I’m not here to tell you that breast cancer is a blessing—it freaking sucks.
But…sometimes, when the worst happens, a part of us wakes the hell up. The part that knew change was essential, but had been ignoring the signs because we lacked the right reasons or the circumstances or the courage to make it happen.
After breast cancer (perhaps like you?), I decided to double down on awe, meaning and joy. To choose only those things—people, work, ideas—that resonate deeply on one or all of my new measures.
MY STORY:
After growing up in rural New England and escaping a chaotic home life at 17, I boot-strapped my way through two degrees and landed a posh corporate gig, eventually tapping out as a Partner (Chicago) in a global consulting firm.
I went on to build multiple expertise businesses—for myself and clients—including selling one to the big boys for seven figures. I wrote a book I’m proud of, hosted two business podcasts (one ranking in the top 1.5% of all podcasts) and have mentored countless expertise entrepreneurs to live and work more joyfully in their genius zone.
But cancer didn’t care about that. Or that I was finally living in my happy place (Palm Springs) with my hubby and rescue dog Jackson surrounded by good friends and chosen family.
Instead, breast cancer hit me like a bomb, shattering my plans, shutting off a revenue source, questioning every single thing I’d taken for granted. Becoming my own cancer researcher and treatment navigator and then patient was all-consuming—would I ever be the same again?
Yes and no.
Yes, I was still the same Rochelle—feisty, curious, barreling through research to self-advocate and figuring out how to channel crap into something useful.v
And no—my vulnerability rocketed upwards, my patience for idiots plummeted, my passion for joy soared and my appreciation for every single positive thing around me intensified. I could no longer slink back to life as usual (my full cancer story is here if you want more background).
And yet, what exactly needed to shift? There were vast chunks of my life I loved just fine, thank you very much.
So I decided to shine my 20+ years of mentoring experience on myself this time: using my time-tested tools, I separated what was already working from what I no longer wanted. And after some introspection, research and experimenting, I landed on Loving Flat.
It was relatively quick because I had a proven process, was highly motivated and worked it steadily. But watching thousands of women who chose to go flat on social media and handfuls of women IRL showed me that this was unusual.
Many women were still piecing their lives together for years afterwards, suffering mightily in the process. It shouldn’t be that way. Why wait to find your joy?
That’s why I started Loving Flat. It’s a movement—and I hope eventually a community—where we tackle the most profound issue after active treatment ends: how to experience joy even after life altering treatment with the constant threat of recurrence hanging over us.
The Loving Flat podcast is my joyful contribution to the conversation around going flat.
You can check out my 1-1 mentoring here and/or sign up for my Dispatches From The Flat Side: weekly-ish pieces designed to help you discover more awe, meaning and joy every day.