Can we all agree that the past couple of years have been EXTREMELY hard? From floods and riots to natural disasters and a global pandemic, it can feel like the whole planet is sucking the joy right out of life!  In fact, finding joy when life is hard can seem almost impossible right now.  It won’t be easy, but it is entirely possible to find joy even when life stinks. This post is all about finding joy when life is hard. Before we get to the tips, let’s first talk about what things take the joy out of life. What Steals Your Joy? What are some things in life that…

“No rest for the weary,” is a phrase quoted all the time, mostly by busy people.  It goes along with our society’s standard of wearing our busyness as a badge of honor.  Even though we feel the need to stay busy and keep pushing ourselves, it’s also very important to get more rest. In this post, I’ll share with you reasons why rest is so important to our bodies and minds.  Then I will also share several tips that I use to get more rest. Why is Rest Important? Most people know they need to get more rest. We have been told that all of our lives. But why is…

Finding out someone you love has cancer is a difficult time.  You’re worried about their health and you want them to get the best treatments available.  If they are in your immediate family, you’re might be worried about the financial strain a cancer diagnosis can bring.  And I’m sure you’re thinking about their mental health, too. As all of these worries are going through your head, you are also grappling with the right words to say to them.  You want to make them feel better but you’re at a loss for words.  Plus, you’re worried that you might say the wrong thing. You might also be thinking What are some…

Cancer treatments can save your life, but they can also cause other difficulties.

After my cancer diagnosis story, which you can read here, I was scheduled for surgery a couple of weeks later. This surgery was to remove the tumor from my small intestine. It was an intense internal surgery, and I was thankful to have one of the best surgeons working on me! Scheduling Surgery The original surgeon that did my scope did not perform this type of surgery. So, he sent me to another surgeon the next week.  This guy, Dr. W, was the head of surgery at one of the larger hospitals in Lexington, Kentucky.  That’s about an hour’s drive from our house, which isn’t too bad. We saw Dr.…

Hearing the words, “You have cancer” is a life-changing event.  If you’ve found this post, you or someone you love has recently been told they have cancer.  After the initial shock, you’re probably thinking “now what?”  What do you do after a cancer diagnosis? Coping with a cancer diagnosis isn’t easy.  Even in the best-case scenario, you’re looking at procedures, treatments, and thinking about how this will affect your life in the future.    Every person is different,  So your needs during this journey will be different.  15 years ago I traveled this cancer journey myself.  It wasn’t easy, and I’m still dealing with the after-effects today.  But I did find…

If you’re a current reader of the blog, you already know I’m a 13-year cancer survivor.  Every survivor has a story to tell, and each one is unique to the survivor’s experience. It’s not ever been easy for me to talk about it. Even typing it out for everyone to read makes me a bit emotional (cue the waterworks).   Wrapped up in those tears are a swarm of emotions: insanity, grief, all-encompassing fear, love, and many, many miracles along the way.    Here is the first snapshot of my journey- A Cancer Survivor’s Diagnosis Story. Where it All Starts 13 years ago, I was a 32-year-old wife and mom. I was…

What's your biggest fear? Failure? Embarrassment? Losing someone important? Use these five tips to help you face your fears without backing down!