In my experience, maintaining a positive attitude with BRCA-1 is all about perspective, gratitude, and intention. Everyone you know is struggling with something or is affected by circumstances outside of their control. Life is all about what you make of it and individuals who choose to rise above their situations by approaching them with positivity will be better off in the long run. Now, I’m not saying that it is always easy to remain upbeat and optimistic about unfortunate circumstances – it takes a great deal of discipline and practice. Shifting your mindset can take a lot of work, but it is worth the effort in my opinion.
Perspective
For the sake of this conversation, my definition of perspective is “how one views and interprets a situation”. I choose to look at my BRCA-1 diagnosis as a blessing, not because I carry the gene mutation, but because I have the opportunity to know about it and do something about it. I view it as an opportunity to avoid developing breast or ovarian cancer. On the other hand, I could choose to look at my situation as a major inconvenience and approach it with pessimism, but where would that get me? Having a negative attitude will not change the diagnosis or make anything easier to process, where maintaining a positive attitude will contribute to a less stressful experience.
Gratitude
Reiterating my point about perspective, I am extremely grateful that I know about this gene mutation because it is much better than the alternative. I am so thankful that I am being monitored closely by several doctors, that I will likely have the opportunity to undergo preventative surgeries before developing cancer, and that I am able to make educated decisions about my health and my future. Additionally, I’m grateful that I was born in a time with rapidly advancing medical technologies, clinical resources, and scientific evidence that will all contribute to a better outcome with the BRCA-1 gene mutation. Gratitude is a crucial element of a positive attitude.
Intention
When met with an unfortunate circumstance or an ongoing issue, reacting with intention by creating a plan on how to deal with it will significantly improve one’s attitude. Having an idea of what you can do to improve your situation and remaining active in that pursuit will decrease anxiety and increase positivity. In my case, maintaining a healthy diet, working out consistently, researching my options, attending support group meetings, and checking in regularly with my doctors are all activities that make me feel better which contributes to my positive attitude.
Pre-Cancer Kenzie 