More Than Chocolate

When my oncology team told me to “do something nice” for myself—like indulge in chocolate or a fancy dessert—it landed with a strange kind of finality. As if my diagnosis was a death sentence, and the kindest thing I could do now was settle into comfort, surrender the fight, and quietly accept my fate.

But let me be clear: this is not the time to take your foot off the gas.

Healing is not passive. It’s not about treating yourself like a hospice case when you’re still here—still breathing, still fighting. Yes, small joys matter. Moments of sweetness have their place. But they should never come at the cost of your power. This journey demands more than dessert. It demands a warrior mindset.

Here’s the deeper truth: doing healthy things—eating clean, sipping tea instead of wine, moving your body, choosing rest over burnout—isn’t about restriction. It’s about reclamation. It’s about taking your power back.

These small, deliberate acts train your brain, shift your energy, and reinforce belief in what’s possible. They create momentum. They build resilience. They spark hope. When you make choices with purpose, you take back control of your narrative. And that’s where real healing begins—not in the chocolate, but in the choice.

Every purposeful choice is a message to your body: I’m not giving up.

There’s science behind this. What we believe—about our health, our prognosis, our strength—can influence the way our bodies respond. The mind is not just along for the ride; it’s the driver. The sooner we embrace that, the sooner our bodies begin to rise in alignment.

Our bodies are wired to heal. Think of a skinned knee: it closes, it scabs, it regenerates—all on its own. That same intelligence lives inside us. But our thoughts direct our energy. And that energy matters.

So yes, eat the chocolate if it brings you joy—it certainly does for me. But don’t eat it as an act of resignation. Don’t let it be your white flag. Enjoy it for what it is, and then lace up your shoes, pour the tea, take the walk. 

Because your story? It’s far from over.

Fuel the fight. Cancer can’t survive in a body that’s nourished, a mind that’s focused, and a spirit that refuses to surrender.

Believe it. Will it. Live it. And it will be.