MY LIFE Matters - Health Literacy - 16

Powerful Patient Stories FAITH OVER FEAR
do list. It is one of the hardest things to do because
it requires you to flip that to-do list and create an
" it's all about me list. " As a mother of a 16-yearold
son and six-year-old daughter, I was already
having a hard time trying to balance life, and now
I am battling stage IV breast cancer and have to
be in treatment for the rest of my life. Having to
focus on myself was difficult because I was always
programmed to focus on the needs of others. I
wrestled with doubt, wondering if this decision
was me being selfish or me finally choosing not
to pour from an empty cup. Investing in yourself
is one of the hardest challenges, especially after
just going through 15 rounds of aggressive
chemotherapy, 10 surgeries, and the death of my
Father all in 2021. Now, one year later, I am faced
with recurrence and my stage I is now stage IV,
for many that would be the last straw.
I took this challenge as an opportunity to really
dedicate to my purpose, mental health, and
legacy. My first step was accepting that I needed
help and being willing to do the work. I realized
that I could not heal myself and needed to seek
professional help, so I found a therapist and joined
a support group. With her help we created a plan
of healing, accountability, and consistency. For
me to become a better me, I must first be a willing
participate and show up for myself first. Before I
could be the best mother to my kids, I had to be
become comfortable when discussing medical plans and accept
the patient of reference was ME. To do this, I had to work on
my mindset and spirituality. This is when my mental health,
self-care, and advocacy became my priority. This was also my
lightbulb moment, because all the lessons and skills that were
instilled in me from birth all started to make sense. My ancestors
were preparing me for this very moment.
Since I was a young girl, my Father drilled into my head that
life obstacles are not opportunities to live in misery. He would
often say, " take five minutes to have your break down and
then use the next five minutes to
find a solution. " He taught me at an
early age the importance of mental
health and being OK with not being
OK. Mental health involves your
emotional, psychological, and social
well-being. It plays a role in how we
handle stress, relate to others, and
make decisions, but what happens
when the unexpected happens? For
me, that day in September will go
down as the day I had to redefine
who I was, embrace being selfish,
and put my mental health first in
order to live my best life.
Focusing on your mental health is
often the last thing on your daily to16
MY
LIFE MATTERS
HEALTH LITERACY ISSUE | SUMMER 2023
the best Michelle I could be and not feel guilty for putting
myself first. Next, I had to allow myself the freedom to vent
and release my anger. To understand that " self-care is not
being selfish, " and that every day is a new opportunity to
heal. I had to set aside time each day for me to do something
I love and remain consistent.
Next, I knew my story would help others, so I became an
advocate and started my own organization called The Fearless
Warrior Project. The organization's focus is to empower,
encourage, and educate others to find the warrior within. My
MY LIFE Matters - Health Literacy

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