A brighter outlook on life can help patients better manage their cancer treatments.
In fact, many patients with psycho-social issues like depression and anxiety have a higher risk for hospital readmission. According to the National Cancer Institute, one in three people with cancer experience emotional or emotional distress.
Learning how to stay positive can make a (you guessed it) positive difference in your treatment.
Are you trying to stay strong and positive throughout your fight with cancer? You’re not alone! We want to share six ways to stay positive during your cancer treatment and help bring positivity into your life. Discover how to train yourself to see the glass half-full despite a life-changing cancer diagnosis.
1. Surround Yourself with Positive People
When making a concerted effort to stay upbeat and happy through your treatment, the first step is to create a positive environment for yourself. Start by surrounding yourself with the friends and family members who bring a smile to your face. When you’re feeling the strain of your treatment, they can bring warmth and light into your world.
Focus on the people in your life that have supported you through tough moments in the past. Meanwhile, don’t shy away when it comes to talking about your feelings.
Instead, talk it out with those you love. Loved ones can give you the gentle push you need to remain honest with yourself. Confronting your fears and concerns will make them easier to manage.
The positive people in your life will help you learn how to stay positive. They’ll also help you find courage when you’re feeling an emotional strain during this time.
Many cancer patients feel a great deal of concern regarding their treatment options. That’s totally normal. Surrounding yourself with positive people can help you make these difficult decisions.
As a result, the road ahead will start to feel less daunting.
If you don’t have many positive people in your life, that’s okay. Instead, focus on finding positive resources. For example, you might have music that always improves your mood or a special pet who brings you joy.
You can also read inspirational books or find quotes online that lift your spirits. A support group can help you focus on the positive, too.
Creating a positive environment for yourself will help you focus on staying positive despite the road ahead.
2. Eliminate Toxic Relationships
In order to focus on the positive, you need to remove the negative from your life. Any source of negativity can make your situation more difficult as you’re trying to stay strong.
First, weed out the negative-minded people in your life. In some cases, it’s difficult to remove these people. For example, you might find a certain close relative that always tends to damper your spirits.
It’s important to put yourself first right now. Try to focus on a friend or family member who can act as your spokesperson. This person can help you field negative energies and say “no” when you can’t.
The next time a negative person starts to impact your mood, your spokesperson can tell them it’s time to leave.
Keeping a negative person around can make you feel worse than you already do. Take the time to recognize the emotional vampires in your life. Then, turn them away.
Right now, you need to focus on trying to stay strong—not on fighting with the people who are supposed to support you.
3. Keep a Gratitude Journal
If you’re having a difficult time staying positive right now, focus on the little things that make you happy. For example, you can write in a gratitude journal each day.
Try to focus on the specific people, events, or things that you feel grateful for.
In one study, participants who wrote out their gratitude felt more optimistic about their lives.
In addition to using a gratitude journal, you can also cultivate gratitude on a daily basis by:
- Thanking someone mentally
- Writing thank-you notes
- Counting your blessings
- Praying
- Meditating
Consider writing thank you notes to the nurses and hospital staff who are helping you throughout your treatment. You might also want to show gratitude to the friends and family members who are fueling your positive spirit.
Try to show a little gratitude every day. As a result, you’ll feel healthier and happier as you fight off cancer.
4. Discover Cognitive Reframing
Cognitive reframing allows you to change how you view a certain situation. While the situation can’t change, the way you view it can. Shifting your perspective will help you maintain your positive spirit.
How many chemotherapy sessions do you have planned ahead? Instead of feeling discouraged, congratulate yourself on the progress you’ve made. Celebrate the small wins.
For example, you can reward yourself with a small cake when you’re halfway through your treatments.
Are you concerned about shaving your head? Shift your perspective by focusing on the positive. Now you don’t have to shave your legs for the next few months. You can experiment with fun wigs in wild colors. No more tweezing and waxing!
Cognitive reframing will help reduce your stress while you’re trying to stay strong.
5. Try a Mantra
Don’t think of a mantra as chanting. Instead, think of it as a self-affirmation. A mantra will help you focus beyond your illness.
Focus on your mantra the next time you’re feeling stressed or discouraged. Your mantra will help you turn away your negative thoughts. Instead, you can use it to relieve your stress.
Try visualizing a positive outcome each time you use your mantra.
6. Focus on Your Passions
What made you happy before you started your cancer treatments? From your diagnosis to your doctor’s appointments, you might forget about the life you had before. Take a moment to disconnect from your life with cancer to focus on your actual life instead.
What have you always dreamed of doing? Which passions helped you cope with stress on a daily basis? Try to reconnect with yourself again.
For example, if you love painting or writing, keep a small sketchpad or notebook with you. Reconnecting with your passions can help you learn how to stay positive and focus on a life beyond cancer.
How to Stay Positive: 6 Tips for Keeping a Positive Spirit Despite Cancer
Learn how to stay positive despite your cancer diagnosis! With these tips, you can focus on your life, not your stress. Rediscover the silver linings in your life with these tips.
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