"Everyone knows somebody that needs to read this book (Perseverance) !" –Kathie Lee Gifford, Live on NBC’s Today Show
"Perseverance offers… profound insight for all of us seeking to lead a meaningful life." –Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of A Whole New Mind
Buy Perseverance
November 13th, 2009 | 1 Comment »
I can’t remember how I found this image, but have looked at it on Etsy about 50 times this week! And it makes me… happy happy!!
Take a moment and think about one thing that makes you happy happy.
One thing that makes me happy happy – a little blue rock on my desk that says “embrace the unknown.”
Oh and one more thing – my playlist which is now uploaded on the left side of the blog!
What makes you happy happy?
(image: farouche)
February 11th, 2009 | No Comments »
“When I woke up the morning after my diagnosis, my first thought was the opposite of ‘Why me?’ Why not me?”
Through her unique writing style, Kairol Rosenthal seamlessly interjects soul-searching questions into her prose. These questions feel as though they had always been sitting quietly within waiting for the right time to sprout.
“Why not me? Why a fifty-five-year-old truck driver, a nine-year-old in the pediatric unit, or my seventy-seven-year-old grandmother? Of course, me…. My summation was that anyone who dares to construe pain and injury as a personal affliction, rather than a human condition, hasn’t been living with his or her eyes open. With that, I climbed out of bed and put one foot in front of the other.”
Change is a constant element within our lives. It exists along a continuum, from the small to the monumental. We can’t create a construct for quantifying change. Each individual perceives life in unique ways. Yet change is a word so commonly used that we don’t even react to it anymore. It’s used in every medium, yet rarely is it deciphered. Some individuals equate change with hope—others equate change with loss.
Change is fundamentally complex, both internally and externally.
What does life look like when everything changes?
Ask a young adult cancer patient.
Dealing with thyroid cancer herself, Kairol Rosenthal decided to do just that.
Just released, Kairol Rosenthal’s book Everything Changes arms patients with the knowledge and comfort that accompany realizing that others are on similar journeys, placing one foot in front of the other, negotiating a path that is no longer a narrow barren dark tunnel.
This book should be available in the hospital room of every young adult cancer patient. Its bright, blue-sky cover would immediately bring light and a sense of belonging at a time when everything begins to change.
Everything Changes symbolizes a giant step forward for the young adult cancer community. And so today, as Kairol Rosenthal writes, Everything Changes. We are simply moving forward.
• • •
All the Details…
Everything Changes: The Insider’s Guide to Cancer in Your 20s and 30s
: : Purchase Everything Changes on Amazon : :
: : Visit the Everything Changes Blog to Download Chapter One for Free : :
• • •
About Everything Changes
Emerging from cancer treatment at age 29, choreographer and writer Kairol Rosenthal embarked on a 5-year journey across the country interviewing young men and women living with cancer. From the Bible Belt to the Big Apple and beyond, 25 perfect strangers confessed to her what they would not divulge to their doctors, therapists, friends, lovers, family, or in support groups.
Part travelogue, diary, and investigative reporting, EVERYTHING CHANGES includes an unprecedented compilation of expert advice and extensive resources on young adult cancer topics such as dating and sex, medical insurance and the healthcare system, faith and spirituality, employment and career, fertility, adoption, and parenting, friends and family, clinical trials and alternative medicine, college life and scholarships, and young adult caregiving.
• • •
Final Note: I wholeheartedly believe in this book and am grateful to Kairol for dedicating so much of herself in order to bring this book to the general public.
Enough chatting — link on over to Amazon and get Everything Changes!
Best wishes,
Carolyn
February 11th, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Congratulations, Todd Hitz! You can read his inspiring Give 100% story online (update 1.17.2011: story no longer available online). It was a tremendous honor to be nominated with Todd and 8 other truly amazing individuals. You can congratulate Todd by visiting his Give 100 page.
Todd Hitz will be spending a day with Robin Roberts on the set of Good Morning America!
