The journey can be split up into three sections, the patient, the survivor and the thriver.

Patient-A place that turns your life upside down and spits you back out after a monumental change to your mind, body and spirit.  This part includes diagnosis of cancer and, all or none of, surgery, chemo and radiation.

Survivor-A place where you regroup from a life-threatening and a life-altering experience.  You assess your losses, challenges and lessons learned from being a soldier in this battle.  You might, but not necessarily, be confused merging the “old and the new” you and find out that a lot of your friends are potentially toxic to you.  You basically question everything that has ever happened to you and if this has any meaning at all.

Thriver-A place where you have found your passion and purpose in life.  You have a solid roadmap that offers vitality, richness and joy in your life.  You feel alive and create a world that gives you peace and prosperity.  You are happy and content in your life.

Some people move from A-B-C and have no trouble living their life happy as can be with no regrets-and I am happy for them.  However, most of us never make it to becoming a thriver.  Most of us get trapped in this survivor limbo and live out our daily life stuck between our “old” and our “new” selves, complaining about chemo brain or just living in fear of cancer returning.  We just can’t get to that place of peace and contentment.

I have found a common theme with thrivers that I believe can help survivors make the leap to being a thriver.  Here are 7 key components to be a successful thriver:

1.  Thrivers listen to their heart and act on it. A Thriver is in touch with feelings and trust their gut instincts.

2.  Thrivers start with one step at a time. Like the Chinese proverb, A journey of any length starts with the first step–thrivers make small changes that add up to a big successes.  They start with things that are easy and also keeps them moving forward.

3. Trust in the Universe. Thrivers believe everything will work itself out.  They trust opportunities will present themselves and things happen at the right place and the right time.

4.  Thrivers Believe Life is an Adventure. Thrivers have a great sense of adventure and don’t mind getting lost.  They might see that as an opportunity to learn something that they didn’t know.

5.  Thrivers have love and support. Thrivers have a support system that supports their changes and growth.

6.  Thrivers embrace things that will never change in their lives. Thrivers take comfort, that despite all the changes that happened to them, there are still many things that are the same.

7.  Thrivers stay in the present. Thrivers are successful because they don’t worry about yesterday or tomorrow and believe the most important part of their life is what is going on right now.