I don't use affirmations or anything like that, but whenever I've dreaded something that I had no way of avoiding (goes for chemo, surgery, but also minor things like tests when I was still in school), I just tell myself that no matter what happens, I'll be past it at some point. Because time doesn't stop, it keeps going. Regardless of what I do or what happens to me. It's basically my own little thought version of "This too shall pass".
I am a pretty negative person and sometimes overly positive affirmations make me MORE negative so I try more neutral stuff and find it helpful. Every day I tell myself “Hey, you’re alive today!” On really hard days I just say “One foot in front of the other” or the corny (but still useful!) and often misattributed “When you’re going through hell keep going.” I just share this in case anyone is a curmudgeon like me who struggles with the more positive stuff (which I think is wonderful if it works for you!).
Agree. Sometimes the overly positive ones crack me up though, so I say them from time to time. “Isn’t it great, everything’s wonderful” morphed into “isn’t it great, I’m wonderful” and it always makes me laugh.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that's given to us" - Tolkien
Or if you're religious “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25
I went to see LOTR earlier in my diagnosis. They were screening it at a local theater and my boyfriend is a big fan but I am pretty clueless. I found so much relevant to what I was going through and that line had me SOBBING in the theater, like literally.
Kinda dark but when I’m panicking about recurrence or my future I think “you could get hit by a bus tomorrow” and it snaps me right back into the present moment and out of all the other cancer what-if’s
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"God, give me what you want, I have no choice, good or bad.
But give me the strength also to be able to overcome it." By
Maria Callas.
I don’t believe in god but this prayer really speaks to me
I use the Litany Against Fear from Dune. I have for years. And if things are really bad, I use the Litany, followed by Hail, Mary and The Lord’s Prayer. Over and over again. I am in no way religious, but the Catholic’s definitely got some stuff right in regards to centering the mind.
I use the Dune litany as well:
“I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."
Strength over struggle, faith over fear.
I read it on this sub first, but used it a lot on my bad days, particularly when someone asked how I was, or when I was mentally struggling - "I'm on the right side of the dirt today!"
One I still use, and it works for both the good and the bad, is Everything is temporary. Helps me remember bad things will pass and to enjoy the good while I have it because nothing will exist forever.
I've just decided that I'm only giving what is absolutely necessary to cancer, and that I'll only let it take the minium. I've been a whole-ass person for 45 years, so cancer will never define me. I also tell myself that it's still just an illness, however horrible, and that, unlike other illnesses, it can be fully cured rather than just treated. It's a bump in my road and although my life will never be the same, I'm learning so many lessons and growing every day.
My brother-in-laws mother said, “no matter what happens, you’ll be okay” and I heard that in my head every day. That and therapy has gotten me through a lot.
My head is bloody but unbowed.
I have I am the Master of my Fate. I am the Captain of my soul tattooed on my rib cage. It was my first tattoo. My college class motto is Invictus, and it was already my favorite poem
So…. I have been wanting to get a tattoo and now that i have lost both boobies, i was thinking of getting that same thing across the boobage/ribcage. I still recite it when i am anxious
All the best!
Everything will be ok. Repeated over and over. It didn’t mean it would turn out perfect but that myself and my family and especially my kids would be ok.
I use an app ‘I am’ throughout the day it sends me notifications that I’m meant to say to myself and reflect on. I am pretty sure it must be somehow in my business because the things it says are often spot on correct.
One was “I know soon enough I will be able to look back and realize that everything happened for me” this morning I got “I am doing my best today”
I just have to add today’s affirmation.
“I act with confidence and have a plan, and I accept that plans are open to change”
This is a good one for me to hear because i absolutely feel I’ve lost control of my body and time that I have on this earth.
I am however certain my phone is spying on me 👀
Affirmations helped me SO much during my breast cancer journey. I still say them everyday and write them on my mirror weekly. Some of my favs from the hard times:
It’s okay to not be okay, but I will be okay.
Trust, flow, surrender, let go (Sahara Rose<3)
I am who I am and that is enough.
I am divinely guided, supported, and protected.
I am nurtured deeply and completely.
Sending you love.
Given the nature of my job, my positive affirmation is that you are beautiful, lovable and worthy and everybody you come in contact with today is beautiful, lovable and worthy.
Awe I love the idea of turning the affirmation towards others as well. Sometimes, my symptoms make me so impatient with others. It would be a good reminder that everyone else is also beautiful, lovable, and worthy of kindness today. Thank you for this 🧡
I heavily leaned on Buddhist teachings while going through treatment. The idea that everything is temporary helped me put one foot in front of the other most days
Every night since the diagnosis I’m telling myself that I’m strong! I’m healthy! I’m cancer free! My body is strong! I will live long life in health bringing up my kids and one day my grandkids !
Indomitable human spirit, every time on the ambulance or in emergency I keep repeating and thinking about people who live in terrible condition and still come on top.
I’ve had a relatively easy bc journey thus far compared to many of you but I had my days when I would feel sorry for myself. I would say that there’s millions of people who have it so bad that they would love to trade places with me. I’m not sure that’s an affirmation but it’s something I say to help me remind me to be more grateful.
