Ep. 11 - Welcome Pain as Part of Living with April Stearns

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of "Investment of Self," we welcome special guest April Stearns as she shares her powerful perspective on embracing pain as a natural part of living. April discusses her personal journey through a cancer diagnosis, the challenges she faced in finding relatable stories, and how she turned her experiences into a supportive community. Join us as we explore the healing power of storytelling, the importance of self-expression, and the transformative impact of embracing life's difficulties.In this episode, Kathy and April discuss:Seeking connection and support amidst difficult challengesThe healing power of writing and expressing emotions Challenges of understanding chronic illness in young adulthood Finding connection and relief through shared experiencesHandling major life events and personal growthBook April is reading:What Doesn't Kill Us, Makes Us (Mike Mariani) - I was attracted to this book because my work is focused on helping people use storytelling to move through traumatic experiences (primarily a cancer diagnosis) to a life that feels richer and deeper. I like the idea of embracing life's curveballs and folding them into the tapestry of who we are, as opposed to seeing them as detours to be buried as quickly as possible. If April was crushed up and put into pill form, what effect would she want to have on someone?The ability to see yourself as having a story worth sharing.More About April Stearns:Visit Widfire’s WebsiteCheck out Wildfire's Facebook pageFollow @wildfire_bc_magazine on InstagramApril Stearns was diagnosed at 35 years old with Stage 3 breast cancer that she found while breastfeeding her daughter. Four years later, while struggling to “go back to normal” and find other women in similar circumstances, April launched Wildfire Magazine. Now she enjoys not only publishing the stories of those “too young for breast cancer,” she also finds pleasure in helping others heal through learning to write and share their stories. April lives with her family on the coast of central California. More about Wildfire Magazine & Writing CommunityWildfire Magazine & Writing Community is a multiplatform media company specifically designed with the young breast cancer survivor and fighter in mind. We provide a bi-monthly narrative magazine, weekly podcast, and small-group writing workshops. Our audience members are all diagnosed under the age of 50 - a growing population decades younger than average breast cancer fighter with few age-appropriate resources available. Our belief is that experiencing the stories of others diagnosed young provides a much-needed community and support network for today's young breast cancer survivor. We go further than that, though, and help them learn to tell their own stories to the survivors coming up behind them. This has the dramatic effect of turning a traumatic cancer experience into an empowering one! Learn more at wildfirecommunity.org.Subscribe to Sense of Peace (Kathy's Substack) today! RECEIVE the attention you need to reconnect with your purpose. Click here to learn more about individual coaching with Kathy!If this resonated, the most generous thing you can do is share it with one woman who needs to hear it. One share grows this community more than any algorithm.Follow the show on your favorite platform, and come find me on Substack at senseofpeace.substack.com — that’s where the deeper conversation lives.And if you’re ready to stop just listening and start doing this work — visit kathywashburn.net. I’d love to talk with you. Until next time — keep investing in yourself. It is always, always worth it.#SpreadMadLove