March 12, 2025 • 19 mins
The episode explores how activating personal strengths during a breast cancer journey can transform the experience from one of endurance to one of growth and empowerment. Shannon discusses practical methods for identifying, exploring, and applying these strengths to navigate challenges effectively.
• Understanding the importance of activating personal strengths
• First steps: building awareness and reflecting on past experiences
• Practical application: using strengths creatively in daily life
• Explore two key practices: signature strengths and resource priming
• Harnessing strengths to cultivate resilience and a positive mindset
Using a Signature Strengths in New Ways
- Select a signature strengths to focus on this week
- Refer to your Character Strengths Profile OR
- If you don’t have your profile, refer to the list of 24 character and choose a strength that feels most natural
- Brainstorm ways you can apply this strength in different daily situations
- Each day, intentionally use the strength in a new way.
- Reflect on the impact of using your strength
- Follow this process for 7 days
Resource Priming
- Identify the situation or challenge you want to prepare for. Clearly identify what you’re facing and what you hope to achieve
- Decide how you want to handle the situation (e.g., with patience, creativity, or focus)
- Select a signature strength that fits the situation
- Refer to your Character Strengths Profile OR
- If you don’t have your profile, refer to the list of 24 character and choose a strength that feels most natural
- Determine how you will use your signature strength to prepare for the situation
- Reflect on how your strength helped you.
List of 24 Character Strengths
Handout - Ways to Use Your Character Strengths in New Ways
Viana, Your AI Strengths Coach
Please let us know how we can support you by completing the Breast Cancer Reimagined - Listener Survey
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
The story you tell yourself about your breast
cancer journey shapes yourentire experience, whether
you've been recently diagnosedor are in the midst of treatment
.
Breast Cancer Reimagined isyour podcast for writing this
new chapter of your life.
Hi, I'm Shannon, your host, andI'm so glad you're here.
(00:25):
As a proud two-time breastcancer survivor, I'm on a
mission to help women like youreimagine how you navigate your
breast cancer journey by helpingyou shift your mindset,
activate your strengths anduncover deeper meaning in your
journey.
I'm creating future episodes toaddress your unique challenges,
(00:45):
but I need your input.
What are your biggest questionsor struggles when it comes to
your journey?
Share them with me bycompleting the Google form
that's linked in the show notes.
Your voice matters and togetherwe can create something truly
powerful.
I can't wait to hear from you.
Create something truly powerful.
I can't wait to hear from you.
(01:08):
Welcome to the Breast CancerReimagined Podcast.
Hi, I'm Shannon, your host.
Thanks for joining.
I'm a proud two-time breastcancer survivor and I'm on a
mission to help women shifttheir mindset, activate their
strengths and uncover deepermeaning in their breast cancer
journey.
I want you to think of yourselfas a superhero.
(01:29):
You have your own unique set ofsuperpowers, your character
strengths that can help youovercome any obstacle.
But, just like any superhero,you need to learn how to use
those powers effectively.
And that's what we're talkingabout in this episode how to
activate your strengths so youcan use them effectively.
And that's what we're talkingabout in this episode how to
activate your strengths so youcan use them effectively.
We're going to start byexplaining what does it mean to
(01:52):
activate your strengths.
I'll share some examples of howactivating your strengths can
help you in your breast cancerjourney, and then I'm going to
walk you through two of myfavorite practices to help you
activate your strengths.
Let's dive in.
So, activating your strengthsis about three things.
Number one, it's about buildingawareness of your strengths,
(02:16):
and that's about recognizing andunderstanding your unique
character strengths.
This awareness is thefoundation for utilizing them.
Character strengths thisawareness is the foundation for
utilizing them.
Number two, exploring howyou've used them in the past.
Reflecting on past experienceswhere your strengths have helped
you achieve your goals reallyprovides insights into their
impact and potential.
(02:36):
And number three, applyingstrengths with intention by
weaving them into your dailytasks and challenges.
Activating your characterstrengths is a powerful way to
thrive during your breast cancerjourney.
Here's how.
So, when you're facing thechallenges of diagnosis,
treatment and recovery,strengths like perseverance,
(02:58):
bravery and hope can help youbounce forward from setbacks and
maintain a positive outlook.
