Jennifer A Douglas - Writer

Encouragement, from me to you, for your breast cancer journey. Buy, or gift, a copy today! .https://www.amazon.com/author/mmejendouglas

This is the week! I typically wait until a few weeks before Christmas to begin buying gifts. I think it’s a holdover from when I was performing a lot before the holidays. Once the concerts finished I was in a space where I could think about the next phase of the holidays. That pattern has continued to this day, even though I’m not playing in any concerts this year. Knowing this is my pattern helps me to feel confident going into Christmas. It’s okay that I’m not buying gifts early. And if you love doing it that way— you totally should! But for me, this works well. Having a peaceful Christmas season means understanding what we usually do and then adapting it as needed. When do you like doing your shopping?

Spreading out the holiday decorating is a great way to accommodate for family participation.

𝗙𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴: Is your family going in all different directions with busy schedules? With progressive decorating, everyone can help when they’re available.

𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆: Progressive Christmas Decorating allows you to decorate for short periods of time and rest when you’re tired.

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲: Children have short attention spans. Progressive decorating allows them to participate for as long as they can, before they find something new to do
Prolong the excitement: Progressive decorating prolongs the joy of decorating and allows us to slow down and more deeply reflect on the purpose and hope of the season.

Here's more about how I do it: https://jenniferadouglas.com/progressive-christmas-decorating/

Fatigue can be a huge enemy to our emotional stamina. When we are tired, we don't have as much patience for the challenges life can throw at us.

5 Enemies to Emotional Stamina Today, we're going to talk about the 5 enemies to emotional stamina in our lives. What are they? How can we work to avoid them?

Thank you, Nancy, for these kind words about "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living it One Step at a Time." It can feel so overwhelming to deal with this shocking diagnosis. I know that talking to others who've been there can help me feel supported and encouraged. https://www.amazon.com/author/mmejendouglas

There are seasons when we need to mix up our morning routine and do things in a new order. Staying open to change can help us continue to get the important things done.

Mixing up the Morning Routine For Increased Productivity Over the last few weeks, I have been mixing up my morning routine. This has helped me increase my productivity and focus on what is essential.

Breast cancer is hard, no matter what stage you have. I wrote "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living it One Step at a Time" because I was surprised at how many challenges I had with a stage zero DCIS diagnosis. If you're dealing with the challenges of breast cancer, you aren't alone. . https://jenniferadouglas.com/books/

Your mornings ought to be peaceful and enjoyable. An effective routine can help you start your day with a smile.

Effective Morning Routine : Easy, Efficient, Enjoyable An effective morning routine can set you up for a successful day. Learn how to design and easy, efficient, and enjoyable start to your day!

We don't need to exhaust ourselves decorating. I love to spread the decorating out over a week. Progressive Christmas decorating allows us plenty of time to put the decorations up. That way, holiday decorating becomes a relaxing process instead of a stressful one. Here's how I do it. https://jenniferadouglas.com/progressive-christmas-decorating/

Thank you, Leslie, for recommending my book! I appreciate all the work and advocacy that you do with My Density Matters to inform and educate us about our breast density. You can learn more about my book here: https://jenniferadouglas.com/books/ and My Density Matters here: https://mydensitymatters.org

One of my favorite parts about digital bullet journaling is picking new types of paper every day. This adds just a little flair to my daily planning.

Digital Bullet Journal: Flexible, Customizable, Searchable My Digital Bullet Journal has really helped me be more productive. It is flexible, customizable, and searchable!

Joy! I don’t think I ever expected to feel it quite this way after breast cancer. As the neighborhoods get decorated and the carols play, I remember that 2019 season when I was going through treatment. It was hard and joy was more fleeting (because I was so exhausted). What I did learn was the importance of focusing on what brought me joy and peace and letting all the rest go. So this is my wish for you this season : pursue joy, not exhaustion!

Delays during cancer treatment were frustrating. I needed lots of patience to adjust to them and move forward.

