It has been over a year since I wrote my last blog, and my life and attitude has changed.

Looking back to January 2020, my grandson Daniel, told me about a book he had just finished reading called “The Infinite Game” written by Simon Sinek. He told me how this book had changed his attitude to life. He read these few lines to me.

“Infinite minded leaders understand that the ‘best’ is not a permanent state. Instead they strive to do better.”

This idea made an impact on my thinking as well. Trying always to be the ‘best’ put a lot of unnecessary stress on me, when all I had to do was to strive to do better each day.

At that time, in January 2020, I was looking forward to what the new year would bring.

Then, unexpectedly, my life suddenly changed. I suffered with heart failure and was hospitalised, my heart was only working at a 10% capacity, and I needed intensive care.

During the tests and different treatments, it was discovered that I also had breast cancer. The cancer was very fast growing and invasive which meant that I had to have a mastectomy on my right breast. 

My life was turned upside down. Then, to add to all this, came the Coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. My only connection with my family was through my daughter Mary.

My world had completely changed. Beside the pain, I felt that the life I once enjoyed had come to a halt.

Many months passed and when I was released from hospital, I realised that my clothes no longer fitted properly. I became very self-conscious about my appearance. I couldn’t stand to look at myself in the mirror, all I saw was a mis-shaped body.

I was advised to get a prosthetic bra, and once I did, this made a great difference to me. I slowly began to feel better about myself.

Why am I telling you all this? Because it was a huge life changing time for me. I am sure that many others have been through this difficult time in their lives as well during the past year.

The Coronavirus is still with us but we are learning to take precautions and work around it. 

That is just what I do, accept that I have a heart condition and work around it.

As for the cancer, I believe that it has gone with my breast. There are no guarantees but I keep a positive attitude and just get on with improving each day in what I do and to be a better person than I was yesterday.

This different attitude is slowly taking away all the stress and pressure that I felt before.

The year 2020 was not a good year for many of us, including myself. But now it is a new year and many of my desires have changed.

The wonderful thing is that we can keep getting better all the time

“We are not all we will ever be until we die.”  – Lewis Timberlake.

My wish for you; May your life be free from stress and pressure, and improve for the better each day.

– Nancy