EMBRACE the CHANGE with GRACE

Every move is tough and challenging, but you know what, CHANGE is sometimes a good thing….Because it can make us strong, keep us spirited, and help us evolve…So let us embrace “CHANGE” with “”GRACE”

Today as the “Month of Change” – October – Comes to an end – and we bid Goodbye – allow me to share with you the Journey of CHANGE of a remarkable personality – who deserves to be applauded for embracing the Changes in her life with grace when CANCER knocked at her door !

Yes…You heard me RIGHT…She is a CANCER Survivor…and as most of us know that the month of October is symbolic of CHANGE – I took the opportunity to share HER STORY of COURAGE & CONFIDENCE today 🙂Change is certainly not easy – especially when it follows CANCER – More often as the days progress after the diagnosis – the Life “Before Cancer” (B.C) just seems like a fleeting reality…But my friend Theresa is DIFFERENT –  KNOCKED CANCER right into the face 🙂

She is Theresa Agnes – A nurse by profession – An angel at Heart – A mother who believes in Miracles – A friend who is a guiding angel at all times ~ for me she is truly an INSPIRATION !!!She is a Women of Substance – who strongly believes that there is LIFE after CANCER…& it is BEAUTIFUL !!!

“When you hear the word ‘CANCER,’ it’s as if someone took the game of Life and tossed it in the air. All the pieces go flying. The pieces land on a new board. Everything has shifted. You don’t know where to start”

These are the words of Regina Brett – I bet you will agree with me that these are the exact words & emotions experienced by anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer.

As I share my thoughts today…I recall the earlier days…When Theresa shared the DEADLY NEWS with me… She was upset & angry – Scared & worried…and beyond a doubt “Clueless” of her future…This is exactly how the battle with CANCER started for Theresa 😦

The enemy caught her by Surprise and Smiled on her vulnerability & weakness everyday.

Even today her memories (of the very first sign of her cancer detection) come floating by when anyone communicates with her about her journey – 12th September 2013 – The date still fresh in her mind – Because the date of diagnosis often serves as wake up call to start living life to the fullest.

For most of us, it is a call that makes us value each moment & cherish every memory…Same was the case with Theresa. NOW onwards, She wanted to LIVE her Life to the FULLEST.But before she arrived at this conclusion – she underwent a roller coaster ride of negativity and denial. When she was diagnosed and had to embrace the CHANGE that CANCER would bring about in her life – she was shattered – life was all gloomy and sad.

The word CANCER seemed like the END – of her DREAMS & DESIRES.

Staying buoyant was a challenge that she faced each day in her life.

Acceptance of the news that we have CANCER drains us completely and it gets all the more exhausting when the chemo sessions and many other procedures start. And no matter how your prognosis – every journey has its own twists & turns and only YOU alone have to walk it down – Fight the battle & win it for yourself.

The day Theresa realized that she ALONE is the ONE who has to WIN this battle – Was the Day she embraced CHANGE.

I see Theresa as a warrior – A true spirited fighter – and when she is POWERFUL – there is no one who can defeat her – not even CANCER.

Theresa was a nurse and it goes beyond saying that her occupation encouraged her to give a lot of importance to awareness & self-examinations of symptoms to detect any disease in its early stages and nib it in the bud before the disaster strikes. This is the precise reason why Theresa was fortunate to diagnose herself at the earlier stages much before cancer could create more havoc in her  life.

Did she WIN the battle ?

YES, she did because as I said earlier – She has always been a warrior all her life and in no way she was going to give up even though her opponent this TIME was someone who was more POWERFUL theoretically speaking.

Theresa – Brave Warrior 🙂Did she win it alone – Technically speaking YES?

But deep down in her heart, she knows that it is her strong support system that made this POSSIBLE. When I asked her about her Miraculous Support system – She just Smiled and said – For my success I own my gratitude to God – Al Mighty – My Biggest Strength 🙂

The faith that I am a child of GOD … He has a better plan for ME…is what kept me going…Theresa calls herself – CHILD of GOD 🙂

She is blessed with a supportive Family and compassionate friends and she firmly believes that their words of encouragement have been a pillar of strength for her. To add to this are her kind and caring coworkers.

