These are the Rules

I think at some point I mentioned that I would write about these and I have been relying on them a bit lately so here it is.

I was given a lot of books when I was initially diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago with titles such as; Crazy Sexy Cancer (no lie - that's the title of a book), Anti Cancer - A New Way of Life, and one book that's title included "Dying Gracefully" (I didn't read that one, but hopefully there's a reference to hookers and blow somewhere in there).

Some of the books were great, others not as much but I have found value in most of what I've read.  There has been one book gifted to me that I rely on constantly in this fight.  Unlike the books that advise what to eat, drink, etc, this book explains survival at its core.  "Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies and Why"by Laurence Gonzales has become somewhat of my bible in all of this.  A wilderness survival guide, this book is a combination of stories and case studies of survivors...and many who didn't survive, but throughout gives invaluable lessons about making it to the other side of extreme hardship or circumstances (no matter what they may be).

Here are the Rules for Survival as taken from the book and modified as I use them:

1) See the opportunity in the situation.  See the good

2) STAY CALM.  Keep a sense of humor and stay calm.  The hero stays cool while the villain is ruled by emotion - that's why he dies.  Humor is a vital organ for survival

3) COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS EVERY DAY.  Be grateful you are alive.  Be grateful for what you have - for WHO you have.
  *I added a TED Talk video below that I serendipitously came across just recently about the relationship between happiness and gratefulness

4) PLAY.  Play/happines/joy is the organism letting itself know that it is ALIVE.

5) SEE THE BEAUTY - See the beauty in the situation/the place.

6) BELIEVE - Believe that you will succeed!!  Develop a deep conviction that you will live.

7) Do WHATEVER is necessary.

8) NEVER GIVE UP!  Let nothing break your spirit.  There is always one more thing you can do, another option.  Survivors are not easily frustrated.  They are not discouraged by the setbacks for long.

In the end of survivors learn from and are grateful for the experiences they have had.  A part of me is very grateful for this experience - it has certainly taught me more about myself and my values than I could gain by any other means.  I do however look forward to the day when this part of my life is in my past :)


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We all want to be happy and as the speaker suggests, happiness is the result of being grateful.  There are many things we can be grateful for in our lives - our family, our friends, maybe certain possessions or material goods - but we all have one thing in common, This Moment.  If you are reading this, if you are breathing, you are Alive and therefore have the the opportunity of this moment and it's infinite possibilities!  And for that, we can all be grateful.

I am so grateful for this moment and I am even more fortunate.  I have all of you and that gives every moment of my life infinitely more happiness!

Till next time....

Jamie Schou