Perhaps the most profound realization came just last week during my 5-year check-up. I walked into that appointment hoping to hear, “You’re in the clear.” But instead, my oncologist said, “You’re still high risk for recurrence.” That hit me hard, here I was, still facing the reality that cancer could return.

With so many options, conflicting advice from doctors, and the constant stream of unsolicited advice from others about what I should or shouldn’t do, I realized that the most important thing I could do was calm my mind and tune into my body and spirit. Amidst all the noise, I got to quiet the external voices and listen to the one that mattered most—my own.