🩵 Motivation, Meaning & the Power of Living with Purpose

Honoring 16 Years of Survivorship — and the Evolution of Why I Keep Going

This month marks 16 years since I heard the words “You have ovarian cancer.”

At the time, my children were just 7 and 12. The fear was instant and visceral. I wasn’t thinking about inspiration or purpose — I was thinking about survival. In the ovarian cancer community, we used the word “warrior” often, and for good reason. It gave us something to cling to when everything felt uncertain.

Here’s what I know now:

Sometimes motivation begins as a battle cry — and evolves into a conscious choice.

🌿 From Fear-Based Fighting to Value-Based Living

In those early years, my motivation was crystal clear:

Be here for my kids. Live long enough to raise them. Don’t let cancer steal their mother.

That intention lit a fire in me — but it also came with pressure I didn’t fully understand at the time. It was stress disguised as strength. I would later learn that pressure and fear are not the best long-term fuels for wellness.

Yoga, breathwork, and intentional living changed the way I carried my survivorship. I began to shift from fighting to stay alive to choosing to live well.

🧘‍♀️ The Liberation of Letting Motivation Grow With You

As my children became thriving adults (which fills me with pride beyond words), something unexpected happened:

My reason for living could finally belong to me again.

I began to understand that health is not only about longevity — it’s about alignment, peace, and choosing what nourishes the body and spirit. I released the pressure to “beat” cancer and embraced the power of reducing recurrence through:

• Stress reduction
• Breathwork
• Joy and play
• Mindful movement
• Healthy boundaries
• Values-based choices

Survival is not the same as living. Intention is not the same as urgency.

💫 Your Motivation is Allowed to Change

You don’t need a diagnosis to reflect on why you live the way you do. We all encounter moments that wake us up:

• A health scare
• Burnout
• Divorce
• Career shifts
• Loss
• Becoming a parent (or preparing to let your children fly)

The common thread?

We get to choose whether our motivation comes from fear — or from intention.

Here’s the empowering truth I’ve learned over 16 years:

✨ You don’t have to cling to the reason that first kept you going.

✨ You’re allowed to evolve. To soften. To realign.

✨ You can live for meaning instead of survival.

🩵 From Warrior to Witness of My Own Becoming

Today, I’m not fighting for my life.

I’m living it — fully, intentionally, and with deep gratitude.

I don’t take breath for granted.

I don’t ignore what my body tells me.

I don’t wait for “someday” to make aligned choices.

I plant seeds. I rest. I educate. I lead. I love.

And I help others do the same — without needing crisis to spark clarity.

🤍 Ready to Live With Intention, Not Pressure?

Whether you’re navigating a transition, craving alignment, or feeling the nudge to reset your motivation, you don’t have to do it alone.

Let’s talk about the life you want to build — on purpose, with purpose, and in a way that sustains you.

📅 Book a session with me today, and let’s turn survival mode into intentional living.

Your story — like mine — is still unfolding.

And you’re allowed to write the next chapter differently.