What Do I Do Now? - 70

70
HEALTHY COPING AND STAYING WELL /// CHAPTER 43
» Look after yourself. your doctors and parents are more
likely to give you back some of your independence if you
can prove you can take care of your own medications,
dressings, and make healthy food choices.
» Talk. expressing how you are feeling is better than
bottling it up. Find someone you can trust and just vent.
Go on... you deserve a good rant. Sometimes this person
will not be a close friend or family, but someone who
may randomly come into your world at this time.
» Hang out with the right people. avoid people who make
you feel stressed, embarrassed, or uncomfortable.
» Write a journal or blog. you could share it with the world
or keep it to yourself.
» Eat chocolate. yep, we said it's OK.
» Laugh. try to find some ways to have fun and be silly
every so often! Read a funny book or watch a funny
movie.
» Set goals. a short-term goal might be to finish the book
you are reading, or to eat more protein. A long-term goal
might be to get back to school or work 4 days a week.
» Stay positive. remain hopeful that this is a temporary
thing and that you won't feel this way forever.
» Cry. let yourself and others give in to the waterworks
sometimes.
» Get organized. things like a weekly planner and to-do
list can help things seem a bit more manageable. Be
realistic about what you can fit into a day or week and
don't take on more than you can handle.
» Release your inner Picasso. find ways to release your
emotions through creative activities like arts and crafts,
music, writing or photography. It doesn't have to be good;
smash some drums, mess around on a piano, scribble
with crayons.
» Keep doing normal things. hang out with your friends,
play sport, listen to your favorite music and try to do as
many of the things you used to do as possible. It helps
to stay in the loop about the latest movies, songs, news.
The internet is awesome for this.
» Have a makeover. it might make you feel better about
yourself and your new appearance to change your
hairstyle, buy some new clothes or put a bit of makeup
on.
» Exercise. a walk, swim, yoga or bike ride a few times a
week can reduce stress and help you to feel better. But
talk to your doctor first!
» Eat chocolate. did we mention that?
» Live life. try to do as many of the things that you did
before the diagnosis that you feel you can.
» Try something new. ever wanted to learn guitar? You
may have heaps of extra free time and find that learning
something new might help to distract you from the
worries of cancer and give you a sense of achievement.
» Get plenty of sleep. when you're really tired, emotions
and stress can be even harder to deal with. See " Staying
healthy " for tips on sleep.
» Learn how to meditate. you will be amazed at how good
this feels.
» Tap into your spirituality. not just traditional religion but
anything that may give you comfort.
» Maintain a routine. try to get back to a daily routine
and normal home life as soon as practical after your
treatments.
» Have something in your day that you can look forward
to. Even if it's something tiny.
» Accept help. it doesn't make you weak to admit you need
a hand with cooking, study, shopping and transport. You
won't be able to do this alone.
» Join a support group. get in touch with people who
understand what you're going through and can share tips
and info. You can find support groups in " Where to get
help. "
https://fwaya.org/
What Do I Do Now?

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of What Do I Do Now?
