Going through chemo? Have a loved one who is going through it? We all know that you have to take care of yourself big time when you’re dealing with this kind of treatment, but sometimes it feels overwhelming to know where to start. You are already dealing with keeping track of a thousand things at one moment, let alone thinking about self-care. But it’s THAT important! 

Here are a few tips to help you take self-care seriously without losing your mind:

  1. Say “no.” This isn’t the time to be over-committing or saying yes to a ton of things. This is a season of life where you need to be selfish with your commitments and be really careful about what you spend your time and energy on. Saying “no” is an okay thing during this season of life. People will understand!
  2. Stay active. Stay as active as you can, based on how you’re feeling, but staying active, stretching, walking or other light exercise is going to help keep your body flowing well. Not only that, but staying active is going to be great for your mind as you walk through chemo. We’re not saying run a marathon here, or even break a sweat. But, if you can manage to move around, keep that blood flowing!
  3. Know your limits. Be mindful of what your limits are and don’t overdo it. Take time to rest and gear up. You are in a battle, so it’s important to consider how valuable rest time for this battle!
  4. Be smart with food. Think about filling your body with food that will fuel you. If you’re feeling sick, this is going to be even more important because any food you consume will need to be as fueling as possible. Focus on whole foods and avoid sugars and processed foods as much as possible. 
  5. Focus on the goal. Your days may vary in terms of how you feel, how your body reacts, and where your mind is focused. Work hard to look ahead. This current chemo treatment is not what life is all about. It’s part of the battle, but you have a big goal you’re fighting for. Focus on that!

Chemotherapy can be draining, some days more than others. It’s important to remember that you need to take care of yourself first so that you can fight this cancer battle with everything you’ve got. This is a season to be a little selfish, or self-focused. Whether you’re fighting cancer, or not, most of us could benefit from hearing a reminder for self care today. The better we are, the better we can fight cancer, and love others well too!