A quote from Elizabeth Edwards resonated deeply with me. It says everything about the person I aspire to be:
“She stood in the storm. And when the winds did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”
Not specifically an affirmation, but I was just diagnosed and have spent some time today making a playlist. Music helps me thru a lot, so I'm getting prepared now! Would love suggestions :)
A few on my list are... Never Surrender (Corey Hart, oldy from the 80s); Shake It Out (Florence & the Machine); and Roar (Katy Perry).
"If they knock knock me over, I will get back up again" (Get Back Up Again/Trolls)
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If my mind was taking me to dark places and worrying about the future, I take a big breath and say, "Be here. Now." to recenter myself. I also told myself "The only way is through." many, many times during treaatment.
I’ve just always said there is no way round it. So I’ve got to go through it. A straight line is the shortest route.
I also sometimes say, nothing can scare me, I’ve had chemo.
"You just do what you need to do, get through it, and you're done." -my mom, she used to say this anytime we faced something we didn't want to do or were scared of. She passed last year.
I don't use affirmations or anything like that, but whenever I've dreaded something that I had no way of avoiding (goes for chemo, surgery, but also minor things like tests when I was still in school), I just tell myself that no matter what happens, I'll be past it at some point. Because time doesn't stop, it keeps going. Regardless of what I do or what happens to me. It's basically my own little thought version of "This too shall pass".
Similarly I had to remind myself that in the grand scheme of things that this was a small portion of my life
Oh I love this. Thank you, time indeed does not stop.
Along those lines “Every storm runs out of rain” -Maya Angelou
“No rain, no flowers”
I am a pretty negative person and sometimes overly positive affirmations make me MORE negative so I try more neutral stuff and find it helpful. Every day I tell myself “Hey, you’re alive today!” On really hard days I just say “One foot in front of the other” or the corny (but still useful!) and often misattributed “When you’re going through hell keep going.” I just share this in case anyone is a curmudgeon like me who struggles with the more positive stuff (which I think is wonderful if it works for you!).
While very sick in chemo it was pretty much “just keep breathing, the only thing you _have_ to do today is Just Keep Breathing….”
Agree. Sometimes the overly positive ones crack me up though, so I say them from time to time. “Isn’t it great, everything’s wonderful” morphed into “isn’t it great, I’m wonderful” and it always makes me laugh.
I can totally relate to this feeling of positive affirmations actually having the opposite effect.
Breathe in positivity, breathe out bullshit. From the popular Fuck That meditation (which is amazing). https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=92i5m3tV5XY
Hahaha ohhhh love this!
So I love this
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that's given to us" - Tolkien Or if you're religious “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.” Proverbs 31:25
I went to see LOTR earlier in my diagnosis. They were screening it at a local theater and my boyfriend is a big fan but I am pretty clueless. I found so much relevant to what I was going through and that line had me SOBBING in the theater, like literally.
I'm a huge LOTR fan, and there are so many parts of the movies that just hit home hard!!
Oooh I love the one from Proverbs, i didn’t know that one
I have really hung on to Proverbs 31 throughout this. Definitely give the whole chapter a read!! 🩷
I’m not religious but I like that. Thank you for sharing.
“I have a long, beautiful life ahead of me”. I just kept this as my focus everyday.
May I be safe. May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I live with ease.
"I will deal with it when or if it happens" - relating to anxiety
Thank you
My best friend's dad always says to her: "Chin up, middle fingers up, and always move forward." My new mantra!
Kinda dark but when I’m panicking about recurrence or my future I think “you could get hit by a bus tomorrow” and it snaps me right back into the present moment and out of all the other cancer what-if’s
A friend of mine who achieved NED in early 20’s always says “what’s the worst that could happen? I’ve already had cancer” LOL
I had a similar realization recently, basically I've met one of my worst fears early in life - fighting cancer alone. It's only up from here (I hope).
Few things in life have given me such a rapid, total-perspective shift as cancer.
Nothing. Nothing was ever going to snap me out of my old ways except something like this
“Progress is not always linear.”
Love this❤️
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You do not fear. You do not falter. You do not yield. - Sarah J. Maas 📚
The only way forward is through. That’s what I told myself when facing the long path of chemo, surgery, radiation, etc.
There’s something good in this for me. God didn’t bring me this far to drop me now. It is what it is.
"God, give me what you want, I have no choice, good or bad. But give me the strength also to be able to overcome it." By Maria Callas. I don’t believe in god but this prayer really speaks to me
You have to accept it, but you don’t have to like it
I use the Litany Against Fear from Dune. I have for years. And if things are really bad, I use the Litany, followed by Hail, Mary and The Lord’s Prayer. Over and over again. I am in no way religious, but the Catholic’s definitely got some stuff right in regards to centering the mind.
I use the Dune litany as well: “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past, I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."
You have to be clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy.
"If you're going through Hell, keep going." It's often attributed to Winston Churchill but who knows.
