Welcome.
Today,
We are going to explore the concept of fight language when you have cancer.
This is something that really helped me personally to shift my energy and find peace through my own walk with cancer.
I just wanted to explore with you the idea of shifting from warrior to peaceful warrior.
When you are living with cancer.
You may hear a lot of language about fighting.
Fight hard.
Be a warrior.
Never give up.
And for some people,
Those words feel energizing.
For others,
They can add pressure.
As if they have to stay strong every moment or that the outcome depends on how hard they fight.
Our words can shape how we experience a difficult moment.
When something feels threatening,
The body can move into a fight or flight response.
This is an automatic protective response and it brings out some physiological responses in your body.
Your heart may beat faster.
Your breathing may become shallow.
Your muscles may tighten,
And your digestion even may slow down in response to the cortisol that is flooding through your body because you are afraid,
Or overwhelmed,
Or uncertain.
You might feel restless,
Or tense,
Or especially alert.
And that is good in an immediate situation.
But because The cancer process takes time.
Living in that state of fight or flight with heightened cortisol,
Your stress hormone.
Isn't necessarily where you're going to want to be.
This response can be useful when you're facing an immediate danger,
But when you're already carrying fear and uncertainty,
Language that sounds like a battle may add a sense of being under threat.
Now everyone responds differently,
And changing your words won't switch off the body's stress response.
But gentler language may help some people,
May help you,
To feel less pressured and more able to pause,
Breathe,
And choose your next step.
You can still take your treatment seriously.
You can ask questions,
Make decisions.
Speak up about what you need and accept support.
You can do everything without having to think of yourself as a burden.
Being at war with a disease or even with yourself.
I think of the difference through two yoga poses.
In warrior pose.
Your legs are strong and grounded.
Your arms reach out.
You're engaged and focused and prepared for what may come,
Facing it head on.
There's strength in that stance.
Then there's Peaceful Warrior.
Your legs stay strong.
You remain grounded,
But you soften your upper body,
Open your chest and your heart center,
And reach one arm up over your head.
You make space to breathe.
You're still present and capable.
While also allowing yourself to be open to support.
To tenderness.
And to the moment that you are in.
And in this place.
Your body settles into a more restful state.
Space.
And your stress hormones aren't activated,
You may still be stressed.
But you're not necessarily as activated as you are when you are using fight language.
Peaceful.
Doesn't mean passive.
It doesn't mean you stop caring or taking action.
It means you don't have to carry the extra weight of believing you must battle perfectly.
If the word fight doesn't feel right for you,
Try another phrase.
Try,
I'm facing this one step at a time.
Or I'm doing what I can today.
Or maybe you like the idea of saying,
I can be strong and still receive help.
Notice what happens in your body.
When you say those words.
You may find your shoulders soften.
And your breath has more room.
Or you may not notice a change right away at all.
There's no right response.
Just give yourself a moment to notice.
You are allowed to meet this experience.
With courage,
Care,
And gentleness.
You can stand firmly in your strength.
And still let your heart be open.
That is its own kind of strength.
So just take a moment.
To reflect on where you are in your process.
And what feels right for you.
Because what is most important.
Is that you choose how you want to walk through cancer.
And how you want to be present for yourself.