Delays during Cancer Treatment- A Framework to Move Forward Delays during cancer treatment can be anxiety-producing. I had a few delays that impacted the timeline of my treatment and added to my stress.

As you pick up your copy of "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living it One Step at a Time," I hope you feel warmth and encouragement coming from the page into your soul.
https://jenniferadouglas.com/books/

Once I received my DCIS diagnosis, the research continued. What were the treatment choices? I faced a lot important decisions.

Diagnosed with DCIS- What Are The Treatment Options? When I was diagnosed with DCIS- Stage 0 breast cancer, I was faced with many decisions. What were my treatment options?

Everything froze in that diagnosis moment. The days moved on, but we were caught in the swirl. No one escaped it. In "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living it One Step at a Time," you'll get a peek into what life was like for us behind closed doors. And no, it wasn't an easy journey. https://jenniferadouglas.com/books/

Radiation was every weekday and I was very exhausted. I didn’t schedule anything at night during my radiation treatments because I was too tired.

Getting Into The Daily Radiation Routine When I was undergoing radiation treatment for breast cancer, I got into a daily routine that worked with my fatigue and appointment schedule.

What makes you smile? Some of my favorites include a cup of coffee and a cozy blanket. How do you make time for that practice every day?

3 Steps to Cultivate Contentment I have three steps to share which will help you cultivate contentment in your life. These are easy practices that can improve your wellbeing.

Thank you, Kirkus, for reviewing my book and noticing the details I included. If my experiences can help you, then I've done my job! Take a look at the full review over on their site and pick up your copy today! https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jennifer-douglas/a-breast-cancer-journey/

Every weekend, my husband and I head out on an extended walk on the trails. We talk about many things. Sometimes it's money and other times it's work. Couples walks are a great way to connect.

Couples Walks: How to Stay Connected Through Challenging Times Long couples walks are something that my husband and I do regularly each weekend.

Heading into my 5 breast biopsies, I wasn’t sure how they would go. Here’s a little insight into my patient experience.

All About Core Needle Breast Biopsies Core Needle Breast Biopsies are a tool that doctors use to determine if you have breast cancer. What is it like to get a core needle biopsy?

Are you looking for encouragement for your breast cancer journey? Or perhaps, someone in your life is facing their own diagnosis. "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living it One Step at a Time" is now available. Pick up, or gift a copy today. https://www.amazon.com/author/mmejendouglas

Clean Enough Homemaking: How to maintain livable standards for real life!

Clean Enough Homemaking: Establish Standards for a Peaceful Home Clean enough homemaking is all about establishing standards that we can live with! Here are some ideas to help you develop a plan.

By the time I was about halfway through informing my loved ones about my breast cancer diagnosis, I was exhausted.

My DCIS Diagnosis Story - Jennifer A Douglas This is my DCIS Diagnosis Story, written one year after my diagnosis. I will never forget the moment I became a cancer patient.

I was shocked at how hard it was to go through DCIS treatment. I was exhausted, anxious, worried, and unable to focus on much more than what the next appointment or decision was. I hope that my book "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living it One Step at a Time" can be a resource for those going through their own cancer journeys. It is okay that it's hard. Discover encouragement inside. https://jenniferadouglas.com/books/

Radiation Fatigue Tip: This seems counterintuitive, but walking can really help with the exhaustion.

Walking Through Cancer Fatigue During Radiation Treatment When I was undergoing radiation treatment for my breast cancer, I experienced fatigue as a side effect. Here are 7 ways I walked through it.

Kind words like these are exactly why I wrote "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living it One Step at a Time." Breast cancer is hard. Discover encouragement inside. https://www.amazon.com/author/mmejendouglas

Date night at ! We absolutely love walking to our Friday night dinner (even when it’s blustery and cold outside). While we usually know what we want to eat, the desserts are always a delicious surprise. Last night was peppermint ice cream pie. So delicious!!! Need a good place for dinner in SCV? Try Wolf Creek. And don’t skip dessert!!!

I had lots of emotions during cancer treatment. I was completely stunned to be diagnosed with breast cancer at 41 and my emotions were all over the map.

