Making Fear Work For You

For the last 20 years, Elaine Kennedy has battled cancer three separate times and recovered from a life-threatening stroke. When asked to reflect on this time, the wife, mother, and business owner said, “I wouldn’t trade it."

To understand how she comes to this perspective, we need to know how she views fear. Fear can paralyze, fear can polarize, and fear can make us feel smaller. For Elaine, fear brought unique value. It clarified and prioritized what’s important. It silenced an increasingly loud world of meaningless distractions. It brought a new level of gratitude. #ValueMadeClear

Here is Elaine's story:

Making fear work for you; Finding your unique voice and value

With the right perspective, cancer and life’s other big challenges can truly be a gift. They help us live in the present and not get distracted by minor challenges. They help us appreciate what we have and be grateful even when things are not perfect.

There is still fear. Sometimes it is overwhelming. But I have found that fear motivates me to experience everything I possibly can and not put things off. I have prioritized experiences, relationships and having fun over worrying about the future. Now that my girls are older, we talk about everything. The good stuff and the hard stuff. I know they are thinking about it anyway so I would rather talk openly and share my perspective.

When years are focused on quality versus quantity, it’s easier to love freely and enjoy the here and now.