Changing Crappiness Into Happiness
I recently went to an inspirational talk by cancer survivor, young mum, triathlete and fellow Noosa resident, Sam Naudin.
Over the past two years she’s had a tumultuous journey which included being diagnosed with breast cancer and subsequently undergoing a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
As if this wasn’t bad enough her long term relationship ended and suddenly she was a solo mum with two children under four years old dependent on her.
Faced with a big helping of crap like that, lesser individuals might have given up and opted to spend the next year or so curled up on the couch watching reruns of dreary sitcoms while consuming vast amounts of chocolate.
But not Sam. Despite being left with lympoma, when her medical treatment was over, she decided to get fit and raise money for charity. Her dream soon escalated into completing a half-marathon, cycling 100 kilometers and finally a triathlon.
What inspires you to seek happiness?
I have to say, it sounds exhausting but it certainly is inspirational stuff and makes me wonder what events catalyse people to get off their bums and do something.
So often it’s a brush with death, either our own or that of a loved one, that motivates us to live our dream and be the best we can be.
Only when faced with the inevitability of our own mortality does life takes on more meaning and vibrancy.
Let’s not wait for a stark reminder, let’s live life to the full right now and enjoy what we have today.
Be destined for happiness
The other inspirational part of this story is that it really illustrates how much we’re in charge of our own destiny.
Fate dealt Sam a rough hand but she was still able to choose how she played it. Either she could go with the flow, become a powerless victim and sit around feeling sorry for herself, or she could give fate the finger and carry on her amazing journey through life.
Like Sam, when something bad happens I’m going to look on the bright side, try to laugh it off, and not dwell on it.
We do have control over our feelings and I’m working on choosing to feel happy, valuable, satisfied and involved.
Here’s to Sam’s good health and a living life positively.
Thanks for reading
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I love this type of story! More please :)
You’re right it does sound exhausting to go beyond as she did. I also like the fact that she was able to take a negative and convert it to a positive (charity).
I do see this pattern a lot: someone suffers some very difficult circumstances in their life, and then they’re inspired to achieve incredible feats that they may not have otherwise.
I’ve often wondered why we so often see the best in ourselves only as a result of suffering, and it seems to me that it’s because it provides perspective. Perspective really does change everything. If we could be homeless for a while, we’d never take our house for granted again. If we could be famished for a while, we’d never take access to food for granted again.
It really does suggest that suffering is not a bad thing at all, if it provides something so priceless.
Great story, thanks.
Yes, it’s all up to us to change “Crappiness into Happiness” – what a marvelous headline.
Needed a bit of inspiration, came here and got it. Thank you Annabel
Great inspirational site. Wonderful post.
After my grandmother passed away in 1997, I felt the urge to help others that were losing their loved ones, so I became a volunteer for Hospice.
I think the key to life is when crap punches you in the face, you need to counter punch it with a positive.
Also reminds me of a quote I remember, not sure of the author . . .
“I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet”
I do believe we live in the fog, separted by extreme moments of clarity that shape our lives. Hell! that was quite profound! I might use that! Just kidding! Thanks for a great post. I want to wake up to life before something happens like that. It is inspiring to read of someone who can take adversity and turn it into a new life!!
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Loved it sooo much I read it again :)