I was speaking recently with someone who told me about an experience where she went shopping and when she got into her car to go home, she saw a warning message from the car's computer system: "coolant is insufficient to run car." 

The relevance of this message for so many of the people I work with who are struggling with some area of their life was not lost on me. 

They are juggling work, family, relationships, finances, and many of them are also dealing with the impact of a cancer diagnosis. 

And whether they are newly diagnosed and waiting for a treatment plan, in the middle of treatment, or even months, years, or decades out from treatment but still a bit traumatized by the emotional aftermath, they may be operating with too low a coolant level.

And we all know what happens if you run too long without coolant. Your engine overheats and the car just stops.  

The same thing happens with your body - and not just physically, but emotionally and mentally as well.

So what do you do?

Obviously, the first thing to do is to add more coolant (and more fuel if your gas tank is low too).  For us humans, that means adding in some self care.  

What activities genuinely refill your energy? Maybe it’s taking a quiet walk, a nap, getting a massage, soaking in a warm bath, or watching a comforting (or funny) movie. Sometimes, replenishing yourself looks like laughter with a friend or a deep conversation with someone who gets you. 

Refueling your yourself isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. Just like your car, your body won’t work without the right maintenance.

But there’s more too it than that for people.

When too much is going on, we also need to lighten the load a bit.

When life feels overwhelming, whether due to illness or any other circumstance, look at what’s truly essential and let the rest go. 

This might mean taking a break from non-essential tasks, letting a few emails wait, asking a loved one to help out, or letting someone else host Thanksgiving. 

Cancer patients, especially, can benefit from simplifying routines, cutting back on non-critical appointments, and leaning on support systems.

Small moments of self-care matter. 

Consider setting aside small moments for yourself each day. 

Waiting until you’re out of coolant or oil or gas and your car won’t start is bad for your car (and extremely inconvenient for you).  It’s better to keep an eye on things regularly and add the necessary resources before they dip to dangerously low levels.

You can’t just brush your teeth once or shower once and figure you’re good for the rest of your life! Imagine what would happen if you tried to feed your cat 60 times as much food once a month instead of a little bit twice a day. 

You need to do little bits of maintenance and self-care regularly, not only so you don’t fall apart, but so you can thrive.

So keep an eye on what’s going on in your body and your mind and your emotions, and don’t wait for the emergency warning lights to come on before you take care of yourself.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with what’s going on in your life, please reach out!

Write to me at [email protected] to let me know what you'd like help with, or book a call:

Stress/overwhelm/work-life/relationship issues: endselfsabotagenow.com

Weight loss or emotional eating:  releaseemotionaleating.com

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