This year will go down in the books for sure.
Just when I thought it couldn't get any more difficult, in late October, I heard the 3 words no one wants to hear. "You have cancer".
I'll start out by saying ~ my prognosis is excellent, like 99.7% effective excellent, and my treatment is done. So while I'm physically on the other side, the emotional, mental and spiritual healing from cancer seems like it's going to take longer.
Having a supportive wellness practice has helped carry me in the ways the doctors couldn't. I left the cancer treatment up to them, and leaned into my Embeautyment tools for the rest. And while it was initially a really scary time, I surprisingly felt a deep sense of peace throughout the process that has stayed with me. I have much to be grateful for from this experience because of what I've learned.
So, I wanted to share what cancer is teaching me and how I’m using The Embeautyment Method to heal:
Just because you practice wellness, doesn't mean you won't experience illness.
Physical health is only 1 part of wellbeing. A very important part, but it's not the whole picture. Mental, emotional, and spiritual health are also major contributors to your wellbeing. I've been using the 3 pillars of The Embeautyment Method ~ Mind, Body, Spirit as a guide to support me through this process. Everyday I choose 1 practice from each pillar in order to care for my whole self.
Everything is temporary.
Our human brains don't like to hear this. We like the steadiness of permanance. But permanace is an illusion. Being alive is about flow and everything is constantly in motion. All living things have a birth, growth, decline, and death. If you live long enough, at some point you will experience some kind of failing of your physical body. The Embeautyment Method practice of mindfulness is helping me stay in the present moment so that I can remain flexible and curious about reality versus in judgement and fear.
Support from others is powerful medicine.
This experience has helped me let in more love and strengthen my "receiving muscle". As a hairstylist, energy healer, coach, and educator, my life is dedicated to helping others. This experience with cancer has been a real opportunity for me to let others help me. I'm so incredibly grateful for the friends and family that showed up. The Embeautyment Method practice of community has helped me feel connected and supported in a scary time.
I am starting to feel some gratitude for all the lessons my cancer diagnosis has brought and all the opportunities it’s giving me to strengthen my wellbeing. Overall it’s been a positive life changing experience, in a life changing kind of year. But I’m not going to lie, I’m ready to put 2020 to bed, and embrace staring fresh in 2021.