Strengths like self-regulation,prudence and perspective can
help you manage stress, makeinformed decisions and navigate
difficult emotions.
Using strengths like gratitude,kindness and humor can boost
(03:19):
your mood, improve relationshipsand enhance your overall
quality of life.
And strengths like love,kindness and social intelligence
can help you build and maintainsupportive relationships with
family, friends and othersurvivors.
By activating your strengths,you can transform your breast
cancer journey from a struggleto endure into an opportunity
(03:41):
for growth, resilience and adeeper appreciation for life.
But before we move into thepractices, let's first talk
about what I mean by practice.
As a noun, practice refers tothe act of doing something
regularly.
So, for example, establishing adaily gratitude practice
highlights it as a routine or ahabit.
(04:02):
Now, as a verb, practice meansto perform an activity or
exercise a skill repeatedly toimprove or maintain proficiency.
For instance, when you practicegratitude, you're actively
engaging in the behavior ofexpressing and cultivating
thankfulness.
So a practice can help youactivate your strengths by
(04:24):
helping you make your strengthsa natural part of your life,
also helping you to get betterat using your strengths and,
lastly, bringing fulfillment andpurpose through using your
strengths.
Now we're going to use aframework to introduce these
practices, and that framework iscalled Aware, explore, apply.
(04:47):
You can't use your strengthseffectively unless you recognize
them.
So awareness is the first step.
The VIA survey is a valuabletool in this process, offering
you a personalized characterstrengths profile.
Now, if you've taken the survey, make sure you have it handy so
that you can refer to it whenwe go through the practices.
(05:09):
If you haven't taken the survey, there is a link in the show
notes.
You can also refer to the listof 24 character strengths, and
that list is also in the shownotes.
The second step is exploringyour strengths, because this
helps you see how they work indifferent situations and
different areas of your life.
So, by reflecting on your pastexperiences, you can find new
(05:31):
ways to use your strengths,build confidence and achieve
your goals.
So, to explore your strengths,I will guide you in a
visualization.
Have your character strengthsprofile or the list of 24
character strengths handy, butmake sure you're in a safe space
if you're going to do thevisualization.
Otherwise, just listen, take adeep breath with me in through
(05:56):
your nose and out through yourmouth.
Let's take this moment togetherto reflect on your character
strengths, the ones that havecarried you through challenges
before and are here to supportyou now on your breast cancer
journey.
Think back to a time in yourlife when you faced something
(06:21):
difficult and came through it,even if it was in a small way.
Maybe it was navigating a toughday, supporting someone else or
simply showing up when it felthard.
What strengths did you lean onin that moment?
(06:42):
Perhaps it was bravery to takethe next step, self-regulation
to wait for answers, or lovethat kept you grounded.
Now bring your focus to whereyou are today.
Today, this journey throughbreast cancer can feel
(07:06):
overwhelming, but those samestrengths your bravery,
self-regulation and love arestill with you.
They are part of you, steadyand unwavering.
Take a deep breath and let itout slowly.
(07:26):
Breath and let it out slowly.
You are stronger than you knowand your strengths are always
with you, ready to light the way.
I hope you enjoyed thatvisualization.
Now we're ready for the thirdstep in activating your
(07:48):
strengths, and this step isapplying your strengths.
So this means we are ready tomove into the practices.
These practices are anopportunity to intentionally
integrate your strengths intoyour daily routines, challenges
and goals, and I just want topoint out with these practices,
(08:11):
you can use them to support youin your breast cancer journey
and in other areas of your life,such as relationships, work,
family, finances, et cetera.
One other thing is any of the24 character strengths can be
used with these practices.
So the first practice is usinga signature strength in new ways
, and what does this mean?
This means to intentionallyexplore different ways to apply
(08:35):
one of your strengths in varioussituations.
This exercise helps you todiscover new dimensions of your
strengths and to integrate themmore naturally into your daily
life.
Why would you want to use yoursignature strengths in new ways?
Research has found that thispractice gives a boost to
happiness and a decrease todepression effects lasting up to
(08:57):
six months.
This is a very powerfulpractice.
