Interview with Britta Aragon – Part II
Britta talks about her philosophy of balanced living
Welcome back to part two of my interview with Britta Aragon, author of When Cancer Hits – Your Complete Guide to Taking Care of YOU through Treatment. Today Britta discusses how to take care of our emotional needs during cancer treatment (and beyond), why giving back is so important to her and shares some of the lessons she has learned from cancer.
JBBC: You deal a lot in your book with how to take care of the physical aspects of cancer treatment, but you don’t neglect the emotional side either. In Chapter 4, you outline your balanced living philosophy and I’d like to ask if that word “balanced” is an important one for you.
Britta: Yes, balance is a word that means different things to some people. To me, it means that I can be in the flow of life in a way that I am energized, growing, thriving and continuing to be challenged but also be able to relax, go inwards, reflect and have fun! As a business owner, sometimes having fun can be last on the list and being stressed and worried can be the norm. To live a balanced life means that I get to feed my soul, the little girl inside me that wants to skip down the street as well as do things that I am passionate about while pursuing my dreams. Self-care is another big part of what makes me feel balanced: what I eat, how I move, how I breathe and what I am thinking about all day long. There is no magic formula for me but I can measure how balanced I feel by the amount of peace of mind and serenity I feel day to day.
JBBC: Having been acquainted with your work through your website Cinco Vidas and getting to know you online over the past 2 years, I am struck by your clear commitment to giving back to the cancer community. Where does this commitment come from?
Britta:My father touched so many people with his enduring spirit and positive attitude that he forever changed many lives and most assuredly, my own. I remember while he was going through treatment, I would talk with him, sharing this experience we had in common. We felt grateful to our cancer community for all they had done to help us and we always talked about how we wanted to give back.
After he passed away in August 2007, I knew I wanted to create a deeper meaning from his experience, and help other people going through what we did. I knew how important it was to him to give back, he was just too sick to do so in the last 2 years. So filled with motivation and purpose to honor his commitment to giving back and what I knew was my purpose, I founded Cinco Vidas.
He is very much guiding me every day. He inspires me with what I write in my blog, with my work ethic, with writing my book and in making decisons. His spirit is in everything I do and he is giving back in such a grand way.
JBBC: One of my favourite lines in your book is when you write “If cancer taught me one thing, it’s that we’re strong, but we’re also fragile”. What are some of the other lessons you have learned from your personal experience of cancer?
Britta: Wow…so much and I am still learning. I have learned so many different things wearing all three shoes: cancer patient, survivor and caregiver. As a cancer patient I learned the power of my attitude and how it can impact my own healing and others, it gave me permission to be a free spirit and break out of the mold that my parents and society wanted me to be in. Most of all it taught me how to tap into the reservoir of strength we all have within us. As a survivor, I learned that life is very fragile, that I have been given a second chance and that I am still meant to be here on this earth to do something with my life that can be of service so I can leave this earth just a little bit better. As a caregiver, I learned how powerless we are at times when we can’t control the outcome. It taught me how to have compassion, how to nurture, how to show up for somebody and how to love wholeheartedly with courage and strength knowing that the outcome may not be what I wanted it to be. So as much as I hate cancer, I also love it for putting me on purpose today and for teaching me so much.
JBBC: Finally, I love how you preface many of your chapters with a quote and end with an affirmation. Would you like to share with us a favorite quote or affirmation?
Britta: I like them all but really love two of them. From chapter 3: “I am doing the best I can. Each day gets easier.” I think we tend to always blame ourselves for all the things that did not do “right” or what we could have done better. I always say that if we know better we would have done better. This gives me a “get out of jail pass” and allows me to shift into a place of being gentle with myself. I am doing the best I can and so is everyone around me.
The second one is from chapter 4: “I let go. I trust that the universe is taking care of all of my needs.” This reminds me that I am co-creating with the universe. I don’t have to carry all the weight of the world on my two little shoulders. All my experiences, good and bad, are here for a reason and I need to trust the process. I may not know today why something is happening but eventually I will see the reason to everything. When I get out of the way and trust, it is always so much easier.
JBBC: Thank you Britta for taking the time to talk with me today. Your book is a wonderful addition to the cancer book market and an invaluable resource not just for those going through treatment, but for those of us who have come out the other side. Wishing you good health and success with all your endeavors.
Britta: Thank you for all that you do Marie, you are a true inspiration and I am so glad we have crossed paths!
Many Blessings
Book Giveaway
Click on image for more information
Britta has kindly offered one lucky reader a copy of her book, When Cancer Hits. To be in with a chance of winning it, simply leave a comment below and share with us how you find balance in your life. To double your chances of winning, pop on over to our Facebook page and leave a comment there too. Looking forward to reading your comments.
Balance is the word I chose to be my guiding light this year – I have gotten a little off balance recently, so reading your interview with Britta today was just the reminder I needed!
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I use a mantra to help me bring calmness to my body and help me focus during meditation – and I use the same phrase throughout the day to help me stayed balanced.
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Spending time listening to the sounds of nature, bird singing,the rustle of autumn leaves, rain drops falling, and the sound of the ocean waves is my top tip for staying in balance.
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If I have clutter in my environment, I quickly get out of balance, so my tip is keep decluttering! You will be amazed at how much better you will feel when you do.
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I love this tip Caroline – I am feeling very overwhelmed at the moment and when I look around my home, I can see how much clutter I have. I am going to take your advice and do some decluttering today.
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I learned a skill a while back to try to help me in finding a better life balance and it has stood me in good stead. I would like to share it with your readers. Track everything you do for one week, including work-related and personal activities. Decide what’s necessary and what satisfies you the most. Cut or delegate activities you don’t enjoy or can’t handle – you need to be ruthless about this and sometimes you may slip back into bad habits, but after my own experience of cancer and upon my return to work, I found I had no choice but to implement this strategy if i wanted to stay well. Hope it helps!
