You’ve done it. You survived it. The Big C – Cancer. Against all odds, you triumphed against it, and you’re probably feeling so damned proud of yourself. Indeed, it probably feels like you can survive anything that life throws your way. And you know what? You probably could. A New Lease on Life After months, maybe years, of grueling treatment and surgery, you’re almost as good as new. The anxiety of surgery, the pain of radiation, and the invasion of chemotherapy has been all worth it. You’ve been given a new lease on life, and you can’t be any more thankful. Forgetting Could Be Too Easy It’s a heady feeling. After being so sick, being in good shape once again can make you forget that you were ever sick in the first place. You might find yourself becoming too complacent, too comfortable in the knowledge that you’re alright, thinking that you’ll never get sick again. You’re getting your life back and if you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself falling back into the same old habits that you’ve always had. You could find yourself eating food that you should be avoiding at all costs, drinking liquor that can only do more harm than good, and lighting up cigarettes with your engraved Zippo lighters once again. It’s easy to forget that it’s some of those old habits that made you sick in the first place. Too easy, in fact, so before you wind up those engraved Zippo lighters or take a bite of that big, greasy burger, remember what you’ve just gone through and realize that you might not be so lucky the next time. Fighting Temptation You’ve survived and you’ve gone this far. For sure, you want to live on for as long as you possibly can. It’s not too late to turn your life back around. It’s just a matter of changing your lifestyle and putting away those engraved Zippo lighters for good. It’s not easy to give up the habits that have been so ingrained in you throughout the years. Remember, it isn’t easy to survive cancer either, but you’ve done it anyway. You can do anything, as long as you set your mind into it. As long as your will is strong enough, you can fight any temptation that life throws your way. Of course, prevention is always better than cure. Before you find yourself back in your old habits, it’s best to avoid any reminders that might get you back there in the first place. Throw away those engraved Zippo lighters. Better yet, don’t even look at them. Start a bonfire with your engraved Zippo lighters and throw in all the things that could kill you. Avoid situations where you’re likely to consume alcohol and people that are likely to make you. Start eating healthy. Better yet, become a vegetarian or limit yourself to lean meat. You’ll find that soy and tofu are not so bad in the long run. Indeed, at the end of the day, you’ll be just thankful that you’re still alive. You’ve been given a chance at living again. It’s now time to live your life right.