Throwback to a time when I used to blog about fashion and beauty products. Fashion and beauty products sounds trivial but I miss the enjoyment of simple things so much. I lost my desire for all those little things after being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer and I haven't blogged since. It's been roughly 1.5 years. I admit, I allowed it to stop me from enjoying life's simple pleasures.
As time passed from the initial shock and whirlwind of my diagnosis, I slowly started to pick things back up again with what I enjoyed pre-cancer. Something as small as picking up a fashion magazine made me smile. I haven't done that in a long time. I was reading about fashion again while sipping a cup of coffee! I remembered that sense of enjoyment and I held on to that feeling. When I lacked any kind of motivation, I would allow my mind to take a break, but I wouldn't let myself dwell for too long. I would pick things back up again...and again.
Each day is still quite a challenge, but I am eager to fight harder and harder, so much so, that I put my energy into creating an apparel brand of my own. A brand that gives back, a brand that gives light, because the darkness that cancer can create is a terrible place. I poured my heart and soul into My Heart Tug.
There are a few elements to My Heart Tug but here are two big ones that help drive it:
- To take back my simple love for fashion and create an even bigger dream to crush what my diagnosis is trying to do to me. I will work hard to not allow cancer to break my spirit again and I will work hard to lift the spirit of others.
- To help other adults with cancer by donating 25% of the profits to cover costs of things that give them joy. If I could even put things on pause for a moment to allow a smile or laughter from these families battling cancer, it will make my heart happy.
Whatever it is that you love, the hobbies that you enjoy, don't let cancer or what you are battling, force you to give it up. Don't allow it to break your spirit. Fight back. Fight back hard for your beautiful life and live.
Love,
Ali
www.myhearttug.com