The Savvy Survivor

Today is the day the United States of America has set aside to count our blessings, and walk in a mindful state of gratitude. At some point, today, I'll be asking my grandchildren if they understand the concepts of gratitude and thankfulness; and then explaining why those concepts are so important. It's good for overall health to hold onto gratitude and thankfulness. No matter how bad your life is, find something to be be thankful for; show gratitude toward anyone who has done something nice for you. Count your blessings, even if you can only think of three things to count. According to Psychology Today magazine, there are seven scientifically proven benefits of gratitude, including improving sleep and physical health. You can check out that list, by clicking this link . Before I go any further, I want to tell you how grateful I am that you're reading this; I appreciate you, so very much! And I'm thankful that you continue to follow me, on my journey! I al...

Do any of you know an alcoholic, or a drug addict? If you do, then you understand how difficult it is for them to abstain from the substance they're addicted to; or, you should understand that. Addiction is a powerful disease, that nobody ever realizes they have, until they're deep in it. Sure, they "try" the alcohol, or the drugs; but in just trying it, they're not aware that they're eventually going to get hooked on it. That may not even become a reality for them, once they are hooked. I am a junk food junkie; addicted to fast food, and junk food, the way an alcoholic/drug addict is addicted to booze and/or drugs. I can't just have one (fill in the blank), or a taste, or "just a little bit". The cravings get bigger, the more I try to control the amount of junk food I eat. It's best for me to abstain from eating fast food, or junk food; and living in a world that makes bad eating habits sexy or hip, is not an easy thing for me to do! I ...

I just celebrated my seven year Cancerversary, this month; I was elated, once I'd realized what day it was (July 3rd), after helping my daughter get the kids ready to go to daycare. I'm still here...I'm still alive!! But, I'm not where I want to be, in my journey. I have, unfortunately, lived my life giving up on myself; everything I do (including most hobbies), I simply dabble at, rather than making a commitment to something that will enrich my life. I always try...but never do.   Like Luke, I must unlearn what I have learned. Even during the l ast seven years, while fighting Metastatic Breast Cancer ; if you've been following me, for that long, you've seen me slide back into old, unhealthy habits. Habitual dabbling is a habit I formed, early in childhood; and one that I need to break. I don't want to die, any time soon! As a result of a lifetime of giving up on myself, I've developed (or I'm on the verge of developing) a number of fat...

My therapist said something, the other day, that turned on an interesting "light bulb" in my brain; I updated her on my current health concerns (recent diagnosis of high cholesterol), and what I had planned to do about it. And she told me that some people can manage just fine, with baby steps, while others need to go cold turkey. And then she asked me if I knew which one of those applied to me. I stopped smoking, over 15 years ago...by going cold turkey. When I lived in Knoxville, TN for a year (back in 2015), I began my vegetarian lifestyle....by going cold turkey. After I recovered from being paralyzed (while living in GA, back in 2016), I notice I started taking baby steps, back to healthy; and my health is getting worse, not better. I'm not good at baby steps. It seems that that particular approach gives me too much leeway, to drift back into old habits; and it's my old habits that are causing all these health issues! I have to be the one who goes cold tu...

My first blog of 2018!! 🎉 Wow...I am so excited, and feel incredibly blessed,  that I'm still alive! As most of you know, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer, back in 2012; and, according to medical science, I'm supposed to be dead. For the last 5.5 years, I've been living on borrowed time, but not really...living. For a while I've been plugging myself as "The Savvy Survivor", and I've really tried to live by that persona. Being savvy, while in the care of others, has proven to be very difficult! Most of the time, I still eat what everyone else eats; and, I still struggle with food addictions. No offense to those who love me, but I really wish they'd stop feeding me normal food! I don't want it, but I have trouble saying "no". I've even gained weight, that had previously been shed. This year, I'll have to get a little more assertive with them. I don't want to live with cancer, anymore; and I certainly d...