IMHO, there’s no more beautiful place than Portland in spring.  I can get through the long, gray winter knowing the blaze of forsythias and softness of cherry blossoms are on their way.  This past week we were finally treated to both.

Enjoying the fresh scent of spring earth and blossoms, it’s hard to remember that April is National Stress Awareness month.  While I wonder about the choice of April for this event, there’s no question that staying aware of stress levels and having robust stress-busting strategies are non-negotiables in this day and age….especially for cancer survivors.

You already know that stress can undermine your immune system (ever come through a stressful event and been socked with a terrible cold?)  Given how important “stress management” is to thriving after cancer, I scratch my head at some of the suggestions I see for managing stress, especially around fear of cancer recurrence or progression.  For example, this suggestion from a well-known survivor magazine article about scanxiety:  “Limit the time frame in which anxiety can build. Don’t linger at the medical facility once the scan is done.”

(Really?  Does anyone hang out at the medical facility once their scan is done?  I’d bet you have better things to do with your time.)

I don’t argue with any fear-busting strategy that actually helps. But as I stay on top of the conversation about managing cancer-related fear, I still see survivors struggling badly…and effective strategies nearly nonexistent.

That’s because the conversation about managing fear is overlooking something really important.

A few years ago I published The Cancer Survivor’s Fear First Aid Kit, which offers a simple, reliable method to take back your day from fear anytime it comes up.  It’s a good resource, and has helped a lot of people who didn’t know where to start when scanxiety or other fears would arise.

But as I continued to help survivors regain their emotional center, I realized that while it’s a great starting point, the Fear First Aid Kit wasn’t enough.

The survivors who mastered the First Aid skills got great at putting down fear in the moment (whew!)

The problem was that although they could subdue fear in that moment, it kept coming back.  It was a terrific short-term solution, but what you really wanted was a long-term solution.

You wanted a life where you weren’t dogged by fear over and over again.

Where you could fully savor your time with your children and grandchildren, without wondering whether you’ll be there to see them grow up.

Where you could make vacation plans “all-in”, without worry that something might happen between now and then.

Where you aren’t burdened with dread that this Christmas might be your last.

I’m not one to back down from such a challenge.  It breaks my heart to see cancer survivors living under a dark cloud of fear, feeling  they can’t claim the joy from the life they survived for.

So I got to work on a solution that would be effective for life…and you can learn about it in this free training.

I’ve found the key to getting you back in charge, so fear isn’t constantly knocking at your door. To giving you back the confidence to create the life you’d love, rather than having to live the life fear wants for you.

It’s possible, my friend, and you can start here, right now.

To your one precious, fabulous life,

Dr. Shani

 

PS – There will never a better time than now to learn how to give fear the boot, so you can take back your peace of mind for good.  Here’s the first step to get you started.