
Gratitude and Healing: A Colon Cancer Survivor’s Journey With Journaling
Key Takeaways
- Gratitude is framed as the central mechanism enabling emotional regulation, meaning-making, and perseverance through colon cancer, with survivorship described as a product of sustained “grateful heart” practices.
- Reflective journaling is positioned as a deliberate coping strategy to clarify desires, reinforce hope, and maintain focus on assets and support systems amid illness-related adversity.
A colon cancer survivor shares how practicing daily gratitude and journaling helped her find peace, healing and the strength to build a vibrant life.
Melody Beattie once said, “Gratitude makes sense for our past, brings peace
for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
Health has always been one of my priorities as a young child. For this reason, practicing and applying gratitude in my daily life not only has brought me a sense of peace, but assisted in shaping the woman I am today.
Throughout my life, I have faced many obstacles, however, being diagnosed with colon cancer was without a doubt the most difficult one of all. You may wonder at times how I have faced this illness and conquered it with love, courage and bravery. There is just one simple answer: a grateful heart.
In this blog, I want to share with you one of my most cherished journal pieces that I wrote during that time. As you have read from my previous blogs, writing in my journal was one of the strategies I utilized to help me amend my heart. It was my way to focus and express everything that I had as well as what I desired in my life. By implementing gratitude on a continuous basis, it gave me the guidance that I needed in order to create a better vision for myself. This technique allowed me to recognize everything and everyone that was around me along with how blessed I am to be a cancer survivor.
Undoubtedly, one of my innermost writing pieces that changed the course of my cancer journey was as follows:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I want to take this opportunity to say “Thank You.” I am thankful for all of the
blessings you have given me. For ALL the blessings to come. I am full of love,
prosperity, success, abundance, wealth and happiness. I am extremely grateful to be alive. Thank you for giving me perfect health, for allowing me to be cancer free. Even though my journey has had difficult challenges, You have given me the serenity and wisdom to embrace these obstacles with a valiant heart. I did not know how strong and powerful I am until now. Thank You for my inner strength, for making me so vigorous. I am thankful for my body because it is full of energy, vibrant light. My heart is as resilient as ever. Thank You.
Additionally, I am blessed for the simple fact that I have so much prosperity and success in my life. It has given me the privilege to travel and go places I have never been. My abundance of prosperity will allow me to purchase my first home. It will be full of love, peace and harmony. A place where I can grow and start my family. Thank You for my perfect home.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
This writing piece was written in the year 2021. It has been close to five years
since I wrote it. Looking back, I am pleased to say that I am a proud owner of a beautiful house, which is everything that I ever wanted. It has a magnificent backyard where I have created such memorable memories with my loved ones. Also, I have had the time to travel with my family to destinations such as visiting Mexico, Greece and Puerto Rico.
Going through this voyage has made me more adventurous and exploring different destinations has definitely enriched my life experiences. The power of gratitude has played a significant role throughout my cancer expedition.
To conclude, by having a grateful heart, not only has it given me peace, serenity, and tranquility in my cancer journey, but it has allowed me to appreciate everything and everyone around me. I cherish my family, especially my parents and siblings, which have been my unconditional supporters from day one. Without their encouragement, it would have been a more challenging voyage through my cancer healing. Indeed, the strength to heal and amend my heart without a doubt has been my most selfless act of love.
Forever Blessed!!
This piece reflects the author’s personal experience and perspective. For medical advice, please consult your health care provider.
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