When your body begins charting a path you never asked it to walk, everything shifts. The daily routines you once took for granted can turn unfamiliar, sometimes impossible. There’s the clinical side of it, sure – appointments, scans, a schedule owned by your oncologist. But there’s another side too, one that’s harder to name and even harder to tend. It’s the part of you that needs rest without guilt, joy without justification, and small moments of meaning to break up the grey. Caring for your spirit, your sense of self, isn’t a luxury in these moments. It’s a way through.
Move, but gently
You don’t need a gym membership or a training plan. You need softness. Something like a slow walk in the fresh air, or simple stretches by the bed before you sleep. Moving your body, even in the smallest ways, helps you reconnect to what still works, to what’s still yours. It’s not about calorie burn or reps. Research shows that gentle movement can boost both body and mind, particularly when treatment makes everything feel stalled or numb. The trick is not to force it, just invite it, kindly, when you can.
Quiet your mind
The hospital may be sterile and the treatment plan may be strict, but your internal world doesn’t have to match. One way to reclaim a bit of space is through mindfulness-based practices. You don’t need to meditate cross-legged for hours or chant to feel the effects. In fact, even five minutes of focused breathing can begin to turn the tide. Studies confirm that mindfulness-based stress reduction (MSBR) can improve quality of life for people undergoing cancer treatment. You’re not aiming to clear your mind, only to soften the noise inside it.
Let spirit speak
Some people find comfort in God, while others find comfort in asking deeper questions. The cancer experience often nudges you toward both – something beyond the physical, beyond the immediate. This isn’t about having answers. It’s about making space for whatever feels steadying, whether that’s prayer, stillness, ritual, or reflection. You might find solace in a sacred text, or in sitting quietly with a question that doesn’t need solving. However, it shows up, spiritual wellness isn’t something to get right. It’s something to let in.
Nourish without rules
Food becomes complicated when you’re unwell. Some days it’s a battle to eat anything at all, while other days you crave only toast and crisps. That’s okay. It helps to listen to your body more than your worry. A basic principle – try to avoid processed foods if possible – can guide you without binding you. Fresh fruits, easy soups, buttered bread if that’s what settles your stomach. Your goal is nourishment, not perfection. And part of nourishment, especially now, is pleasure. Eat what comforts you. Then eat what strengthens you. Let them sit side by side.
Rest with intention
Sleep doesn’t always come easy when you’re undergoing treatment. There’s the ache, the buzz of steroids, or the persistent 3 a.m. thoughts. But you can still build moments of restfulness, even when sleep is sparse. Practicing yoga is one method that’s helped many; yoga can improve sleep quality in people managing side effects of chemotherapy and radiation. Even reclined poses or breath-led sequences can cue your body toward quiet. Think of rest as something layered. Sleep is the deepest version, but rest can also be stillness, warmth, music, or silence. Any of it counts.
Find nature as sanctuary
There is something about trees that don’t rush you, sky that asks nothing of you, and grass that just grows. When everything else becomes about results and outcomes, nature offers presence. Many people find that sitting under a tree or walking by water helps. You don’t need a cottage or a view, just access to the outdoors, even a patch of local park. You’re not alone in this; Princess Kate herself described nature as sanctuary during her treatment. Let it be that for you, too, even if only for a few minutes a day.
Lean into practical and emotional support
You are not meant to manage this on your own. Whether it’s someone to help with the bins or someone to listen without trying to fix you, connection matters. Support comes in many forms, and none of them require you to perform strength. Practical and emotional support is available across the UK through organisations like Maggie’s, where the door is always open. It’s okay to want community. It’s okay to ask for it. You don’t have to be cheerful to be welcome. You only have to show up.
None of this fixes cancer. That was never the promise. What it can do, though, is help you feel less frayed. A few small routines, a bit of green space, a meal that nourishes without judgment. These aren’t solutions. They’re stabilisers. Self-care in the middle of cancer isn’t about achieving peace or chasing joy. It’s about staying human, with all your mess and glory intact.
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