My Lymphoma Manifesto - Charly Kleissner

Charly Kleissner
November 25^th, 2018 – during my first chemo treatment

I am not simply treating illness, I am creating wellness.
Everything I think, say, do, feel and believe has an impact on my well-being.
My immune system is profoundly influenced by my lifestyle choices.
My medical team will do all it can to fix my body, the malfunctioning machine. My task is to do all I can to enhance my self-healing capacity, i.e., by adapting my physical, emotional, and spiritual lifestyle.
I am working on choosing wellness, at any moment, at any circumstance.

I don’t pay much attention to statistics! Statistics do not determine any individual case, including mine! There is no type of cancer that does not have some rate of survival.
The question is: What can I do to get on the right side of these statistics? I am determined to be counted among the survivor statistics.

I have decided to live! I deeply believe that I will survive! I know and feel that I have a lot more to give.
I am in charge of my life! My attitude is the essence of survivorship. I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul – in all humbleness and with the help and support of the infinitely wise and compassionate universe and the help of my family and friends.
My cancer temporarily weakens my body, but permanently strengthens my spirit
I demonstrate a warrior’s attitude: I am determined to live each day I am given to the very best of my ability. I choose to live my life to the very fullest. I focus on possibilities, not problems. My intentions are set on hope and healing. I am detached from the outcomes.
I take it as my personal responsibility to believe in my treatment, and I am excited about my treatment program. I see it as highly effective: The chemicals are a great healing agent, something coming into my body to make me well. I welcome my chemotherapy with open arms. I am actively working on making the side effects manageable.

Recovery demands my total participation: I am working for my wellness; my health recovery is not an accident.
I am actively cultivating inner peace, serenity, a quiet confidence, and a more grateful and joyful way of living.
I am mobilizing body, mind and spirit for my quest for wellness.
Healing springs from within. I am working with the universal energies to activate and release it. I am trusting my body’s unlimited healing capacities
I focus on holistic healing: medical, nutrition, exercise, attitude, support and spiritual
My preferred spiritual activities are meditation, Yoga, reading, reflecting, writing
Some of my preferred exercises are Yoga; walks on the beach, in the redwoods, and on the beach property
I continue to work on my attitude by practicing gratitude, positive intention, and detachment from outcome

I have today, that’s a lot to be grateful for.
I have Lisa with whom I can share everything, literally everything, without fear of judgment.
I invest time and emotional energy in relationships that nurture. I don’t invest time and energy in relationships that are toxic or extractive.

When I start feeling anxious, I witness the emotion, I observe it. Sometimes I associate anxiousness with an image, a shape, – like a light cloud that surrounds me. That allows me to observe it. Instead of becoming a victim, I become the observer. I replace fear and anxiousness with gratitude.
Moderate exercise is the number one treatment for fatigue

PS: While my pain may be unavoidable, suffering is largely optional