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Running Your Own Race
Manage episode 482511717 series 3554395
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Watching my eighth-grader run the anchor leg of a relay race transformed into an unexpected mirror of my breast cancer journey. Despite being a full lap behind when he received the baton, my son never quit—he ran his heart out with no hope of winning. This powerful moment crystallized what life after cancer truly means.
When treatment ends, many survivors feel perpetually "a lap behind" as we witness how the world continued spinning while our lives were on pause. Careers advanced, relationships shifted, and we emerged into a reality that suddenly feels disorienting. Yet within this challenging transition lies profound wisdom.
Running your own race becomes essential after cancer. The pressure to "catch up" or return to your pre-diagnosis life can be overwhelming, but healing follows a deeply personal timeline. I've learned to release comparisons and embrace my new pace, finding strength in simply moving forward. Cancer forged resilience I never knew existed—a hard-earned gift amid the struggle that became my foundation for navigating life afterward.
Perhaps most transformative was redefining victory itself. Before cancer, I measured success by external achievements, constantly trying to "lap everyone around the track." Now, winning means being fully present for each moment—a practice my yoga teacher calls "being where your feet are." Whether I'm training for Kilimanjaro, watching my son compete, or sharing dinner with family, true success is showing up completely.
The next time cancer makes you feel impossibly behind, remember those anchor leg runners. The goal isn't crossing the finish line first—it's finding the courage to keep moving forward at whatever pace works for you. Your unique journey isn't a competition with others but a profound opportunity to discover what truly matters.
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GROUP TRIPS
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✈️ Book Tour du Mont Blanc Aug 16-22: ...
Chapters
1. Running Your Own Race (00:00:00)
2. Introducing the Track Meet Experience (00:01:00)
3. The Race and Being Lapped (00:02:21)
4. Running Your Own Race (00:04:07)
5. Discovering Unexpected Resilience (00:06:30)
6. Redefining What Winning Looks Like (00:07:48)
7. Being Present Where Your Feet Are (00:09:11)
122 episodes
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