One of the things, too, withthis practice is that it's
recommended that you do it everyday for a week, and when you
use your strengths consistently,they become second nature,
effortlessly influencing the wayyou think and act.
Practicing every day allows youto deepen your connection to
(09:20):
these strengths and alsoincrease your confidence in
using them across differentcontexts, so I will walk you
through the steps of how topractice using a signature
strength in new ways, and thenI'll share an example.
So the first step is to selecta signature strength to focus on
for the week, and then numbertwo is to brainstorm ways you
(09:42):
can apply this strength indifferent daily situations.
Number three that's where youtake action.
That is where you're using thisstrength in a new way during
the day.
Number four is to reflect onthe impact of using this
strength.
And number five, you're justgonna follow this process for
seven days.
(10:03):
I'll give seven examples ofusing the character strength of
gratitude in a different context.
So the first one is usinggratitude at home.
So the practice for this couldbe writing a thank you note to a
family member who has supportedyou during your treatment as a
way to express appreciation fortheir care.
The second context is at thedoctor's office.
(10:25):
For this one, you could usegratitude and thank your medical
team, the doctors, the nursesor technicians for their
expertise, their compassion andtheir care.
The third way is to expressgratitude with friends.
Share gratitude with a friendwho has checked in on you or
offered to help, letting themknow how much their support
(10:46):
means to you.
Fourth context is in yourcommunity.
You could show appreciation bydonating or volunteering for a
local cancer support group orcharity.
The fifth context is applyinggratitude for yourself, so this
could be reflecting on yourbody's resilience and thanking
yourself for taking the steps toprioritize your health and
healing.
The sixth context is online.
(11:08):
You could post a message ofgratitude for the support you've
received from your onlinecommunity, or you could raise
awareness about acts of kindnessthat have touched you.
And, lastly, is in the moment,so this could be taking a few
minutes during a challenging dayto mentally list three things
you are grateful for, helpingshift your perspective to hope
(11:30):
and positivity.
Now, in my opinion, the truemagic of this practice lies in
reflecting on the impact ofusing your strengths.
So, for example, gratitude isone of my signature strengths,
and when I was at a doctor'sappointment, I expressed
gratitude to the technologistfor her clear instructions and
(11:51):
for her care while I was havinga mammogram.
By doing so, I felt uplifted.
By expressing my appreciation,the technologist was
appreciative and it led us totalking about how she landed in
this profession and, before Ileft, we shared a hug and I
departed with a smile andgratitude in my heart.
I wanted to share with you afew tips to keep in mind when
(12:13):
you are using a signaturestrength in new ways.
You may want to have all sevenof your ideas before you start
your practice, or you may decidethat you would prefer to come
up with your ideas each day.
I just encourage you to do whatsets you up for success.
I know for me, when I'mengaging in this practice, I
(12:33):
find it really helpful to haveall seven ideas up front.
That way I can put them on mycalendar and I don't forget to
practice.
You can also check in the shownotes.
There's a handout on ways thatyou can use any of the 24
character strengths in a new way.
So check that out in the shownotes.
And one other tip is if you'recomfortable using AI, you can
(12:56):
use it as a tool to help youcome up with creative ways to
use one of your signaturestrengths in a new way for seven
days.
The VIA Institute on Characterhas an AI tool named Viana, your
AI strengths coach.
This is the one that I use themost.
There's a link in the shownotes if you'd like to check it
out, and you can also read mytestimonial about Viana on the
(13:19):
VIA website.
Let's move to the secondpractice.
This practice is calledresource priming.
Resource priming meanspreparing yourself mentally and
emotionally.
You prepare by intentionallyfocusing on your top strengths
before facing a challenge or asituation.
Essentially, it's using yourstrengths as a resource to set
(13:42):
yourself up for success bytapping into the qualities that
help you feel resilient,confident and empowered as you
approach each step of yourbreast cancer journey.
Now, by priming yourself inthis way, you really enhance
your ability to face theemotional and physical
challenges of breast cancer withmore clarity and purpose.
(14:02):
It can help you feel calm underpressure and it can also help
you to make decisions that aremore aligned with your values
and your strengths.
Now, resource priming is agreat practice to use when you
want targeted support around aspecific event or a stressor.
