Breast cancer can bring a flood of emotions. Fear. Anger. Sadness. Grief. Frustration. Loneliness. Anxiety. Sometimes all in the same day. Sometimes all before breakfast.
When we're focused on appointments, treatments, responsibilities, work, family, and simply getting through each day, it can be tempting to put our feelings in a box and tell ourselves we'll deal with them later. 📦
But emotions don't simply disappear when they're ignored.
Feelings that aren't acknowledged can become stagnant, like water that stops flowing. They can build up slowly beneath the surface, showing up as stress, exhaustion, irritability, difficulty sleeping, feeling disconnected, or simply feeling "stuck". 💭💔
This doesn't mean we need to dwell on every difficult emotion or stay immersed in them. It means allowing them to move through us rather than getting trapped inside us.
🌊 Think of emotions as waves.
Some waves are small and manageable. Others can feel overwhelming and powerful. The goal isn't to stop the waves from coming. The goal is to let them rise, be felt, and eventually pass.
You might allow emotions to move through by:
✨ Talking honestly with someone you trust
✨ Writing your thoughts in a journal
✨ Crying when tears need to come
✨ Creating art, music, or crafts
✨ Taking a mindful walk outdoors
✨ Practising meditation or deep breathing
✨ Sharing your experience with others who understand
✨ Allowing yourself moments of joy without guilt
Many people living with breast cancer feel pressure to "stay positive" all the time. While hope can be incredibly valuable, it's also okay to acknowledge when things are hard. 💗
You don't need to be strong every minute of every day.
You don't need to justify your feelings.
You don't need to rush your healing.
Every emotion serves a purpose. When we give ourselves permission to feel what we're feeling, without judgement, we create space for healing, self-compassion, and resilience. 🌱💜
So this Wellness Wednesday, take a moment to check in with yourself:
❓ What emotion have I been carrying lately? ❓ Have I given it space to be acknowledged? ❓ What might help it move through me today?
Remember, feelings are meant to flow, not stay frozen. You deserve the opportunity to process them with kindness and care. 🤗💙
📚 Resource Recommendation
This book came across our Helpline office desk this morning, and it felt like the perfect timing. If you're looking for a gentle and supportive resource about navigating emotions, you may be interested in this helpful workbook by lived experience Dr Marion Roberts: fiinding steadiness after a breast cancer diagnosis.
Written by Clinical Psychologist and breast cancer survivor Dr Marion Roberts, Finding Steadiness offers practical psychological understanding & tools (drawing from psychological therapies such as CBT & ACT) to help you steady your mind, reduce overwhelm, and move forward - one step at a time.
Inside, you’ll find:
- Accessible explanations of the psychological response to a cancer diagnosis
- Simple stabilisation plans, regulation practices and psychological tools
- Support for navigating information, decisions, and uncertainty
- Scripts for managing difficult conversations
- Guided worksheets to support reflection and help build a balanced mindset
- Examples drawn from the author’s own lived experience
- Prompted writing space to foster reflection, and build capacity over time
Warm, compassionate, and clinically grounded, Finding Steadiness is designed to support you at your own pace, and as your capacity allows.
The focus is not on getting things right, or being unrealistically strong. Instead, it is about creating enough steadiness, in your body and mind, to take the next step.
👉 Learn more and access the book here
💬 What helps you work through difficult emotions when life feels overwhelming? We'd love for you to share below. 💜✨
Updated 17 hours ago
Version 4.0
