Escaping reality with mindfulnessWhen being repeatedly jabbed by an apologetic nurse trying to find a vein to leak vital poison into your blood. Or when you're lying flat on your back, tightly strapped in by your head by your silicon mask for another radium blast. Or... How about when your just on you own, and those demons make an appearance. Playing with your heart rate, tightening your throat and sticking pins in your gut? Regardless of what challenges you face, they are significant due to subjectivity and personal perspective. The problem with us, is that we compare and measure our situations and selves, rather than just being appreciative with what we have, and what we can control. Whatever your coping techniques, I think it's fair to say the more you indulge in external opinions from the mainstream or social media, your overall mental wellbeing will inevitably start to decline. Usually manifesting in differing levels of anxiety. Lock down in itself is already sending people ‘over the edge’. In these crazy times, it is vital to ground yourself. I’m sure you have heard of mindfulness and the importance of ‘me time’. Like a content little turtle, it helps to develop a ‘centre’ you can retreat into when you're feeling those demons stir. I want to share with you one of the methods I use to ‘centre’ myself when I am going through truly enduring times. To begin, we need to physically slow everything down to get your brain to follow. Get yourself comfortable and empty your lungs of the air already there. As you're doing this, feel your shoulders sink and become aware of any tension in the body.
Needless to say, I get some funny looks when I do this in Chemo! Now, the next part is a mindfulness technique used to ground yourself into the now, and if you are in a pleasant situation, you can use it as such. Now, I like to use this technique to actually take me away from unpleasant situations, usually if I feel anxious or just during horrible treatment experiences. You may have heard of it? It is the 54321 technique, and I want to share my ‘happy place’ with you. The concept is quite simple really:
Take some deep breaths and test it in real time. Observe the detail and become aware of your brain trying to go off on a tangent due to hearing Sharon shouting down the road. Hold it... and let it go. Focus on your breathing and those usual invisible experiences, feeling the watch on your wrist or the socks on your toes. Now... Please come into my world: 5 Things I can see:
4 Things you can feel:
3 Things you can hear:
2 Things you can smell:
1 Thing you can taste:
Truth is, I don’t know if I will ever be able to go up the gallops with Tom again. Bone mets truly can be a brutal existence. Of course, I am hopeful but will forever remain positive but realistic. I am just glad I have my vivid memories. If your still here and I have not bored you off, thanks for reading! I hope you found the technique useful and I would love to hear your ‘good place’. |
A ' no holds' page about my life with incurable advanced Breast Cancer, in the hope it will give a realistic, detailed account to other young women going through the unfortunate illness.
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