Letting the light in

Let the light shine in ...

I was just mentioning to my daughter how the days are getting longer. I no longer drive her to school in the dark, and I’ve noticed  it’s still light out when my husband comes home from work. Sometimes when we’re in the darkness, it’s hard to remember, that this too will pass and light will come. My experience is, with my ups and downs from cancer, is that the darkness does pass and I can enjoy my life and lightness as it comes. Today’s guest post from Lexi Soulios shows us how we can bring light into the darkest situations:

If you find it difficult or scary to entertain hope, here are a few ideas to help:

1. Consider the Possibilities. Just because you are afraid does not mean that you’re headed on a track towards the worst possible outcome. Rather than miring yourself in negative projections, try opening up to the many possibilities that lay before you.

2. Focus on relationships. While everyone needs some alone time, isolating is a sure path down a slippery slope. Spend time with people who accept and love you the way you are. Share meals with friends and family. The more you can feel connected with others, the more naturally hopeful and positive you will become.

3. Choose to Feel. If you try to repress or ignore your emotions, they get stuck and eventually shut you down or cause you to lash out unfairly at others. If you can instead feel whatever comes up (e.g., fear, sadness, confusion, anger, jealousy) when it arises, you’ll remain much clearer to see the goodness in your life.

4. Trust Yourself. Believe in your own resourcefulness and creativity to handle whatever comes your way. This will help lift anxieties about the future and give you confidence in your ability to turn things around.

5. Make a plan. Find out all the information you need and start setting up a plan. It’s much easier to relax and feel hopeful when the most pressing or nerve-wracking decisions have already been dealt with.

6. Accept What Is. And sometimes what is, is difficult. Hope isn’t about avoiding what’s real. It’s about knowing that good is still possible, no matter what things look like at the moment.

Lexi is the Outreach Coordinator at Jeans Cream  http://www.jeanscream.com. Jeans Cream is a rich, smooth cream created by a two-time breast cancer survivor. It has helped more than 20,000 people cope with radiation side effects, eczema, psoriasis, sunburn and more. Lexi writes for the Jeans Cream blog, which offers hope, support and comfort to anyone dealing with a major illness.