Life can be a rainstorm that leaves you stuck in the mud waiting for that flower to grow. I call my life a beautiful mess.
1. Funerals are for the living. A funeral is for those living to celebrate and grieve for the ones who have passed on. Nothing the deceased can do at that point we need to heal.
2. A life unlived is lost. I wake up every day and think “what a beautiful mess I live!”. I have seen the face of death so many times I refuse to get lost in it, rather I want to get lost in life, no matter how messy.
3. Grief has no timeline. Maybe after a year or a month or days grief will creep into your life. There is no timeline or right way to express how you feel. It is about you and what will heal you.
4. Do not look back, you are not going that way. We spend so much time worry about what we did in the past we forget that we are in the now. We stress about the future and forget that life is happening. We can not change the past or predict the future but we can live right now!
5. Find Beauty. That beauty can be the ladybug on a blade of grass or the peaceful moment as someone transitions into the last stages of life. Look for the undiscovered beauty to find your peace.
Parlaying a cancer diagnosis into an advocacy powerhouse, Cancer Badass AnnMarie Otis gives voice to people impacted by breast cancer, MS, and mental health issues. Since establishing the non-profit Stupid Dumb Breast Cancer organisation in 2012, AnnMarie has worked tirelessly to engage the community through awareness programs and fundraising initiatives, and to ensure that everyone who suffers is heard. She currently serves as community manager for Wisdo, as social media advisor to Lyfebulb, and as a active member for The Mighty.