Focusing On Yourself
When living with ovarian cancer and also while in
remission, it is important to remember to identify your strengths, outline your needs, and develop goals that can help keep you on track. Understanding what drives you and what you want to accomplish can help make your days brighter and more productive.
Taking the steps below can help you maintain a positive outlook
Stay healthy
Regular physical activity, a healthy diet, and adequate rest can help improve both your health and mood.
- Work with your doctor to develop a healthy diet and exercise plan
- Listen to your body and rest when you feel the need
- Stay hydrated and get plenty of sleep at night
Reach Out
You don’t have to try to manage your feelings and go through treatment alone. Develop a support team that can help you along the way by reaching out to:
- Professional help (e.g., a counselor or therapist)
- Family and friends
- Other cancer patients (through online forums, ovarian cancer events, patient advocacy groups, etc.)
-
Advocacy groups, which provide:
- Emotional support
- Education for you and your care partner(s)
- Financial assistance
- Connection to other women living with ovarian cancer
- Information on clinical studies
Honor Your Feelings
Living with recurrent ovarian cancer can make you feel a variety of emotions: frustration, sadness, guilt, happiness, and exhaustion, to name a few. Give yourself permission to feel your emotions.
- Remember that feelings don’t define who you are. You are in control. What matters is how you choose to deal with your feelings
- Pay close attention to your feelings and recognize what triggers them
- This will help you better understand these feelings should they arise again
- Make sure to reach out to your support system: stay in close contact with your support group, care partner, and healthcare provider and let them know how you’re feeling
Be Resilient
This is not an easy thing to do, by any means. However, taking steps to find your new normal after experiencing a setback or tough situation is invaluable when fighting ovarian cancer.
- When you’re feeling down or when things don’t go as planned, it’s important to let yourself feel whatever emotions arise
- However, after you’ve honored your feelings, it is equally important to get back into your normal routine and continue taking care of yourself
