
False Belief. The Story we tell ourselves
When I first faced my diagnosis, the battle wasn’t just physical—it was deeply internal. The voices of fear, doubt, and insecurity became louder than ever, and I found myself questioning everything. Am I strong enough to get through this? Will I survive? What if the treatments don’t work? These thoughts crept in daily, and I felt like a prisoner of my mind.
Fear has a way of keeping us small. It whispers that you’re not enough, that your efforts are futile, and that this is the end of the road. For me, this fear often masked itself as a false belief system. I found myself blaming past mistakes and asking, What did I do to deserve this? Is this my karma? These thoughts only compounded my pain, keeping me stuck in a cycle of self-doubt and despair.
There were days when I wanted to crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and let the day pass me by. I questioned if anything I was doing even mattered. But here’s what I learned: fear and ego thrive on our hesitation and misery. They want us to stay in that small, dark place where we doubt ourselves and our ability to overcome.
One day, I made a decision. I told myself, Grace, no matter how hard this feels, you have to keep moving forward. And that’s exactly what I did. When I wanted to stay in bed, I got up. When I didn’t feel like facing the day, I got dressed. When my mind was flooded with negativity, I replaced those thoughts with hope and determination.
I realised that my healing required more than physical treatments—it required a shift in mindset. I had to stop asking, Why is this happening to me? And start thinking, What can I learn from this? How can I grow through this experience? Cancer wasn’t trying to destroy me; it was pushing me to see my strength and courage.
The truth is that courage doesn’t exist without fear. Every time I faced my fears and took a step forward, no matter how small, I was building courage. I stopped seeing my diagnosis as something that defined me and started seeing it as a part of my journey. I embraced it, not as a limitation but as a companion on the road to rediscovering myself.
This shift in perspective changed everything. I realized that breast cancer was a part of my life, not the entirety of it. I decided to treat it the way I’d treat a broken leg. If I had a cast, I wouldn’t let it stop me from living my life—I’d adjust, work around it, and keep moving forward. The same applies here. I wasn’t going to let cancer dictate my life. Instead, I told it, You’re coming with me, but you’re not running the show.
It wasn’t easy, and I had plenty of moments where I fell to my knees. But even in those moments, I found humility and strength. I started to see my journey not as a curse but as an opportunity to learn, grow, and inspire others.
If you’re reading or listening to this and struggling with your doubts, let me tell you this: those fears, those limiting beliefs—they don’t define you. They are not your truth. They are just stories we tell ourselves when we’re scared. But you have the power to rewrite those stories.
Get up, get dressed, and face the day, even when it feels impossible. Treat your fears as passengers on your journey, not the drivers. Remember that you are stronger than you know, and every step forward, no matter how small, is a victory.
You are on your hero’s journey, and this is just one chapter. Your challenges do not define you—you are defined by how you rise above them. Take control of your story and keep moving forward, one day at a time.
For more inspiration and tools to help you on your healing journey, visit me at GraceDeAngeli.com and join the community of hope and empowerment.