Stacy Hines reveals her battle scars

They say that joy comes in the morning, but for many years I could not feel that joy. I was trapped in the cycle of survival, just trying to make it day to day. In many ways, I felt inadequate and incomplete but somehow resolute that there had to be more to this thing called life than the mental and emotional suffering that I had somehow attracted. Healing, they say, comes with time, but for many of us time will pass, scars will fade and the brokenness of cancer will still remain.

Healing, I believe, comes through transformation led by a deliberate intention to shift one's life. This will affect two aspects of the survivor - the external and the internal person, the latter being the more critical. As we see our bodies heal from the physical breakdown, we believe that all will be well. For me, it was through looking inward and facing myself and my fears about my body, my relationships and the future I was creating for myself and my children. I began a journey of self-discovery, challenging my thoughts and changing the way I looked at things. I began to understand what it meant to have a vision for myself and to choose this every day instead of focusing on what was right in front of me, which, in many instances, was pain.

True transformation doesn't only come from having a vision; I had to do something, even on the days when I didn't feel like it. I had to move towards the life that I wanted with deliberate and focused actions. This saw me shedding things and people that no longer served me or aligned with my values of wellness, integrity, passion for life and love. None of this happened overnight as it is through the process that most of the growth occurs. As my body changed, my mind and heart had to change and this continues to be my transformation journey. I stand for thriving after surviving and maintaining this focus, accepting that this is the most important part of the life I am creating. Through writing, speaking and my online platforms, I now share my journey with others so that they too can be inspired to face their fears and begin the journey towards the life they desire.

My memoir 5 Year Love Affair will be available in a few weeks and you can follow my journey on instagram and facebook @iamstaceyhines.