What we say to someone can impact their day and life more than we realize.
I think everyone is pretty much familiar with Jeopardy’s Alex Trebek and his battle with stage 4 Pancreatic cancer. As he has been sharing his journey with all of us, he has repeatedly said how he is overcome with extreme periods of sadness, a result of the medications needed to fight his cancer.
While we all know the warrior Brittany is and how positive she has been through her fight with MBC, she too experiences these periods of sadness from the chemo. What some of you may not know is that her cancer feeds on hormones so one of her ongoing treatments are shots to put her into menopause to starve the cancer cells. Add the chemo sadness and menopause emotions to the anxiety of the Coronavirus and you get a feel of the struggles Brittany must be going through on a day to day basis, yet she continues to amaze us with her positivity and faith.
During periods when Brittany is overcome with anxiety and sadness, it can be difficult for her. As part of her journey, Brittany shares those feelings and frustrations with us and that is where many of you have been so supportive with your love and comments. I mention this not only for Brittany but for anyone you know that may be struggling with cancer or other illness that impacts their mental or emotional health. A 100 people may make comments to comfort and support the individual but when one is in that frame of mind, it will be the one special comment that hits home and brings them back to positivity. I have seen this repeatedly with Brittany.
I try to read every comment that is made on Brittany’s Facebook posts. I am not sure which comments will help her or keep her positivity and faith moving forward but I know they do just that. Sometimes it is just the sheer volume of comments. Again, I encourage you to support those who are in need by communicating your words of encouragement. What you say does make a difference whether it is a text, email, phone call, or comment on Facebook.
On the other hand, what we say can also have a negative affect on people struggling with illnesses. Telling them they look sickly or frail, are really thin, their hair is getting thin, have dark circles under their eyes, and other comments are not encouraging and can negatively impact the mental well being of the patient. We all must think before we speak on how we would feel if such a comment were made to us, especially when it is just stating what we pretty much already know.
Let’s take a quick look at what we say to those who aren’t necessarily sick or ill. Telling someone what they mean to us, how they have impacted our lives, how much we care about them, or how much we love them is one of the greatest gifts we can give to a fellow human being. I know for me it is a work in progress and part of my continuous improvement plan but sometimes a simple check in with a friend or loved one can completely turn their disposition and day around. If you are on the receiving end of such a comment, be thankful that you have someone in your life that cares about you enough to let you know.
And for those we don’t know, a simple smile, good morning, or helping hand can make their day brighter in so many ways. Yes, what we say to someone can impact their day and life more than we ever realize.
In these uncertain times, be safe and stay healthy!
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