(10 years after cancer) An appreciation post for the journey called life.

I’m alive. 

(Turn Sia’s song to highest volume and on repeat to get your day going today.)

Life is for living. 

Every day is your life. 

Make the most of each day. 

Revel in the glimmers. 

Handle the lows. 

Be kind.

Each minute is a possibility to a new experience, 

a shared experience, 

something to learn 

or maybe something to laugh about.

Be Curious not judgemental.

This is me.

I have a sunny (mostly), realistic attitude trying* to manifest my dreams.

(*damn sure I will succeed)

TEN YEARS is 3,653 days since I heard the words “You have cancer”

It is 21,481 days on this earth for me today. It is 1,481 days since I had my 20,000 days old party. I could go on but, really I only think of these days during the middle of February for the diagnosis and the end of June every year when treatment was finished. All the other days I am just living my life according to the above guidelines/lifelines.

10 years with

FRIENDS and FAMILY

EXPERIENCES

TRAVEL

MOMENTS

MUSIC

NATURE

GRATITUDE

All the joy that I have from the combination of the these things is overwhelming.

I think I have kind of Marie Kondo’d anything that hasn’t brought me joy. It is so freeing to do things or be with people who bring you joy. Anything else is a life less lived.

FRIENDS- I will say that if I am lucky enough to be your friend, Thank you for being you, I am a better person for it. I appreciate each and every one of you. As Alfred Lord Tennyson said “I am part of all that I’ve met.”

EXPERIENCES, TRAVEL, MOMENTS, MUSIC, NATURE - all the possible variations to share with friends. The essence of life for me. I have really embraced this in the last 10 years and especially in the last 4 years during and after covid. 

Here is the current list of the best:

A year of P!nk concerts. Four (or was it 5?) concerts in 3 different countries

Project manager for house renovations twice, but the current one is the best one ever on so many levels.

Raising money for Blood Cancer in the UK by riding my bicycle from London to Paris with 4 friends and 200 other people (who became friends after that trip). 

Europe favourite trips: Tuscany and cycling, Milano with friends, Southern Spain, Barcelona loving Gaudi, Lisbon shots with the girls, The Netherlands…too much to say, Paris parties and Versailles with the fam, Girl’s weekends in Berlin, Madrid, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Stockholm and Taos. Epic weekend in Tenby with 28 friends.

Exploring Colombia: Bogota, Cartagena and Armenia. Lucky to do this twice!!!!

Islands are in my blood: Long Island, NY; Manhattan, Isle of Skye (with a dog and a puppy) and the Outer Hebrides in my teardrop, Menorca which just feels right and the volcanic island of Iceland to witness an erupting volcano in person.

USA or Sweden for the holidays to spend the quality time with family. Always a priority for us as a family.

Oh yeah, I forgot to say moving to the UK 10 years ago right after treatment was finished was life changing. London also feels like home. 

My newfound interest for Women’s football in the UK happened when the Lionesses won the EUROs of 2022 and then I became an Arsenal fan which then led me to the coolest experience of 2023. Almost a month in Australia for the Women’s world cup was a dream come true on so many levels. Being there live in the stadiums for the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the Final. PRICELESS.

Chasing Sunrises and Sunsets gives me so much joy to witness nature do it’s magnificent thing.

Incredible women making beautiful music with songs that talk to the heart (P!nk, Sia, Miley Cyrus, Kelly Clarkson and Sara Bareilles, among others). They are healing, uplifting, empowering songs that are on repeat.

Improving my Spanish is so fulfilling because to know the people and their culture you need to speak their language. I even made a joke in Spanish today. ;-)

A golden thread, the never ending beauty of a sunset, winds through my life as all of these experiences of living life are with the people you care for most. Just that in it self brings a smile to my face.

I get the positive energy and re-charge my batteries from being with friends and sharing life experiences with them. I aim to reciprocate and give energy by listening or telling a joke to make you smile.

Grateful for each day. 

BE. BRAVE. LOVE. LIFE.