My Two Anchors, and How They Still Keep Me Steady After 30 Years

When I was first told I had breast cancer, I was dropped into a world I didn’t understand. I didn’t know what to ask, what to expect, or how I could help myself.

I was scared. Confused. Overwhelmed.

And in the middle of that storm, I found two quotes that became lifelines. My medical team did their best, but the prognosis was bleak. These words steadied me in a way nothing else could.

I call them my anchors.

An anchor is what you hold onto when life feels like it’s pulling you under. Something solid that keeps you from drifting into overwhelm or despair.

They may “just” be quotes, but to me, they’ve carried lifesaving meaning.

Quick Takeaways

Anchor #1: There’s a Light Stronger Than the Darkness

“There is a light in this world… a healing spirit much stronger than any darkness we may encounter.
We sometimes lose sight of this force… where there is suffering and too much pain.
And suddenly the spirit will emerge… through ordinary people and answer in extraordinary ways.
God speaks in the silence of the heart when we listen.”

— Mother Teresa

I needed the reminder that even when everything feels dark and hopeless, there is a force stronger than fear.

It shows up in quiet moments. In the kindness of others. In ordinary people who answer in extraordinary ways.

And sometimes, the hardest part is this: learning to listen when the noise gets too loud.

Anchor #2: You Can’t Create a New Outcome With the Same Thinking

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

— Albert Einstein

This one was a wake-up call then, and it still is now.

It reminds me I can’t stay stuck thinking the same old thoughts and expect everything to change.

If I want a better outcome, I have to shift my thinking, step back, and find a new way forward. It isn’t always easy, but it’s necessary.

These two messages have served me for over three decades. I still cling to them on dark, cloudy days.

Sometimes I catch myself trying to do hard things on my own, or in the same old way, without first asking God for help or guidance. Sometimes I even laugh at myself when I notice it.

But I don’t always laugh when I realize I’ve been needlessly struggling.

Why Writing Down Your Anchors Makes a Difference

Here’s something I learned along the way: it’s not enough to just “know” your anchors. You have to write them down.

Put them somewhere you can see every day.

Because when life gets heavy, the mind wants to dive back into fear and worry. But when the words are right in front of you, they pull you back to what matters.

Anchors like these helped me:

shift from stuck and fearful to hopeful and steady
align with God, my free will, and my own inner spirit for strength and redirection
hold onto faith and hope, even when things felt impossible

The Diagnosis Doesn’t Get to Define Me

Here’s the truth: a diagnosis like breast cancer tries to steal your joy and your hope.

But it doesn’t have to win.

When I anchor myself in something bigger, whether that’s faith, spirit, hope, or a shift in thinking, I no longer feel helpless or hopeless.

For me, these two quotes have been like a spiritual GPS and a mental reset button for more than 30 years. They remind me that healing isn’t only about the body. It’s also about how I see myself and my life, no matter what a diagnosis says.

Your anchors might look different than mine. They might be a poem, a prayer, a song, or a mantra.

Whatever they are, write them down.

Let them be your lifeline when you need to move from feeling stuck… to feeling strong.