So think about if you're goingthrough treatment such as chemo,
(14:23):
or maybe you have follow-upappointments, you're getting
test results.
Resource priming is wonderfulto support you in things like
that.
Or you can use resource primingto help you make progress on a
goal, learning a new skill orexercising.
I use resource priming a lot asI'm creating content for this
podcast, so let me walk youthrough the steps for resource
(14:44):
priming and then I'll share anexample.
Step number one is to simplyidentify the situation or
challenge that you want toprepare for.
Number two decide how you wantto handle the situation.
Do you want to go into thesituation feeling confident,
feeling focused, feeling calm?
And number three, select asignature strength that fits the
(15:07):
situation.
Number four is determine howyou will use your signature
strength to prepare for thesituation.
And then number five is toreflect on how your strength
helped you.
So let's go through an example.
Let's say that the situation youwant to prepare for is waiting
for test results.
Let's say that you want toapproach this situation with an
(15:29):
attitude of acceptance, focusingon positive outcomes and
feeling calm, and the signaturestrength that you've selected is
love of learning.
And so you could use thisstrength to, let's say, gather
information and become moreinformed about the potential
outcomes, because this can helpreduce anxiety that's caused by
(15:51):
the unknown.
So how might you want toprepare for this situation?
Using love of learning?
One way could be writing out alist of questions for your
doctor, because gaining thatknowledge can help you to feel
more prepared.
So, once you've gotten the testresults and you've applied your
love of learning, it's aboutreflecting on how did using that
strength help you?
(16:12):
Maybe love of learning gave youa sense of control and it
helped to reduce the anxiety ofthe unknown because you gathered
information and you hadquestions and you felt more
prepared.
Or maybe you felt more preparedbecause you researched
potential scenarios and you hadquestions ready for your doctor.
Or you felt more empowered todiscuss your options with your
(16:34):
doctor and make informeddecisions because you learned
more about the test and possibleoutcomes.
And, lastly, you discoveredthat you cope better with
uncertainty when you use yourlove of learning.
Because, instead of passivelywaiting, you discovered that you
cope better with uncertaintywhen you're actively engaged,
when you're actively learningand you realize that by
passively waiting, that actuallyincreases your anxiety, but
(16:57):
actively learning help you tomanage it.
Okay, so we have gone throughthe two practices to help you
activate your strengths.
Now it's time to put thesepractices into action.
This week, choose one of thetwo practices using signature
strengths in a different way, orresource priming and see how it
empowers you on your breastcancer journey.
(17:19):
Observe the impact on yourdaily life, your mindset and
your ability to activate yourstrengths.
Taking time to reflect on whatyou learn is key to continued
growth.
In episode five we're gonnafocus on exploring deeper
meaning in your breast cancerjourney.
I'll talk with you in the nextepisode.
(17:39):
Thanks for joining.
The story you tell yourself about your breast
cancer journey shapes yourentire experience, whether
you've been recently diagnosedor are in the midst of treatment
.
Breast Cancer Reimagined isyour podcast for writing this
new chapter of your life.
Hi, I'm Shannon, your host, andI'm so glad you're here.
(00:25):
As a proud two-time breastcancer survivor, I'm on a
mission to help women like youreimagine how you navigate your
breast cancer journey by helpingyou shift your mindset,
activate your strengths anduncover deeper meaning in your
journey.
I'm creating future episodes toaddress your unique challenges,
(00:45):
but I need your input.
What are your biggest questionsor struggles when it comes to
your journey?
Share them with me bycompleting the Google form
that's linked in the show notes.
Your voice matters and togetherwe can create something truly
powerful.
I can't wait to hear from you.
Create something truly powerful.
I can't wait to hear from you.
(01:08):
Welcome to the Breast CancerReimagined Podcast.
Hi, I'm Shannon, your host.
Thanks for joining.
I'm a proud two-time breastcancer survivor and I'm on a
mission to help women shifttheir mindset, activate their
strengths and uncover deepermeaning in their breast cancer
journey.
I want you to think of yourselfas a superhero.
(01:29):
You have your own unique set ofsuperpowers, your character
strengths that can help youovercome any obstacle.
