Goals...Today, Tomorrow, and Beyond

Thanks so much everyone for your continued thoughts, prayers and wishes. I am continuing to work my way through everything...heading into the new year.  I feel very positive about 2013!  I think a lot of great things are going to happen. 

I am not really one for making New Year's resolutions. I mean really, let's admit it, we aren't going to stick to those silly resolutions. We never do! We all want to lose weight, we all want to exercise more, we all want to eat healthier...blah, blah, blah.

I will be honest...I have more than enough moments where I grab some fast food, or gorge myself with cheesecake, or grab yet another 32 oz. gas station pop only because I am feeling sorry for myself.. because I "have cancer."  Well boo-hoo Lori, that is just plain silly!  But isn't that what we do, make excuses for unhealthy habits?   What I have found for me is that the better I feel about myself, the more likely I am to take better care of myself. 

So this year, I have decided to make some goals.  Goals to help me feel better about myself and goals to stay healthy. I have started a list on my phone so it will give me pop-up reminders.  The list is not complete, of course, because I think it needs to be ever changing.  Some goals will be met, some goals may need modified, and new goals always need to be added.  Here are a few of my goals I would like to share...
*Take a moment everyday to thank God for the blessings that breast cancer ended up giving me, and thank God for all of the people who have touched my life and prayed for me since my diagnosis.
*Joining Ann Curry in doing 26 random acts of kindness.  Check out helpothers.org for great ideas!
*Become a volunteer for American Cancer Society's "Reach to Recovery" which is a peer support program where breast cancer survivors offer comfort and support to those who are coping with their diagnosis. 
*Participate on the Dirty Girl Mud Run team created in my honor
*Okay, okay...and only ONE Coke Zero a day!  ONE!
    
I want to challenge you to make your own list of goals. Start small, see if it works for you.
AND whether you make a list or not...there are TWO very important goals I want all of you to make this year for yourself! 
#1 Do monthly breast exams.  Here are two websites to help you.
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-self-exam
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam/bse_steps
#2 Schedule your annual mammogram

We have to continue to not only educate each other but encourage each other to take care of ourselves. 
Take care of yourself and have a happy and flourishing 2013!
Enjoy the special moments!!













Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bravery in the Moments of Brokenness

Image
What is Bravery? Dictionary.com says that bravery is an admirable quality of being able to confront frightening things. I think everyone has the capacity to be brave. You are really only confined by the walls that you put up around yourself. Those who may not feel like they are brave, probably have amazing bravery within that maybe they just haven't had to face yet.  I have many people say to me, I don't know how you do it.  You are tougher and braver than I am, or could ever be.  Well that is just silly...I really don't think I am tougher or braver than you or anyone else.  I just have to be.  As you know, this year has been rough.  I had a new breast cancer tumor removed in April.  In July, I started having new pain in my sternum which led to changing my treatment plan.  I was unable to get in the clinical trial I wanted. Meanwhile, two new cancer spots on my ribs began to grow. So I started Xeloda, a c...
Read more

Finding Grace in the Midst of the Next Storm

Sometimes the fog begins to fade, the strings holding the stress slowly loosen. The medicine is working, and the body has adjusted the best it can to the side effects.  Some kind of new normal has gradually settled in, but then suddenly in one long day, you find yourself broken again, trying to find grace in the midst of the next storm.  Cancer has no boundaries.  Cancer takes no consideration of your feelings.  Cancer takes on your strength as it opponent.  Cancer has challenged me for four years now.  It has challenged my body with treatments and surgeries that have left me to continue to rebuild a body that is broken. It has challenged my emotions, taking me to dark places of brokenness that only God and the love of my husband, kids, family and friends can pull me out of.   It has challenged my feelings as I have learned of the new cancer diagnoses of two friends and mourned the lo...
Read more

Starting Chemo...The Search for Miss Wiggly

Image
I believe that waiting to see if, when and how much of my hair is going to fall out is kind of like Ben and my boys (who are loyal Purdue fans) waiting to see if Indiana University will win the National Tournament or just how far they will go.  I am not going to lie to you, the thought of losing my hair sickens me. But I have a new friend, Miss Wiggly.  She is quietly waiting on her stand in my bedroom to keep her fluffed and beautiful.  I have asked her not to stare much at me right now when I walk into the room.  Our bond isn't that strong yet...we just met a week ago. And there is always that chance that I may not even need her. You see, my hair loss is unpredictable.  They say that I could lose a little hair, a few clumps of hair, or possibly... probably all of it. I started my first of twelve weekly Taxol chemo treatments on March 7....
Read more