When I was first diagnosed with cancer, I clung tightly to everything I thought I could control—my schedule, my appearance, my plans for the future. It wasn’t long before I realized that cancer had its own plans, and my old way of living wasn’t going to work anymore. Learning to let go wasn’t easy, but it was one of the most transformative lessons of my life.

At first, I fought it. I tried to hold on to my routine, juggling treatments with work and pretending everything was normal. But cancer doesn’t leave room for pretending. The fatigue, the appointments, the uncertainty—they forced me to slow down and reevaluate what truly mattered.

Letting go meant releasing the need to always be in control. It meant learning to ask for help and accepting it with grace. For someone who prided herself on independence, this was one of the hardest shifts. But I came to realize that letting others support me wasn’t a weakness—it was a gift, both to me and to them.

I also had to let go of the idea of perfection. My body was changing, my energy was unpredictable, and some days all I could do was rest. Instead of feeling guilty, I began to focus on what I could do—enjoying a quiet moment with my family, taking a walk when I felt strong enough, or simply savoring a good cup of coffee.

Cancer taught me to live in the present. I stopped worrying so much about the future and started appreciating the here and now. There’s a freedom in letting go of what you can’t control and focusing on what you can—your attitude, your gratitude, and the love you share with those around you.

I won’t say it’s easy, and I certainly haven’t mastered it. But learning to let go has made me more at peace with life’s unpredictability. It’s shown me that there’s beauty in embracing the unknown and strength in surrendering to what is.

Cancer changed my perspective, but it didn’t take away my hope. Instead, it gave me a new way of seeing the world—one that’s less about holding on and more about finding joy in the moment.