Well-being tip #1: Grateful diary

It might sound weird to have a grateful diary when we have been diagnosed with cancer. The last thing we feel is that we can be grateful, because suddenly the world and even our body has turned against us. But this is precisely the moment we need to be grateful the most, and I hope you can see the beautiful things you still have in your life (because you will need to hold on them to keep going during tough times such as those days after chemo).

So what I suggest is that every night before you go to sleep you write a grateful diary. It does not need to be long. I usually try to find at least 3 things that I am grateful for every day. They can be as small or as big as you want. For example, there are days that I am grateful for the sunshine and warm weather, for being able to sleep well the night before, or that Ian cooked me dinner. It can also be a message of support I received from a friend, a gift someone gave me, a compliment I got at work, someone that I don’t know who offered to help, to the doctors and nurses who take care of me... Other days, I might be grateful that my cancer marker is still low, that I have completed a cycle of chemo, or that my family’s health is going well. I am sure you have lots of things to be grateful for in your life!

This little daily routine helps me to be more positive, focused and even sleep better!

I usually write the date and “I am grateful for” and 3 awesome things that I am thankful that day. My grateful diary was handmade by a friend who is a talented friend. You don’t need to get anything expensive, but get something that you like, that you feel happy to have in your bedside table and will inspire you.