1.  Start your day with breakfast.
2.  Play relaxing music while you work and surround yourself with objects that make you happy like flowers, pictures, etc.
3.  Always take a lunch break.
4.  Get adequate amounts of sleep. Ideally, we need 7-9 hours each night.
5.  Eat a diet rich in a variety of whole grains, vegetables and fruits and avoid excess caffeine, sugar, alcohol and tobacco.
6.  Daily Exercise – Take a walk or ride a bike. Make exercise dates with friends or family members.
7.  Avoid people who are “stress carriers” or “negaholics”.
8.  Take a “mental health day” and do something you like to do.
9.  Avoid watching the 11 PM news or reading the newspaper before you go to sleep.
10.  Find some time during the day to relax or meditate.

“The mind is like a mirror through which you can see infinity; but if you put the blackness of hatred over it, you will see nothing.”

– Yogi Bhajan 

Directions for relaxation breathing:


Lie on the floor with knees bent and place both hands over your abdomen.  Close your eyes.  As you inhale, notice your hands rise and as you exhale, notice your hands fall.  Try to breathe in and out through your nose.  You can also breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.  Take slow, deep breaths.  As you breathe in, say to yourself: “I notice I am breathing in.”  And as you breathe out, say to yourself: “I notice I am breathing out.”  Continue for several minutes and sit quietly for as long you think you need to.


“The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.”
– Marianne Williamson

By Bonnie Berk, RN, MS, RYT

Bonnie Berk, RN, RYT, MS, is a speaker, author and consultant to a broad range of businesses and institutions on issues related to fitness and wellness. She is a pioneer in the field of maternity fitness, teaches a wide variety of Yoga classes including Yoga for Cancer Patients and Survivors and currently serves as the Wellness Coordinator for the Carlisle Family YMCA. For more information, call (717) 258-4641 or send email to: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

• You can learn more about Partners in Wellness in this video and how they're working to empower cancer patients and survivors.
• See how yoga can benefit cancer patients and survivors in this blog.
• Read another blog by Bonnie Berk on practicing a loving kindness meditation practice.
• Learn about practicing surrender during you cancer journey in this blog by Bonnie.
• See how music can play a role in healing in this blog.