February 9th, 2009 | No Comments »
image from France Ruffenach Photography
Happy Monday!
I’m feeling a bit exhausted today — and it’s just the start of a long day sooo… what better way to wake me up then find some great inspiration (i.e., stuff that makes me smile) for this wonderful Monday!
If you need a little pick me up today, I suggest looking for five things that make you smile — whatever they may be. Find them — smile — sit with that cheerful feeling for a bit and you’ll be roaring to go!
Candy Reading
Zen Reading
Eye Candy: France Ruffenach Photography
Enjoy!
Carolyn
:: Follow me on Twitter — clrsimple2 ::
January 22nd, 2009 | 2 Comments »
After some time exploring livestrong.com, I became intrigued with the “dare” tag at the top of the website. I was never a fan of dares so I stayed away until yesterday. And then… I clicked “DARE.”
As a clinical psychology grad student, I am amazed at the technology that can be used for self-change.
“Dare to make a change. At LIVESTRONG.COM, we believe everyone has the power to make their life better. Take charge and make a commitment to improve your lifestyle. Take a dare or give a dare today.”
There are a ton of dares — some of the featured dares (i.e., have the most members) include:
You can decide to take the dare publicly or privately. You track your progress daily on the website and can watch the incremental changes that you are making — through graphs, etc..
So I took 2 Dares (publicly):
- Acknowledge 3 positive things about myself and my life everyday.
- Relax.
Each dare has information from experts and advisors. So now I dare YOU!!
January 13th, 2009 | 5 Comments »
Consider yourself tagged! If you play along and write “16 Things” — please share!!
I am…
… grateful for the support of my friends and family during this period of transition (i.e., growing pains)
… learning to “live”
… mourning the loss of the incredible friends that I have lost to cancer (miss Matt every single day)
… imperfect
… a graduate student
… publishing my first book in August
… passionate
… addicted to Etsy
… a daughter
… a sister
… a friend
… a doggie mommy (love my little Lila Rose)
… engaged to the most incredible man
… a lover of fashion + design
… inspired
… carolyn
January 11th, 2009 | 1 Comment »
As I was falling asleep (around 4 am), I was watching the end of Lipstick Jungle. I think it may be the end of the series. I loved this show — the three incredible best friends. The music, the montage — it was just beautiful.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/52152/lipstick-jungle-chapter-20-la-vie-en-pose?c=2438
Song: Feel it Coming by Sara Melson
January 10th, 2009 | 3 Comments »
Be warned: unfiltered thoughts!
I have abandoned my blog for a few days and feel GUILTY! Why have I abandoned my dear blog?
Easy Answer: Tunnel Vision
In a matter of hours, my life went from simple and calm to a perfect storm. It’s hard to even clarify what that means since I tend to compartmentalize my life. I do this because I’m not sure how to describe everything that I do and how they all fit together.
I often wish I had a simple answer when people ask, “what do you do?” I usually make something up or pick one of my various roles.
So back to my perfect storm:
- photo “emergency” with my book
- book sales’ project to complete within a week
- research proposal needed all of my attention
- statistics final exam moved up a week (to next week — I don’t do well with final exam surprises!)
That’s just the tip of the iceberg, but I wanted to let it out on here because I’ve been dreading to do so. I am absolutely overwhelmed. I am also incredibly passionate about the work that I’m doing which makes prioritizing very difficult.
So for the next week I’m going into hyper focused mode and will try to get through this little bump as calmly as I can. And lots of coffee with help :).
So here goes an experiment: overwhelmed + autheticity = ?
I’ll let you know the results!
A link I found last night describing the pre-publication process for anyone who is interested!
January 1st, 2009 | No Comments »
happy new year!!! spending a wonderful snow-free day with my love, Ben…. cherishing these free moments :) … so many little things to write on here — excited for a fun filled year of blogging!
photo from last night with my other love, Lila Rose!
