Loving ourselves, particularly when dealing with cancer, is essential.
“One must learn to love oneself with a wholesome and healthy love, so that one can bear to be with oneself and need not roam.” F. Nietzsche. Quoted by Sally Brampton (2008). Shoot the damn dog.
May we be lacking of self-love and self-appreciation? We are not referring here to a narcissistic and selfish sort of love. Love in this context is rather a human and compassionate recognition of our own value and abilities, to help ourselves and others.
Many of us may be lacking the “training” for self-appreciation and love because we might rarely be stimulated by others to appreciate our qualities over and above our difficulties and constraints. We may have frequently been encouraged to acknowledge others’ abilities, but this encouragement may have come to represent a limiting belief on us: that others are better than we currently are or what we can ever be… We all have limitations and made mistakes, but these do not mean we are not able, talented and skilled.
When affected by cancer, this is a good time to value ourselves, a good time to start thinking and talking about what we can do in a positive manner, talking about what we have achieved, talking about the attributes that our friends recognise in us… employing all these achievements, qualities and traits for empowering us throughout day-to-day challenges and opportunities.
What could be better that using our real inner potential and abilities in what we know it is a good idea which helps us through the cancer journey?
Patients need this self-encouragement to avoid falling into depression, feeling so completely lost and helpless. When cancer takes us into depression this state of mind will not only affect our emotions and lack of energy to fight it. It also impacts on our physical wellbeing and the response of our body to the medical treatment. Thus, getting over a state of depression is fundamental to get through cancer. You are not alone. You are cared for. Help is out there. Just go for it!
Finding out who we really are, our value and capabilities, is core to get out of depression. Most people need assistance to do so because we may not be able to do it by ourselves. We need to learn how to love and appreciate ourselves. Who or what can help you?
Have a look at TEDx Talks (21/01/15) Conquering depression: how I became my own hero. Hunter Kent — TEDxYouth@CEHS. Available online at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv9SwZWVkOs