In the words of Theresa – “One thing that I do suggest is that anyone dealing with a life-threatening illness like cancer should be open about their disease & diagnosis in the work place –This helps us to get constant support should the need arises”

And the MOST important Support System that helped her fight & WIN this battle was – Her INNER STRENGTH.Being HOPEFUL – leads us to POSITIVITY & INNER STRENGTH 🙂

Indeed I feel this is the biggest link in the support system. No matter how supportive our family friends and coworkers are – if we are not positive – then we lose the battle even without making an attempt to win. Always believe in the POWER of POSITIVE THOUGHTS 🙂

Every POSITIVE THOUGHT is a SILENT PRAYER which will CHANGE your LIFE !!!We must always thank our INNER CONSCIOUS for our SUCCESS 🙂

When someone advises a cancer patient to “Think Positive” or “Be Optimistic” during his/her struggle with cancer, it is easier said than done – for we know that cancer isn’t all rosy and beautiful. But you know what – Being Positive is the STRENGTH that keeps them going. And the other bonus that women enjoy is that they are STRONGER than their male counterparts – and this is what MAKES IT WORK MIRACLES FOR THEM !!!

Theresa was a very OPTIMISTIC during her DIFFICULT times…Yes she was in PAIN…But she never lost her FAITH in the MIRACLES & WONDERS of GOD 🙂 Ever Smiling & Positive was her ATTITUDE towards LIFE even in the DARKEST phase of her LIFE !!!Theresa is an epitome of COURAGE & CONFIDENCE – So many LIFE LESSONS can be learnt from her JOURNEY…Today I share with you THREE SECRETS that led Theresa towards her VICTORY !!!

• Having a Positive outlook and maintaining a Healthy lifestyle is the secret to winning your battle against CANCER.
• Surrounding yourself with positive people and positive conversations goes a long way in this race against CANCER.
• And last but not the least – Distancing yourself from the gloomy mindset – this is the TOP-SECRET ––- for once you get blocked in the negative mindset that there is no life after CANCER – it can be really hard to get yourself out from the whirlpool of this negativity.

Here is a Beautiful Connect to Life – An Anchor that helped Theresa stay cheerful whenever Cancer made an attempt to scare her. When she had her first brush with CANCER – Theresa wrote a Miraculous Note to herself that helped her “Embrace the Change with Grace”

“I DESIRE to live a Beautiful & Dynamic life.

I am a WINNER – I CAN & I WILL WIN every Battle .

There is no one stopping ME – I am unstoppable !!!”

If she can – So can YOU – This is the message that must REACH far & wide…and Let us ANCHOR the BUTTERFLY CONNECT to the FIGHT against CANCER…Like a BUTTERFLY we can LIVE a BEAUTIFUL LIFE…

But first we must learn to have FAITH in the COCOON phase of our JOURNEY…Dark & Scary…it is …But one day…I will be FREE…This is my FAITH…and I strongly BELIEVE…This too shall pass…and when the TIME comes…I will BREAK OPEN the COCOON myself & FLY away to NEW WONDERS of LIFE 🙂 ❤ 🙂Let us unites with a purpose and as we do so…Let us pledge to share a “Message of Hope” that “There can be Life after Cancer” for it is this simple yet powerful Message that will inspire optimism in those who are waging a brave fight against cancer.

INSPIRE HOPE – Beautiful Life awaits YOU 🙂Surviving Cancer is not the end of a gruesome story. It is the Beginning of a Beautiful one 🙂

As I take your leave TODAY – I HOPE you are INSPIRED by this BRAVE WARRIOR – Spread her MESSAGE…Let HOPE knock on doors where FEAR resides…Let LOVE reach those hearts where DEPRESSION resides…and then let FAITH come sit by YOU…and make you SMILE 🙂

❤ FAITH 🙂 HOPE 🙂 LOVE ❤Keep them CLOSE to your HEART 🙂

Come my Friends – Say CHEERS to New Connect & a New Beginnings !!! It’s TIME to celebrate our VICTORIES…Because there is Life after CANCER…Be HOPEFUL 🙂Let us light the Candle of HOPE and INSPIRE a LIFE !!!