Breast cancer can be a traumatic experience. Now that you've finished your initial treatment, you may be wondering how to go about moving forward with your life. The important thing to remember is that breast cancer no longer needs to be the focus of your life now that you're past the initial treatment. Studies show that if you've been diagnosed with early breast cancer, you can expect to enjoy a quality of life comparable to other women who did not go through breast cancer treatment. This means that although the transition from breast cancer to living beyond breast cancer may sometimes be difficult, you should continue to get out, enjoy life and by all means, do the things you love.
A few suggestions for getting started:
Join a yoga or tai chi class, practice daily meditation.
Plan for the future — Start a long-term project, plan a vacation with family or friends, redecorate a room in your house/apartment, learn a new hobby, plant a garden, etc.
Give back — volunteer, become an advocate or mentor, support organizations that are meaningful to you.
Movement — exercise with a friend, explore the outdoors, stay active.
Music therapy — play your favorite songs every day, go to a concert, take a vacation to a music festival, sing, dance in your pajamas, whatever makes you happy.
Ganz PA, Rowland JH, Desmond K, et al. Life after breast cancer: understanding
women's health-related quality of life and sexual functioning. J Clin Oncol. 16: 501-14, 1998. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9469334&dopt=Abstract Accessed July 16, 2004
