Finding Balance: Navigating Life's Battles with Perspective and Gratitude

March 26, 2024
Posted by Johnathan Masterson
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Finding Balance: Navigating Life's Battles with Perspective and Gratitude

You know, I am starting to wonder if my way of dealing with things is a bit offbeat. I mean, I love drawing comparisons, and maybe that is why I keep going down this path. But deep down, I do not want my illness to define who I am. Sure, I talk about it a ton on my blog—it is a cancer blog, after all—but sometimes I worry: am I letting it take over too much?

Like, does my obsession with beating this thing make me try every possible remedy and diet under the sun just to avoid facing the big "D" word? You know, "death." Or am I just as unhealthy for obsessing over it all? It is like, am I a health nut or just plain nuts? But hey, maybe this drive to fight is not all bad if it is pushing me to be the best version of myself. Then again, maybe I should take a breather and not let it consume me entirely. Tough call, right?

When Everything Feels Like a Battle

The Mind vs. the Body

I have found that finding balance is not just about what you eat, how much you sleep, or which treatment you choose. It is about learning to quiet the mind that constantly overthinks everything. The body is in survival mode, and so is the brain. But sometimes the brain gets a little too loud. It screams about outcomes, about supplements, about Google articles at 2 AM. That is when I know I have tipped too far. That is when I know balance is out the window.

And then there are the days when I feel oddly okay. My energy is decent. My appetite is back. I even forget I have cancer for a few minutes. That is the kind of moment that reminds me what finding balance really means—it is not perfect peace. It is fleeting calm. It is a breath in the middle of the storm. That breath is everything.

Comparisons and the Bigger Picture

Let us zoom out for a second. We live in a world of chaos. You turn on the news and see war, terror, famine, corruption. And then there is my reality—brain cancer, hospital visits, chemotherapy pills, supplements lined up on the counter like soldiers. And yet, when I see people like the Prince and Princess of Wales facing their own cancer battles, it puts things into perspective.

Does their pain make mine less? No. But it reminds me that cancer does not discriminate. Rich or poor, royal or not, we all end up facing the same truths. We are mortal. We are fragile. And somehow, we all want the same thing—to live, to love, to find meaning. That is why finding balance is more than a mental exercise. It is a choice to engage with life instead of collapse under the weight of fear.

The Obsession to Heal vs. The Need to Live

Between Extremes

I will admit it: I have tried everything. From mushroom powders to infrared saunas, to cutting out sugar, to diving deep into the world of holistic remedies. And while some of it helps, sometimes I wonder—am I just doing these things out of desperation? Or do I truly believe they will help me heal?

There is a line between commitment and compulsion. And I have crossed it more than once. But finding balance means recognizing when I need to take a step back. When it is okay to just enjoy a scoop of ice cream without wondering if it is feeding the tumor. When it is okay to rest instead of reading another study. Balance is letting myself live without guilt.

It is about realizing that being healthy does not mean being obsessed with health. It means making space for laughter, for imperfection, for spontaneity. Finding balance means living, not just surviving.

Where Gratitude Comes In

Here is what gratitude looks like for me: waking up and still having the energy to write. Being able to take a walk with my dog. Having a husband who never complains when I collapse on the couch again. Receiving messages from friends I have not heard from in years. These are the things I hold onto when the fear creeps in.

I do not always get it right. Some days I am a mess of anxiety and over-analysis. But other days, I remember to breathe. I remember that even if cancer is part of my story, it is not the whole book. Finding balance means learning to live in those in-between spaces. To not dwell too much in despair or false hope—but to be present. To be aware. To be grateful for what is, instead of mourning what is not.

What Really Matters

Choosing Peace Amidst the Chaos

So where do I go from here? I think it is about finding that middle ground. Sure, I will keep fighting because who does not want more time, right? But I will not let it overshadow everything else. Because life is not just about battling—it is about finding balance, finding joy, and finding peace amidst the madness. That peace is what gives my fight purpose.

I want to look back at this chapter and say I did not lose myself to the diagnosis. That even on the hardest days, I remembered who I was. That I stayed kind, curious, open. That I loved and laughed and let people in. Finding balance means making space for all of it—the mess, the meaning, and everything in between.

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Tags: Finding Balance, Cancer and Gratitude, Life Perspective, Mental Health and Illness, Coping with Brain Cancer, Mindful Cancer Journey, JohnVsGBM, Emotional Healing, Acceptance Through Illness