Apart from last year, which I’ll dig into shortly, I’ve been writing an open letter to myself, which also happens to be a blog post, for the past ten years now, and let me tell you, this one hits a little differently. What the life-altering experience of finding out I had late-stage cancer, and then figuring out how to live with it taught me, and I’m still learning, is the crux of this year’s letter to myself, and the story I want to share with you – all about what I’m still experiencing, growing from, and where I hope to go from here as a forty-five-year-old woman who’s a mother, business owner, writer, and, oh yes, also living with stage four cancer.

Growth isn’t easy. That’s why so many people live a life that’s mediocre, rather than amazing. But if you can get comfortable with uncomfortability, you just might grow into a life that’s truly fulfilling.

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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.

You would think that after over 10 summers with kids out of school, I’d be a pro at planning for the shift, establishing routines that work, and finding thoughtful ways to spend quality time with my kiddos. And yet, every single year, the end of the school year sneaks up on me. Halfway through summer, I find that I’m buried in work that’s behind schedule, overwhelmed by play dates and summer activities, and struggling with the loss of routine and desire to have a meaningful and fun summer that isn’t dominated by screens, yet allows me time to work and enjoy the season – is that too much to ask?

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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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