I’m not really sure why I am writing on this subject, other than I feel like I need to. It’s a bit more personal than my usual posts and probably will sound like a sermon.

I truly believe that our thoughts (when we dwell and encourage them) become our words, and “death and life are in the power of the tongue”. Our words frequently become our actions. Before I got cancer, I used to say, “I’ll die from cancer if I don’t get hit by a bus first,” when talking about my own mortality. Did my thoughtless words become a negative prophecy on my own life? I don’t know – but it didn’t help. My attitude was too casual, too glib.

Being told you have stage IV cancer has a way of making you sit up and notice. What have I done with my life: Have I done anything important in the time I have been given so far? What will I be remembered for? Where will I go eternally? What can I do to stay here longer? I’m not afraid to die, but I don’t want to go just yet. What am I supposed to learn from this? Is it even about me or is it someone else’s lesson to learn? Sigh. Anyhow – back to attitude. On the days that I was angry, I noticed that my pain was worse, I didn’t want to get out of bed. On the days I could find something -anything to be grateful for, I had a little more energy. Again, thoughts become words become actions. So thinking, then saying, “I can do this, I can beat this,’ became the actions of ‘I must move, I must eat’ and now here we are, 2 and a half years later and I am cancer free. Let me be clear: my attitude didn’t heal me – that was Jesus, chemo, radiation, surgery, and amazing healthcare staff. But having the right attitude made things better in every way.

When we grumble and complain, does it really change anything? Yes, it feels great to vent sometimes, but all it really does is reinforce our attitude of entitlement. On the other hand, gratitude has been shown to improve mental health by increasing positive emotions, encouraging social connections, and even helping protect you from the effects of stress.

When you are struggling, how do you make yourself be grateful? There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for. When I started looking (OK, OK – googling) into how to become more grateful, I came across this article from Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/going-beyond-intelligence/202301/10-ways-to-feel-grateful-every-day?msockid=380f9b386aff618605928e816b07608a

The benefits of gratitude: more energy, better sleep, better physical health, enthusiasm, optimism, empathy, popularity (LOL!), higher levels of success, resilience, mindfulness, contentment, and happiness. Cause you know we all need to be more popular!!

Attitude truly is everything. Please know that I am so grateful to all of you who read my little posts and have responded.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.”