For people suffering from cancer, but also for their loved ones, coping with long-term stress, anxiety, sadness or anger are very often challenges they have to face every day. Mindfulness (as we mentioned in previous articles) as a mindfulness practice can provide the basis for better coping with difficult everyday life during cancer treatment. It can provide great support.
When we are sick, what we can do is try to give something to ourselves. Learn methods that will help us face challenges and create strategies tailored to us for solving emerging problems. Shape the attitude and way of thinking and strengthen internal resources that help in recovery.
Mindfulness is simple and wise because it draws on what we already have inside us. Mindfulness is a natural skill of the human mind, it just needs to be consciously developed. To be here and now without any evaluation or judgment, but with acceptance that the reality that exists is supposed to be like that.
To illustrate this, we can use the metaphor of a lake. Its surface is constantly wrinkled and reacts to rain and wind, and to external elements. However, deep below the surface it remains undisturbed. Mindfulness teaches you how to find such inner peace within yourself. Another metaphor that can help us understand how practicing mindfulness can help us cope with illness better is the metaphor of a river. Our feelings and thoughts are like leaves flowing in such a river. If we observe them but do not identify with them, this attitude will reduce the stress associated with the disease. You should allow thoughts to arise without dwelling on them. Then, like leaves carried by the current of a river, they can simply float away.
Mindfulness activates the natural ability to notice one's needs and take care of oneself, therefore, as research on mental resilience shows, mindfulness is one of the most important skills that determine the ability to cope with difficult situations. Due to the number of stimuli, stress is naturally a very big problem for cancer patients. Unfortunately, the physiological consequences often accumulate and are not relieved in any way. You need to choose the right coping strategy to strengthen beneficial resources. The more mindfulness you have, not only towards yourself but also towards your loved ones, the greater your ability to overcome difficulties with greater ease.
A person suffering from cancer can, contrary to appearances, do a lot for themselves during the treatment process. Even if you maintain a proper lifestyle,
mental resilience or a supportive way of thinking. Mindfulness is a researched and proven scientific method that complements treatment and alleviates both mental and physical symptoms associated with cancer.
Mindfulness training is a regular practice. It is a time when we remain in close contact with each other and observe our inner world from a distance. We learn to be more kind to ourselves. We deepen our relationship with ourselves, and thanks to this we can feel more like our own friend.
