When I was first told I had breast cancer, it landed me in a world that I didn’t know very much about or how I could help myself. I was very lost. I was scared, confused, overwhelmed. But in the middle of that storm, I found two quotes that were words of wisdom and that assured me more than my medical team could (since the medical prognosis was bleak, and these two anchors been holding me steady ever since.)
I think of these quotes as my anchors. An anchor, that thing you hold onto when life feels like it’s pulling you under, something solid that keeps you from drifting off into overwhelm or despair. While they are only quotes, they have significant, lifesaving meaning for me.
There is a light in this world… a healing spirit much stronger than any darkness we may encounter.
We sometimes lose sight of this force… where there is suffering and too much pain.
And suddenly the spirit will emerge… through ordinary people and answer in extraordinary ways.
God speaks in the silence of the heart when we listen.
-Mother Teresa
I needed this reminder that even when everything feels dark and hopeless, there’s this force, a spirit, that’s way stronger than the pain and fear. It shows up in the quiet moments, in the kindness of others, and in places we don’t always expect. The trick is learning to listen when the noise or fears get too loud.
My second anchor:
We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.
-Albert Einstein
This one was like a real wake-up call. It reminded and still reminds me I can’t stay stuck thinking the same old thoughts and expect things to change.
If I want a better outcome, I’ve got to shift my thinking, see the situation from a higher perspective, and find new ways to move forward. It’s not always easy, but it’s necessary. These two messages have served me well for over three decades. I cling to them on those dark cloudy days.
Sometimes I laugh at myself when I think I can do hard things on my own or in the same old way, without first asking for God’s help or guidance. But I don’t always laugh when I catch myself needlessly struggling.
Why Writing Down Your Anchors Makes a Difference
Here’s something I learned along the way: it’s not enough to just “know” your anchors, you have to write them down. Put them somewhere you can see every day. Because when life gets heavy, your brain wants to dive back into fear and worry. But when those words/messengers/reminders are right in front of you, they pull you back to what matters.
Anchors like these helped me:
- Change my mindset from stuck and fearful to hopeful and strong
- Align with God, my freewill, and my own inner spirit to draw on for strength and redirection
- Hold onto my faith and hope, even when things feel impossible.
The Diagnosis Doesn’t Get to Define Me
Here’s the truth: a diagnosis like breast cancer tries to steal your joy and your hope. But it doesn’t have to win. When I anchor yourself in something bigger, whether it’s faith, spirit, hope, or a shift in thinking, I no longer feel helpless or hopeless.
For me, these two quotes have been like a spiritual GPS and a mental reset button for more than 30 years. They remind me that healing isn’t just about my body; it’s about how I see myself and my life, no matter what the diagnosis says.
Your anchors might look different, they might be a poem, a prayer, a song, or a mantra. Whatever they are, write them down. Let them be your lifeline when you need to move from feeling stuck to feeling strong.