A Cancer Diagnosis is Shocking- It is Okay to Have Strong Feelings A cancer diagnosis of any stage or type is shocking. In one split second, we go from getting some routine scans to being a cancer patient.

After lunch, I will take a moment to check out my bullet journal in GoodNotes and track my progress. GoodNotes is my preferred app to keep all my notes and to-dos in! Here's how I use it.

How I Digital Bullet Journal With GoodNotes Digital Bullet Journaling with GoodNotes has been my productivity system of choice for several years. Here is how I do it each day!

Thank you, Readers Favorite, for the 5 star review and recommendation! Discover more about what's inside, and see if this is the encouraging book you need as you walk through your breast cancer journey. https://jenniferadouglas.com/books

Each year I plan a week to decorate for Christmas. I love to do a little every day, and I thought I’d share my process with you in this seasonal post.

I’m not sure when I decided to start doing the decorating on a gradual basis. I remember being able to do it quickly when we only had a few boxes of Christmas decorations. But, as the years have passed, we have been blessed with many decorations, either as gifts or as heirlooms passed down to us by our families.

Once our box count expanded, it became impossible to do all the decorating in one weekend. So, I decided to spread it out. Now, every year I plan a week in early December to decorate the home. It’s a week I look forward to every year and marks the time I begin thinking about Christmas shopping.

I love how I can do a little every day. I don’t get tired, and I spread the joy of decorating over a more extended period.

In this latest post, I share how I progressively decorate our home for the season. Let me know what you think. I’d love to know what your favorite part of the holiday season is. Feel free to comment and let me know!


https://jenniferadouglas.com/progressive-christmas-decorating/

If you are having cancer treatment during the holidays, the most critical thing on your to do list is your treatment.

Cancer Treatment Over The Holidays Cancer treatment doesn’t stop for the holidays. The treatments and surgeries don’t take time off. How do we approach the season?

Are you looking for words of encouragement from someone who has walked a similar path? I know I was as I dealt with the emotional, mental, and physical impact of DCIS. I hope this book, filled with details of what it was like for me and other survivors, can be that encouraging resource you need to walk the journey before you. Find out more on my book page, and order your copy today!

https://jenniferadouglas.com/books/

I was offered aromatherapy during my MRI-guided biopsy and I was able to pick the music that was played in the room. These additions helped me feel calmer.

Breast MRIs : What are they like? Jennifer A Douglas After my initial Breast Cancer diagnosis, my surgeon ordered me a breast MRI. I hope that this post can help you prepare for a breast MRI.

I was not a meditator before breast cancer. But, as I was dealing with the emotional stresses, like waiting for results (and there is so much of that) or dealing with procedures, it was a tool that helped me calm down and stay in the moment. Well-Being tips like these are included at the end of every chapter of "A Breast Cancer Journey: Living it One Step at a Time." Pick up your copy today on Amazon! https://www.amazon.com/author/mmejendouglas

I was very drained the first 24-48 hours after my biopsies. I did a lot of resting on the couch. But, I would get up regularly to stretch my legs.

Breast Biopsy: Preparation and Recovery Your surgeon has ordered a breast biopsy for you after reviewing your imaging reports. Now what? How can you prepare for a breast biopsy?

Bedroom oasis: We have a closed-door policy in our master bedroom.

Creating a Private and Comfortable Bedroom Oasis I have created a private and comfortable bedroom oasis in my home. The master bedroom is a place where I can shut out the rest of the world.

Thank you, Dr. Halaharvi, for your recommendation! I hope the newly diagnosed can find encouragement and information during their breast cancer journeys. Read more about what's inside, and learn where you can get your copy today! https://jenniferadouglas.com/books

It is okay to take satisfaction in our productivity- until we run out of energy. Exhaustion happens to us all. Ask a friend for help when you need it!

Ask For Help When You Need It! Before You Enter Martyr Mode! How are you doing about asking for help? Do you ask your family for help when you need it? Or do you go into martyr mode and get grumpy?