Opening up to your thoughts and feelings
Being told you have cancer is not easy news to take. Whatever you are feeling – anger, anxiety, sadness, a new appreciation for life – is entirely understandable. It can help to take a step back and notice what you are thinking. This can help you choose how to respond to certain thoughts. Denying that these thoughts are there can have the opposite effect, making you think about them even more. As this video shows, your thoughts can be like an unwanted party guest: trying to stop can mean they start to dominate your life:
It may help to ask yourself the following questions:
- What is your mind telling you now?
- Is it a helpful thought? Does it move you towards something you value? If so, great!
- Is it an unhelpful thought? Does it move you away from something you value? If so, what can you do to defuse or weaken this thought and put energy into something that you value?
It may also help to follow these exercises:
- Close your eyes and notice the thoughts that enter your mind. Don’t judge them – you don’t have to like them. Just notice them.
- If it helps, try to describe the thoughts as objects. What shape do they have? Are they moving or still?
- Remember, these thoughts are normal and can tell you what you value.
- Be compassionate to yourself. Place a hand on part of your body, if it is an unhelpful thought, imagine the hand can heal, making the thought easier.
- When you are ready, slowly open your eyes. Notice the things around you and acknowledge the thoughts that came to you.

