Being diagnosed with any illness is a scary confusing time. It is a time which makes it harder for us to focus on all the good in our lives. During my journey with TNBC I found it was so important for me to direct my thoughts towards healthier and more positive thoughts. This was a far better alternative than letting negative thoughts consume me.
Here is how I stayed positive after I was diagnosed with TNBC. I constantly looked at ways to switch my perspective when I was hit with negativity and attempted to find a more positive way of thinking when new developments came to light. This wasn’t always easy and it did take time and practice but it was what really helped me get through.
TNBC Diagnosis – Staying Positive
When I first found out I had TNBC I was pretty devastated. TNBC has different characteristics to hormone positive breast cancer and as one of my friends put it -‘It wasn’t the best one to get’.
A quick search on google will tell you that it is rare, generally more aggressive and it has lower surviver rates than hormonal positive breast cancer. It is also more likely to have spread beyond the breast at the time it’s found, and there’s a higher chance it will come back within the first 3 years after treatment.
On The Flip Side however once these milestones are passed the odds of beating it are about the same as or better than someone with any other types of breast cancer.
Although triple-negative breast cancer is more likely to return to another part of our body than other forms, the risk that this will happen drops over time. The risk peaks around 3 years after treatment and falls quickly after that. After the 5 year mark it is LESS likely to experience a return than hormone positive breast cancer. I am now coming up to my 3 year post treatment mark. Making this 3 year milestone will give me more confidence that I will make the 5 year one and from there I can relax in the knowledge that the most likely time of reoccurrence has passed.
Staying Positive While Waiting For Results of TNBC Tests.
In my experience waiting for the results of tests was one of the harder aspects of my TNBC journey and it still is. While we wait we can tend to go to the worst case scenario in our minds and Dr Google seems to help us find those!!
However there are so many ways that we can help keep our stress levels under control while we are waiting. Even now I still have regular check ups and find that I can get pretty nervous before them. I actually had a mammogram yesterday and now I have a couple of weeks to wait for the results. To help I took a friend with me so I had someone to chat with before the test. Here are some of my tips to help keep things in perspective during this time.
Journal
When I struggle with stress, or anxiety, during this waiting period keeping a journal helps me gain control of my emotions and helps cleanse my mind. Journaling brings me into a state of mindfulness and future anxieties and past frustrations can lose some of their edge when I am writing.
I tried writing a blog for publication when I was first diagnosed, but found at that time I just needed to keep my thoughts with a few close friends. Other people thrive on the support that comes from internet chat rooms or blogging, it is something that you will need to work out for your self. If you want to give journaling a try see my blog ‘ Heal Your emotional Wounds With Journaling’ for further insights. https://www.lynleyclarkwellness.co.nz/journal-your-way-to-healing-your-emotional-wounds/
Be Mindful
Mindfulness is awareness without judgment. It is the ability to be aware of our thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and actions – in the present moment-without judging or criticising ourself or our experience.
There is more than one way to practice mindfulness, but the goal of any mindfulness technique is to achieve a state of alert, focused relaxation by deliberately paying attention to thoughts and sensations without judgment. I practice this regularly by allowing my thoughts to come and go without judgement and returning to my focus on my breath or mantra. This easy practice can instantly make you feel calmer.
Self Care
Ensuring we are making ourselves a priority is essential to our overall health and well-being especially when we are going through a stressful period! It is a great way to get ourself started in the right direction with regards to staying positive.
Self-care isn’t selfish – it’s one of the most important things we can do to keep ourselves healthy. I still try to take at least an hour a day and do something just for me. This is more important if I am under stress. Here are some examples of my self care.
- Taking a bath with some essential oils or a scented candle
- Going for a walk in nature
- Catching up with friends for a coffee or lunch
- Curling up with an uplifting book
- Watching a funny movie
- Meditating
- Doing some stretching or yoga
- Listening to some favourite music
Self care gives me a little bit of a boost to help me get through my day. It also helps me unwind at the end of of a day. Self care helps clear the mind and helps you remain calm.
Staying In The Present
When we learn how to control our thoughts, we live fully present and acquire a feeling of power, as we realise what we can do. To calm racing thoughts and experience the peace of the present was something that I had to practice.
A great way to do this is to concentrate on our breathing. This might sound silly but when we get anxious our breathing patterns change. When I pause my breathe this effectively lowers my heightened response as well as my stress. I then focus on inhaling and exhaling and slowly counting to three as I do this. This is a great way to instantly feel calmer.
For further insights on how to live in the moment see https://www.lynleyclarkwellness.co.nz/21-tips-to-help-you-live-in-the-moment/
Affirmations
Affirmations help train our brain to think more positively about ourself and our stress. They are simply quick, small statements we can say out loud, silently or write down. I use these such a lot to keep me in a positive frame of mind. The intention that is if we repeat these affirmations enough, we will actually start to feel them.
These statements help me to put my life into perspective and solidify my own personal worth because they create a positive mindset and motivate me. Here are some examples of affirmations I use :
- I am strong and can get through anything
- My body has the wonderful capacity to heal
- Today is all about positivity
- I feel the love from my tribe
Try these tips when you are waiting for results and remember to stay as strong and positive as possible. It is a tough time and we all have moments when remaining positive is not a reality. During these times we just need to remember to be kind on our selves.
