Chemo makes you hotter, right?

I’m a visual person, so naturally when I needed to get some ideas on how I might try to look as normal as possible during my chemo treatment I went to my fav app – Pinterest. I knew I was going to lose my hair, I knew I’d need a wig, and I knew I’d need to learn how to do makeup properly, at the age of 33. I also knew, my regular bikini style wouldn’t suffice during radiation so I needed to find a proper replacement.

 

“Platinum blonde hair extensions”

“Platinum blonde hair with a touque”

“Blonde curly hair in hat”

 

These were my first searches. I mean, you all know how much I love a good fake blonde look, in fact many of you have probably heard me admit that I’m ‘blonderexic’ – a self diagnosis where I feel like I’m never quite blonde enough… so here is a chance I can make the most out of a difficult situation and find a head of hair that is definitely not possible in a natural way for me, and have fun with it.

 

“Makeup tutorial for chemo patients”

 

Fuck that noise. Too real. New search. ASAP.

 

“Heavy eyeliner tutorials”

“Dramatic makeup for blondes”

“Mimic fake lashes with eyeliner”

“Eyebrow microblading”

 

These searches were a little nicer, and there were some pretty beautiful make up examples. If only I could be as effortless as them…. At least I had the visual. That’s all I needed, a visual to see that it’s possible to look like a human, and maybe even attractive during chemo.

 

Finally.

 

“Rashguard bikini”

“Cropped rashguard”

 

I am going to have to start radiation in the spring, and it’s going to last until early July. I am a SUMMER human. Summer is my thing. The only good thing about getting Cancer when I did – was that my surgery and treatment somehow managed to avoid the summer season. I’m grateful, because that is honestly the best timing ever.

 

But – during radiation my skin is going to be very sensitive to sunlight and any kind of suncare products. This sensitivity will also likely span the majority of the summer after my treatments are all over. So I’ll need to cover up. I found some great options online, and even though I’m not exactly twinning with all of the models – I’ll find a way to pull it off.

 

The best joke is, I saved a few pictures on my phone. This would be my visual, my goal to help me get to my treatments and knowing that maybe I’d get out of this looking as normal as possible, maybe even…dare I say… attractive?! It might seem shallow, but shit, when you don’t feel like you look good it can really mess with your day. I don’t want people to see Cancer when they see me, I want them to see me, and my effortless beauty! Hahahaha… that’s a thing. Right?

 

I showed my husband, he said “so basically you want to get hotter during chemo”. I laughed my ass off – because DUH YES. Yes that is what I’m saying. Is that too much to ask?

 

When I asked my GF to take a look at what my ‘chemo goals’ were she was much more supportive haha. I showed a couple others when they asked what kind of wigs I’d be looking for. All my ladies out there just get it. They’re all very good friends for knowing when they NEED To LIE to me lol. I appreciate it. More then you know.

 

          

 

I posted the photos so you guys could all see the inner workings of my brain. The one of Kingsley is my CONFIDENCE GOAL picture, she just knows how to rock whatever she’s got! I hope you laugh, or at least smile, and understand that visualizing this shit is what works – or at least we’ll see won’t we? Wish me luck!

 

What do you want for yourself?

Just do it. Today. Don’t hesitate.

Hesitation holds us back from so much. We didn’t speak up in a meeting, we don’t ask our partners for what we want, we don’t decide on that gym membership, we’ll get to grocery shopping another day… It is seriously a major issue when it comes to making change – and that is because change is uncomfortable, and our brain and body hates being uncomfortable! So, we hesitate. I’ll worry about it later, next time, tomorrow… and another year passes and you’re right where you don’t want to be… still.

It’s time for you to realize that all you need to do is make the decision to make a change. DECIDE that what you have always wanted is important enough that you won’t hesitate anymore and you’ll begin to take action in order to make it happen.

Here, I’ll tell you exactly what to do RIGHT NOW. It’s not hard.

THROW away all the junk food in your house. Today.

Join the gym, Bootcamp, Yoga studio, get a personal trainer. Jump online right after you read this. Do your research, don’t stop until you figure out how you want to do it. Then do it. Seriously. Or go for a run, immediately. Follow it up with push ups and squats – exercise is technically free if you want it to be.

Go grocery shopping. Don’t go hungry, and bring a list for the meals you want to prepare in the next few days. Throw away nothing, you can’t eat out if you have food at home that will go to waste. Eat at home as much as you can.

Find motivation. A support group online (Facebook, blogs, communities…), your friends, colleagues, anyone. Or hop onto Pinterest, all those motivational quotes can really help sometimes. Choose your favorites and put them somewhere you’ll see them all the time.

Pick a goal. A vacation, an outfit, an event – a hard deadline, and objective will make it much easier to reach. Don’t pick something too far away, make it in the near future and important enough that you’ll really care.

You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Close your eyes and imagine it, really imagine it.

THERE IS NOTHING STOPPING YOU, but you. Don’t get in your way. Change is what makes life exciting. Just decide.