January 12, 2012, I was diagnosed with breast cancer…
I was just a month away from turning 50. I had a senior level position at a major entertainment company where I’d worked for over 20 years, was married to my husband for over 18 years, and raising our identical twin boys who were just shy of 17.
And yes, prior to that day, I was a stressed out mess. I had let the job become my main priority and I was extremely unhappy and unhealthy. I prayed for peace and to be shown the way. Well, that sure happened, but not in the way I would have imagined.
Barely four weeks after my mastectomy, a PET scan showed that there were signs of cancer on one of my ovaries which led to my undergoing a complete a hysterectomy. I was still dealing with the pain and loss of my breasts.
As I lay home in pain after the surgeries, I got a call from my employer advising me that they had given my job to someone else.
About a month later, my sister-in-law died suddenly. The shock and pain of that additional loss was unbearable. She had been with me during my mastectomy and was so full of life and joy. How could she be gone so quickly?
I felt like one of those blow-up punching bag clowns that every time you smack it, it falls over but then pops right back up. How many more punches did I need to endure that year and more importantly, would I continue to pop back up?
During the dark days that lie ahead during this trying period, I struggled with all the losses I’d been dealt: the loss of the parts of my body that in my mind defined me as a woman; the loss of my beloved sister-in-law; the loss of my long-term full-time job; and the loss of a few friends who couldn’t handle my journey through cancer.
Yes, I struggled with the pain, the hopelessness, and the isolation. I felt like I had hit rock bottom and there would be no way to recover.
Why am I sharing all of this with you? Because no matter what adversity you’re facing right now in your life, I want you to have hope!
Today, I don’t have a high paying corporate job. My sons are off to college so my husband and I are officially empty nesters. I weigh more than I ever have in my life. My body is completely different, and the side effects of the medicine challenge me daily, yet I am the happiest I have ever been in my life. All of my relationships are better yet no one else has changed.
I am the one who has changed. I am the one who is different. The adversity that I faced led me to this place today filled with joy, happiness, and fulfillment.
And I’ve made it my calling to help others who may be in a similar place of discomfort and dis-ease get to this ‘happy’ place as well!
So… if you are battling any kind of adversity, I am here to tell you that you are not alone. As your coach, I will walk by your side during this tumultuous journey you’re on. Together we will create a solid pathway that inspires you to take the steps you need to move forward in living your purpose-driven life filled with an abundance of energy, love, inner peace, and joy.
Yes, facing life’s trials and tribulations is a challenge and can be devastating and overwhelming. Yes, it’s most likely going to be a tough journey at times, but how you deal with your obstacles will ultimately determine how you will come out of it at the end.
About the writer
Lynn Finley is a writer and life coach who helps her clients bring a sense of well-being, balance, and ownership to work/life challenges and transitions. Lynn has over 25 years of corporate experience, including as a Senior VP at Disney, where she led a 100-person team and is a Certified Professional Coach. Lynn is a contributing author to the personal transformation book series Pebbles in the Pond-Wave Three and the Grown and Flown website. Learn more