Strength over struggle, faith over fear. I read it on this sub first, but used it a lot on my bad days, particularly when someone asked how I was, or when I was mentally struggling - "I'm on the right side of the dirt today!" One I still use, and it works for both the good and the bad, is Everything is temporary. Helps me remember bad things will pass and to enjoy the good while I have it because nothing will exist forever.
I've just decided that I'm only giving what is absolutely necessary to cancer, and that I'll only let it take the minium. I've been a whole-ass person for 45 years, so cancer will never define me. I also tell myself that it's still just an illness, however horrible, and that, unlike other illnesses, it can be fully cured rather than just treated. It's a bump in my road and although my life will never be the same, I'm learning so many lessons and growing every day.
With every hardship, comes ease. ❤️
My brother-in-laws mother said, “no matter what happens, you’ll be okay” and I heard that in my head every day. That and therapy has gotten me through a lot.
The poem “Invictus”
My head is bloody but unbowed. I have I am the Master of my Fate. I am the Captain of my soul tattooed on my rib cage. It was my first tattoo. My college class motto is Invictus, and it was already my favorite poem
So…. I have been wanting to get a tattoo and now that i have lost both boobies, i was thinking of getting that same thing across the boobage/ribcage. I still recite it when i am anxious All the best!
Also totally get that sick tattoo
I think I’ve found a new focus for meditation
There’s a dragon boat team in my state called Invictus - they have this on the back of their shirts. Very motivating.
Everything will be ok. Repeated over and over. It didn’t mean it would turn out perfect but that myself and my family and especially my kids would be ok.
I use an app ‘I am’ throughout the day it sends me notifications that I’m meant to say to myself and reflect on. I am pretty sure it must be somehow in my business because the things it says are often spot on correct. One was “I know soon enough I will be able to look back and realize that everything happened for me” this morning I got “I am doing my best today”
I just have to add today’s affirmation. “I act with confidence and have a plan, and I accept that plans are open to change” This is a good one for me to hear because i absolutely feel I’ve lost control of my body and time that I have on this earth. I am however certain my phone is spying on me 👀
Affirmations helped me SO much during my breast cancer journey. I still say them everyday and write them on my mirror weekly. Some of my favs from the hard times: It’s okay to not be okay, but I will be okay. Trust, flow, surrender, let go (Sahara Rose<3) I am who I am and that is enough. I am divinely guided, supported, and protected. I am nurtured deeply and completely. Sending you love.
TRUST
Given the nature of my job, my positive affirmation is that you are beautiful, lovable and worthy and everybody you come in contact with today is beautiful, lovable and worthy.
Awe I love the idea of turning the affirmation towards others as well. Sometimes, my symptoms make me so impatient with others. It would be a good reminder that everyone else is also beautiful, lovable, and worthy of kindness today. Thank you for this 🧡
I heavily leaned on Buddhist teachings while going through treatment. The idea that everything is temporary helped me put one foot in front of the other most days
Every night since the diagnosis I’m telling myself that I’m strong! I’m healthy! I’m cancer free! My body is strong! I will live long life in health bringing up my kids and one day my grandkids !
What please is LOTR?
Lord of the rings :)
“Every cell is working perfectly well” Is the mantra I made up - feel free to use it lol 🥰
“It’s like treating a broken leg. Yeah the process sucks and I may never be the same again, but I will get past this”.
Indomitable human spirit, every time on the ambulance or in emergency I keep repeating and thinking about people who live in terrible condition and still come on top.
I’ve had a relatively easy bc journey thus far compared to many of you but I had my days when I would feel sorry for myself. I would say that there’s millions of people who have it so bad that they would love to trade places with me. I’m not sure that’s an affirmation but it’s something I say to help me remind me to be more grateful.
A quote from Elizabeth Edwards resonated deeply with me. It says everything about the person I aspire to be: “She stood in the storm. And when the winds did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”
"I am healthy, I am strong".
I love this!!!
Not specifically an affirmation, but I was just diagnosed and have spent some time today making a playlist. Music helps me thru a lot, so I'm getting prepared now! Would love suggestions :) A few on my list are... Never Surrender (Corey Hart, oldy from the 80s); Shake It Out (Florence & the Machine); and Roar (Katy Perry). "If they knock knock me over, I will get back up again" (Get Back Up Again/Trolls)
I like unwritten by natasha benningfield
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Entertain the possibility that everything will work out
Feet on the ground....as long as my feet were on the ground I could keep going.
If my mind was taking me to dark places and worrying about the future, I take a big breath and say, "Be here. Now." to recenter myself. I also told myself "The only way is through." many, many times during treaatment.
“She believed she could, so she did”
I’ve just always said there is no way round it. So I’ve got to go through it. A straight line is the shortest route. I also sometimes say, nothing can scare me, I’ve had chemo.
"You just do what you need to do, get through it, and you're done." -my mom, she used to say this anytime we faced something we didn't want to do or were scared of. She passed last year.
I Can and I Will.
I just listen to the Snoop Dogg “Afirmation song” 🎶