An article brought to you by Dara Kurtz. Dara Kurtz is a breast cancer survivor and provides Survivor Mentorship & Support at Cancer Services.
Time feels different after a cancer diagnosis.
Before, I didn’t think much about it. I assumed it would always be there. But hearing the words “You have cancer” has a way of shifting a person’s perspective. Now I understand time isn’t unlimited, and more than anything, I want to be intentional about how I spend it.
After going through cancer, it isn’t uncommon for priorities to shift.
What once felt important might not feel that way anymore, and the things you told yourself you would get to later? They can suddenly feel urgent. I find myself sometimes thinking, If not now, when? Or what am I waiting for?
Of course, we still have responsibilities, work, bills, and obligations we don’t want to do. Life goes on.
But underneath all of that, there’s a bigger question:
How do you want to spend the time you have left?
I don’t think we can answer this question without getting clear on what matters most to us. Not what used to matter. Not what “should” matter. But what matters to us right now.
Think about the following questions:
Who do you want to be with?
What do you want more of in your days?
What feels worth your time and energy?
What do you not want to miss?
Your answers might have changed after going through cancer, and that’s not just okay, it makes sense. But that’s where things can get a little tricky. I speak from experience when I say this.
Because making space for what’s important right now means you might have to say “no” to some things you care about. Even to people you love. It might mean letting go of commitments that no longer fit or setting boundaries you’ve avoided for years. And, there might be people who don’t support your decisions.
After I went through breast cancer, I decided to make a major career change. While I loved my job, it no longer felt aligned with how I wanted to spend my time. I looked for ways to use my experiences to help others in a different way. I also became more intentional about who I spent my time with, pulling away from people who were negative or who didn’t respect my priorities. And taking care of myself became a daily priority, not something I squeezed in when I had time. But over thirteen years later, I don’t regret any of these decisions.
The truth is, we can’t do it all. But the good news is, we don’t have to.
It’s important to remember that sometimes taking charge of your time looks like doing less. It means listening to your body and giving yourself permission to rest when you need to. Canceling plans. Leaving space in your day instead of filling every minute and enjoying the freedom to see where the day takes you. It means choosing yourself in ways you might not have done before going through cancer, andlearning to be okay with that.
Time is tricky. None of us knows how much time we have, and this can be scary. But we do get to decide how we want to use the time we’re given.
And that choice? It’s incredibly powerful! I encourage you to think about this, how you’re spending your time, and what changes you want to make in your life to really take charge of it.
To read more tips from Dara Kurtz, check out our Empowered Living Page. You can also check out her substack page here!
Choose One (or All) of our June Challenges!
- Read Dara’s April Empowered Living article about “Taking Charge of Your Time” ! DONE!! EMAIL US TO REQUEST YOUR STICKER!
- Attend our Survivors Day Party, on Saturday, June 6th at 12pm at the Intergenerational Center of Arts and Wellness or any other Survivors-Day Weekend event!
- Create a Stitched Button Pouch with the June Art & Wellness workshop (virtual or in person at Cancer Services, Inc. office).
- Join Cook to Thrive with Julie, The Cancer Dietitian, and discover nourishing protein-rich recipes.
- Watch one of our expert interviews on a topic that interests you! Find them here: cancerservicesonline.org/expert
- Register and complete your assessment for the Get Real & Heel functional fitness program!
