Finding joy while living with metastatic cancer
When you’re living with metastatic cancer, you may find yourself facing every new day with mixed emotions, including feelings from fear to strength, and even anticipation of what might come next in your treatment. Even when you’re facing all that uncertainty, there is room for staying hopeful and pursuing exciting and enriching new experiences (when you feel well enough).
Finding joy doesn’t necessarily mean ignoring your pain or pretending everything is okay when it’s not. There are new ways and places to find your inner strength and look for joy in your everyday life. We know staying positive isn’t always easy, but the following tips can help guide you and provide some perspective.
Look for humor and joy in the little things
They say laughter is the best medicine, but that advice can be hard to take when you’re managing an advanced or terminal illness. Stanford’s Dr. Bryant Lin, who lives with stage IV lung cancer, told NBC Bay Area, “Humor is a big part of it honestly – how I cope and deal with this illness, which honestly sucks.” Humor not only can take your mind off your diagnosis, but it can also help relieve stress and boost your mood by releasing more endorphins.
How you choose to use humor as a coping mechanism is totally up to you, whether it’s watching old comedies, reminiscing with old friends, or picking up a book and immersing yourself in someone’s story, try to find something that makes you smile.
“Live your life out loud.”
We love this quote from certified mental health advocate and founder of the Fearless Warrior Project, Michelle Anderson-Benjamin. Michelle was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2022, and met that diagnosis not with fear but with a newly-appointed life mission to live, and not just exist. She encourages others living with a metastatic cancer diagnosis to do the same by seeking purpose, community, and joy. “I live my life out loud,” she says.
Anderson-Benjamin also emphasizes the importance of finding a time to not be joyful. It’s unrealistic for your mind to only be filled with positive thoughts. Having space to feel those emotions, whether it’s therapy or exercise, can be beneficial.
Take more time for yourself.
Your insurance may cover therapies like lymphatic massages, acupuncture, Reiki, or aromatherapy. According to Dr. Nancy Roecklin, Ph.D, ANP-BC, these therapies not only can help with treatment-related side effects, but also enhance your mental well-being. These integrative practices allow you to focus on yourself and the present, which can help calm your mind and decrease stress. Movement is another effective way to boost your emotional health, just be sure to ask your care team what exercises they recommend before starting a new exercise regimen, and learn more about exercising with advanced cancer in our Q&A with Dana-Farber’s Dr. Jennifer Ligibel.
Go on new adventures.
When Licensed Mental Health Counselor Tamara Anderson-Hanna was diagnosed with cancer in 2015, she decided to do something she’s always wanted. She became a registered yoga teacher and opened her own wellness studio, where she’s been teaching ever since. For Tamara, her diagnosis was a way to embrace life and spend time on the things and the people that she valued most. She promised to spend her time going on “new adventures,” even if it was something as simple as trying out a new restaurant or going on a day trip.
Tamara recommends asking yourself, “Is there something I can do today or this week that I’ve never tried before?” Through exploration, you may find yourself finding new hobbies and activities you never thought you’d try and enjoy. Whether it’s a pottery class, new cuisine, or maybe even stand-up comedy, these new activities are a great way to step outside your comfort zone and explore new sides of yourself.
You never know, you might find a little bit of joy that you didn’t have before.
As always, if you would like to connect with an Outcomes4Me oncology nurse practitioner at no charge through the Outcomes4Me app, just use the “Ask Outcomes4Me” button.