But, just like any superhero,you need to learn how to use
those powers effectively.
And that's what we're talkingabout in this episode how to
activate your strengths so youcan use them effectively.
And that's what we're talkingabout in this episode how to
activate your strengths so youcan use them effectively.
We're going to start byexplaining what does it mean to
(01:52):
activate your strengths.
I'll share some examples of howactivating your strengths can
help you in your breast cancerjourney, and then I'm going to
walk you through two of myfavorite practices to help you
activate your strengths.
Let's dive in.
So, activating your strengthsis about three things.
Number one, it's about buildingawareness of your strengths,
(02:16):
and that's about recognizing andunderstanding your unique
character strengths.
This awareness is thefoundation for utilizing them.
Character strengths thisawareness is the foundation for
utilizing them.
Number two, exploring howyou've used them in the past.
Reflecting on past experienceswhere your strengths have helped
you achieve your goals reallyprovides insights into their
impact and potential.
(02:36):
And number three, applyingstrengths with intention by
weaving them into your dailytasks and challenges.
Activating your characterstrengths is a powerful way to
thrive during your breast cancerjourney.
Here's how.
So, when you're facing thechallenges of diagnosis,
treatment and recovery,strengths like perseverance,
(02:58):
bravery and hope can help youbounce forward from setbacks and
maintain a positive outlook.
Strengths like self-regulation,prudence and perspective can
help you manage stress, makeinformed decisions and navigate
difficult emotions.
Using strengths like gratitude,kindness and humor can boost
(03:19):
your mood, improve relationshipsand enhance your overall
quality of life.
And strengths like love,kindness and social intelligence
can help you build and maintainsupportive relationships with
family, friends and othersurvivors.
By activating your strengths,you can transform your breast
cancer journey from a struggleto endure into an opportunity
(03:41):
for growth, resilience and adeeper appreciation for life.
But before we move into thepractices, let's first talk
about what I mean by practice.
As a noun, practice refers tothe act of doing something
regularly.
So, for example, establishing adaily gratitude practice
highlights it as a routine or ahabit.
(04:02):
Now, as a verb, practice meansto perform an activity or
exercise a skill repeatedly toimprove or maintain proficiency.
For instance, when you practicegratitude, you're actively
engaging in the behavior ofexpressing and cultivating
thankfulness.
So a practice can help youactivate your strengths by
(04:24):
helping you make your strengthsa natural part of your life,
also helping you to get betterat using your strengths and,
lastly, bringing fulfillment andpurpose through using your
strengths.
Now we're going to use aframework to introduce these
practices, and that framework iscalled Aware, explore, apply.
(04:47):
You can't use your strengthseffectively unless you recognize
them.
So awareness is the first step.
The VIA survey is a valuabletool in this process, offering
you a personalized characterstrengths profile.
Now, if you've taken the survey, make sure you have it handy so
that you can refer to it whenwe go through the practices.
(05:09):
If you haven't taken the survey, there is a link in the show
notes.
You can also refer to the listof 24 character strengths, and
that list is also in the shownotes.
The second step is exploringyour strengths, because this
helps you see how they work indifferent situations and
different areas of your life.
So, by reflecting on your pastexperiences, you can find new
(05:31):
ways to use your strengths,build confidence and achieve
your goals.
So, to explore your strengths,I will guide you in a
visualization.
Have your character strengthsprofile or the list of 24
character strengths handy, butmake sure you're in a safe space
if you're going to do thevisualization.
Otherwise, just listen, take adeep breath with me in through
(05:56):
your nose and out through yourmouth.
Let's take this moment togetherto reflect on your character
strengths, the ones that havecarried you through challenges
before and are here to supportyou now on your breast cancer
journey.
Think back to a time in yourlife when you faced something
(06:21):
difficult and came through it,even if it was in a small way.
Maybe it was navigating a toughday, supporting someone else or
simply showing up when it felthard.
What strengths did you lean onin that moment?
(06:42):
Perhaps it was bravery to takethe next step, self-regulation
to wait for answers, or lovethat kept you grounded.
Now bring your focus to whereyou are today.
