Time for some honesty—most of us have experienced that moment when life throws something totally unexpected at us. Maybe it’s a spill at a dinner party, or more dramatically, the day you wake up and recognize you’re late to work and wearing mismatched socks.

We’ve all had our “oops” moments. It goes as follows: but then came the “oh no moment: a cancer diagnosis, one completely beyond mismatched socks and spilled coffee. And so, in an instant, life as you knew it turned upside down.

And here’s the thing, though: surviving cancer need not mean that you become stuck in that ‘oops’ phase forever. You can thrive—yes, create a “new normal”—complete with purpose and meaning added to your life.

In my book “Living Brave,” I dive into the journey of converting that “survival mode” into a life filled with purpose.

You see, cancer may have changed things, but it didn’t define who you are. After the storm, you can rebuild your life brick by brick. Start small. Celebrate the little accomplishments, like getting out of bed without feeling like you’ve just climbed Mount Everest. Slowly, you build a routine and discover new passions, maybe even some old ones.

The key lies in shifting your perspective to look at what has been gained and not lost: strength, resilience, and a much deeper sense of gratitude. Accept the new version of you with all your quirks and scars. Remember, thriving does not have to be perfect. Thriving means moving forward, purposeful, humorous, and full of the guts to keep going.

Life after cancer is a journey, one that can lead to even greater things. Let’s make it a good one.