[2022-01-20] Live out loud
A friend wrote to me the other day to share that she had gone to her doctor and raised a sensitive issue. She hadn't wanted to bring up the subject, "BUT," she explained, "I did this because of you, and your journey, and I summoned enough courage to finally say something." She added: "because of you, and your willingness and determination to live out loud with bravery and vulnerability...I decided to push myself to be a little more like you."
I loved her expression "live out loud with bravery and vulnerability." There are times when it has taken courage to share some of the more intimate details of my cancer journey in this blog. For instance, the first time I wrote about my perianal skin cancer, I felt embarrassed. But I did it anyway because I thought that my story could help others.
Now it just feels normal to talk about it. I guess that's what the verb "normalize" is all about—taking something potentially taboo and making it acceptable to discuss.
I'm not suggesting that everyone blog about their various ailments, but I do think that there is value in living out loud, even if that's just with our immediate family—people who could benefit from knowing our health history. Sharing your story may inspire a family member to see a healthcare professional about an issue that they've been ignoring or to bring up a condition that might run in their family.
It does take bravery and vulnerability to talk about our health, but your determination to do so could make all the difference for someone else.