Today, this journey throughbreast cancer can feel
(07:06):
overwhelming, but those samestrengths your bravery,
self-regulation and love arestill with you.
They are part of you, steadyand unwavering.
Take a deep breath and let itout slowly.
(07:26):
Breath and let it out slowly.
You are stronger than you knowand your strengths are always
with you, ready to light the way.
I hope you enjoyed thatvisualization.
Now we're ready for the thirdstep in activating your
(07:48):
strengths, and this step isapplying your strengths.
So this means we are ready tomove into the practices.
These practices are anopportunity to intentionally
integrate your strengths intoyour daily routines, challenges
and goals, and I just want topoint out with these practices,
(08:11):
you can use them to support youin your breast cancer journey
and in other areas of your life,such as relationships, work,
family, finances, et cetera.
One other thing is any of the24 character strengths can be
used with these practices.
So the first practice is usinga signature strength in new ways
, and what does this mean?
This means to intentionallyexplore different ways to apply
(08:35):
one of your strengths in varioussituations.
This exercise helps you todiscover new dimensions of your
strengths and to integrate themmore naturally into your daily
life.
Why would you want to use yoursignature strengths in new ways?
Research has found that thispractice gives a boost to
happiness and a decrease todepression effects lasting up to
(08:57):
six months.
This is a very powerfulpractice.
One of the things, too, withthis practice is that it's
recommended that you do it everyday for a week, and when you
use your strengths consistently,they become second nature,
effortlessly influencing the wayyou think and act.
Practicing every day allows youto deepen your connection to
(09:20):
these strengths and alsoincrease your confidence in
using them across differentcontexts, so I will walk you
through the steps of how topractice using a signature
strength in new ways, and thenI'll share an example.
So the first step is to selecta signature strength to focus on
for the week, and then numbertwo is to brainstorm ways you
(09:42):
can apply this strength indifferent daily situations.
Number three that's where youtake action.
That is where you're using thisstrength in a new way during
the day.
Number four is to reflect onthe impact of using this
strength.
And number five, you're justgonna follow this process for
seven days.
(10:03):
I'll give seven examples ofusing the character strength of
gratitude in a different context.
So the first one is usinggratitude at home.
So the practice for this couldbe writing a thank you note to a
family member who has supportedyou during your treatment as a
way to express appreciation fortheir care.
The second context is at thedoctor's office.
(10:25):
For this one, you could usegratitude and thank your medical
team, the doctors, the nursesor technicians for their
expertise, their compassion andtheir care.
The third way is to expressgratitude with friends.
Share gratitude with a friendwho has checked in on you or
offered to help, letting themknow how much their support
(10:46):
means to you.
Fourth context is in yourcommunity.
You could show appreciation bydonating or volunteering for a
local cancer support group orcharity.
The fifth context is applyinggratitude for yourself, so this
could be reflecting on yourbody's resilience and thanking
yourself for taking the steps toprioritize your health and
healing.
The sixth context is online.
(11:08):
You could post a message ofgratitude for the support you've
received from your onlinecommunity, or you could raise
awareness about acts of kindnessthat have touched you.
And, lastly, is in the moment,so this could be taking a few
minutes during a challenging dayto mentally list three things
you are grateful for, helpingshift your perspective to hope
(11:30):
and positivity.
Now, in my opinion, the truemagic of this practice lies in
reflecting on the impact ofusing your strengths.
So, for example, gratitude isone of my signature strengths,
and when I was at a doctor'sappointment, I expressed
gratitude to the technologistfor her clear instructions and
(11:51):
for her care while I was havinga mammogram.
By doing so, I felt uplifted.
By expressing my appreciation,the technologist was
appreciative and it led us totalking about how she landed in
this profession and, before Ileft, we shared a hug and I
departed with a smile andgratitude in my heart.
I wanted to share with you afew tips to keep in mind when
(12:13):
you are using a signaturestrength in new ways.
You may want to have all sevenof your ideas before you start
your practice, or you may decidethat you would prefer to come
up with your ideas each day.
I just encourage you to do whatsets you up for success.
I know for me, when I'mengaging in this practice, I
(12:33):
find it really helpful to haveall seven ideas up front.
That way I can put them on mycalendar and I don't forget to
practice.
