors (to a certain extent!) and myself.  Scans are just scans.  They are short-term; I (like the people in my book) am in it for the long run. Today is my birthday, and I’m happy to report I’m 47. I’m looking forward to turning 50, 60, 70 … hell, 80!

I found about a cool visualization technique from Andy Dooley, who is a “spiritual comedian and artist. He suggests playing inspirational music then visualize all the great things you want to happen in your life. I visualized in vivid detail being there for all the milestones of my daughter’s life (graduation, marriage, baby) and growing old with my husband Mike. It felt like I was watching a really sappy movie, and I started to cry (with happiness). 

I’m going to spend a few minutes every day doing this. I’d recommend you try it, too (and read the book when it comes out)! It might help you look at your life with a fresh eye.