Cancer changed my life, but it didn’t stop the world from spinning. And some days this knowledge is a comfort, while other days, knowing that life keeps happening, despite cancer, is incredibly difficult. But regardless of the scans, treatment infusions, doctor’s appointments, second opinions, and emotions that come with having and treating cancer, there’s another reality that simultaneously exists. It’s the one where groceries still need to be bought, and kids still need to be taken to sports practices and tournaments. It’s the reality where clients send emails at inconvenient times, and your business still needs to be managed along with your team. Birthdays, anniversaries, and vacations can’t just be placed on hold – even if you have cancer.

The funny thing is, most of the things I’ve come to accept as truth about ambition, motherhood, life balance, and health are the opposite of what ten or even twenty-year-old me thought was real and true because the absurdity of holding it all together gracefully and effectively is a myth.

So, with that in mind, let’s dig into the 10 funny and honest things I’ve learned as a mother and business owner, who’s also thriving through cancer treatment.

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Whether you’re just diagnosed, in cancer treatment, or post-treatment, trying to navigate a new world as a cancer survivor, finding ways to welcome self-renewal into your life, and emotional recovery as you navigate healing is critical to your long-term health and wellbeing. I’m not here to tell you that you need to “bounce back,” or “fight through” anything that you are experiencing now, or recovering from.

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