What is Fear? … Fear arises with the threat of harm, either physical, emotional, or psychological, real or imagined — like when I was diagnosed with a very aggressive breast cancer! Cancer – The “C” word. Nothing invokes fear more than that word. That was real fear for me. At first, I didn’t believe it. How could I have cancer? I’ve always been healthy, eaten well, in good physical shape. Shame overwhelmed me, then fear thoughts clouded my brain. What was in store for me — surviving chemo, radiation, losing a breast?! Would I survive at all? While I understood the emotion fear is intended to help alert me from harm, a steady dose of it became paralyzing.Then, one monumental moment changed my perspective and helped turn my fear into hope.

While taking a shower day 15 after my first chemo, clumps of my hair starting coming out in my hands. Within a few minutes most of my hair was strewn in globs on the shower wall and I fell to my knees sobbing. My husband happened to be home that morning and quickly came in to see what was the matter. Rather than react in horror, he calmly coaxed me out of the shower, helped me put on some clothes and cover my almost bald head with a scarf. “Rather than mourn the loss of your hair, let’s celebrate the life we have, beginning right now.,” he said. He whisked me away to the nearby beach and pier where we sat outside quietly. He took my hand and gently kissed me, then told me that this was too important a moment to just try to get through it, plagued by fear and anxiety — that we could take this moment and use it to get the most of the life we have right now. We never know how long any of us have on this earth. Why spend whatever time we have separated from all the beauty and joy life can bring? Changing my perspective to one of gratitude and appreciation for all the good that life offered me in the moment became my focus. We began each day listing 10 things each day we were grateful for, and no fair repeating! And before I knew it my fear was replaced by hope and joy. The same is true for you, no matter what the circumstance or the fear you hold. Start paying attention to the things in life that you appreciate; little things, like a sunset, your pets, the fresh air after a rain, special music — you name it. Gratitude will absolutely change your fear into hope and possibilities.

And remember, Let Your Lola Out!!!