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Learn to say no! When you quit doing the things you do only out of guilt or a false sense of obligation, you’ll make more room in your life for the activities that are meaningful to you and bring you joy and balance.
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Make a conscious decision to separate work time from personal time. When you’re with your family. turn off your cell phone and put away your laptop. It’s too easy these days to let work or social networking knock you off balance.
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I find balance by making a to do list each night before I go to sleep and scheduling in some “me” time – to take a walk, meditate, etc. My advice for balance – do what needs to be done and let the rest go.
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The key to balance is to nurture yourself. Eat healthy foods, include physical activity in your daily routine and get enough sleep.
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Setting aside time each day for an activity that you enjoy is the way to ensure some balance in your day.
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Slow Down! We rush around too much in this world – no wonder we get off balance. Make a conscious decision to stop and enjoy the things and people around you. Schedule more time between meetings; don’t make plans for every evening or weekend, and find some ways to distance yourself from the things that are causing you the most stress.
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I find that much of the stress i experience which throws me off balance comes from not managing my time well. I learned that if set myself weekly deadlines and stick to them, I feel less stressed and more balanced and in control
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Learning to let go of the things that really don’t matter was a hard lesson for me to learn but cancer taught me what an important thing this is. Now I think so what if the dishes don’t get washed once in a while or that the house doesn’t get vacuumed every week. Sometimes to find balance I need to take time out from chores and just live a little.
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Others have commented here with the same point, but I would like to reiterate that developing a to do list, establishing your priorities and learning to let go of the unimportant things while making time for something each day which energizes you and you ruly enjoy really is the way to find balance in your life
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Find a way to simplify your life and you will find balance.
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Learn to say no to every request for help. Or if you can’t say no straight off, say I’ll get back to you on that – hopefully the person will give up but if not, say no.
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Get rid of the clutter in your home and office and you will find yourself thinking clearer, feeling less stressed and more in harmony with your life.
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Balance is not something you find and you have it forever. You continually find your balance, you don’t achieve balance. Even if you were able to find your perfect balance and hold it, life itself will throw you off balance continually.
You have to keep adjusting your course and checking where in your life you are off balance.
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Such great answers! I am finding this discussion very helpful to me as I struggle to find some more balance in my own life.
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I’m just now learning that I never really had that balance in my life. It was my breast cancer diagnosis and, more recently, recovering in between my rounds of chemo, that made it abundantly clear how off-balance I was. What was most shocking was not just that I wasn’t as balanced as I’d believed emotionally, but how PHYSICALLY off-balance I was. As part of my recovery, I’ve been working with a pilates instructor as her guinea pig for a thesis on cancer and pilates, and I found out that all my life, I’ve never actually been straightening my legs, pointing my toes ahead, etc. Being able to struggle with getting my physical foundation sorted out has slowly been giving me balance to relieve pain and pressure off my back and chest, which is crucial as I’m still recovering from my mastectomies.
Anyway, that’s my long-winded response.
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Thank you for the introduction to this book! It always amazes me how experiences come across my path ‘just’ when I need them. After 2 experiences with breast cancer I din’t think I would take my health for granted, but recently I’ve had a lot going on in my life and feel that I’m slightly out of balance-I needed to read the answer to the question in your interview about balance!
Would love to read this book.
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Heather, I too am always amazed at serendipity, coincidence, god winks, call them what you will happen. Thanks for your comment x
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Hi,
I find balance through God, I could have never done this w/o him and the team effort of the doctors and nurses of the Anderson cancer Center.
Music also helps, walking will, shopping,. and support from friends who understand.
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Beautiful – thanks Kathy for your comment.
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I try to remember that balance is not a steady state. Both physically and mentally balance is the constant adjustments – large and miniscule – that resolve conflict between the forces that pull on us.
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wow! thanks Marcia for the really great comment – it certainly gave me pause for thought.
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Thanks for providing us readers with the rest of the interview. To me, balance is a mental juggling act, not so much a physical process. As I perform the tasks at hand my mind often wanders not only to what still needs to be done (or should be done such as exercise), but also to how I can make a difference in others’ lives. Balance can’t be achieved in life without taking others’ plights into consideration.
XOXO,
Jan
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Great comment Jan – thank you x
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Britta,
You truly are an inspiration and congratulations on your book!! Like Jan, balance is a difficult, sometimes elusive thing for me. I have a three-year-old daughter and a challenging job. However, I do try to balance exercise and journaling and integrate them into my life. I have to get back to art, though.
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“I let go. I trust that the universe is taking care of all of my needs.” WOW. I love this quote. So many times, it’s hard to trust that. I need to do this more.
What balance do I practice, I try to everyday, take at least 15 minutes for myself. Most times to just sit quietly and reflect. I do this either first thing in the morning (when the house is still quiet) or late at night before bed. I believe you can’t give the best of yourself to the world, if you don’t give some time to yourself.
Great interview, great information.
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Hi Patty, I love that line “you can’t give the best of yourself to the world, if you don’t give some time to yourself.” So true!
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Finding balance in your life is never easy. I am continually trying to keep myself going. I tell myself to put a smile on your face and just keep stepping.
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Hi Barbara, thanks for the comment and I agree it’s never easy, but we just have to keep stepping 🙂
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I am sure I will get a copy for my friend. I’ll ask her if I can borrow it after as I’d like to have a better insite (if at all possible) of what she’s going to face in her fight against this cancer.
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Thanks Alysia – you are a good friend!
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