You can also check in the shownotes.
There's a handout on ways thatyou can use any of the 24
character strengths in a new way.
So check that out in the shownotes.
And one other tip is if you'recomfortable using AI, you can
(12:56):
use it as a tool to help youcome up with creative ways to
use one of your signaturestrengths in a new way for seven
days.
The VIA Institute on Characterhas an AI tool named Viana, your
AI strengths coach.
This is the one that I use themost.
There's a link in the shownotes if you'd like to check it
out, and you can also read mytestimonial about Viana on the
(13:19):
VIA website.
Let's move to the secondpractice.
This practice is calledresource priming.
Resource priming meanspreparing yourself mentally and
emotionally.
You prepare by intentionallyfocusing on your top strengths
before facing a challenge or asituation.
Essentially, it's using yourstrengths as a resource to set
(13:42):
yourself up for success bytapping into the qualities that
help you feel resilient,confident and empowered as you
approach each step of yourbreast cancer journey.
Now, by priming yourself inthis way, you really enhance
your ability to face theemotional and physical
challenges of breast cancer withmore clarity and purpose.
(14:02):
It can help you feel calm underpressure and it can also help
you to make decisions that aremore aligned with your values
and your strengths.
Now, resource priming is agreat practice to use when you
want targeted support around aspecific event or a stressor.
So think about if you're goingthrough treatment such as chemo,
(14:23):
or maybe you have follow-upappointments, you're getting
test results.
Resource priming is wonderfulto support you in things like
that.
Or you can use resource primingto help you make progress on a
goal, learning a new skill orexercising.
I use resource priming a lot asI'm creating content for this
podcast, so let me walk youthrough the steps for resource
(14:44):
priming and then I'll share anexample.
Step number one is to simplyidentify the situation or
challenge that you want toprepare for.
Number two decide how you wantto handle the situation.
Do you want to go into thesituation feeling confident,
feeling focused, feeling calm?
And number three, select asignature strength that fits the
(15:07):
situation.
Number four is determine howyou will use your signature
strength to prepare for thesituation.
And then number five is toreflect on how your strength
helped you.
So let's go through an example.
Let's say that the situation youwant to prepare for is waiting
for test results.
Let's say that you want toapproach this situation with an
(15:29):
attitude of acceptance, focusingon positive outcomes and
feeling calm, and the signaturestrength that you've selected is
love of learning.
And so you could use thisstrength to, let's say, gather
information and become moreinformed about the potential
outcomes, because this can helpreduce anxiety that's caused by
(15:51):
the unknown.
So how might you want toprepare for this situation?
Using love of learning?
One way could be writing out alist of questions for your
doctor, because gaining thatknowledge can help you to feel
more prepared.
So, once you've gotten the testresults and you've applied your
love of learning, it's aboutreflecting on how did using that
strength help you?
(16:12):
Maybe love of learning gave youa sense of control and it
helped to reduce the anxiety ofthe unknown because you gathered
information and you hadquestions and you felt more
prepared.
Or maybe you felt more preparedbecause you researched
potential scenarios and you hadquestions ready for your doctor.
Or you felt more empowered todiscuss your options with your
(16:34):
doctor and make informeddecisions because you learned
more about the test and possibleoutcomes.
And, lastly, you discoveredthat you cope better with
uncertainty when you use yourlove of learning.
Because, instead of passivelywaiting, you discovered that you
cope better with uncertaintywhen you're actively engaged,
when you're actively learningand you realize that by
passively waiting, that actuallyincreases your anxiety, but
(16:57):
actively learning help you tomanage it.
Okay, so we have gone throughthe two practices to help you
activate your strengths.
Now it's time to put thesepractices into action.
This week, choose one of thetwo practices using signature
strengths in a different way, orresource priming and see how it
empowers you on your breastcancer journey.
(17:19):
Observe the impact on yourdaily life, your mindset and
your ability to activate yourstrengths.
Taking time to reflect on whatyou learn is key to continued
growth.
In episode five we're gonnafocus on exploring deeper
meaning in your breast cancerjourney.
I'll talk with you in the nextepisode.
(17:39):
Thanks for joining.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com