As a newlywed, one typically expects to live a life of joy and excitement. There is a honeymoon, oftentimes a new home, and maybe even talk of children. Generally speaking, it is a blissful time, free of stress, in a couple’s new life together. However, for Courtney Elmer, this certainly wasn’t the case.

An Unexpected Diagnosis

Courtney was always career driven. She hustled and pushed, building a thriving business. In essence, she seemed to lead the ideal life. This was until she returned from her honeymoon and was immediately diagnosed with an aggressive form of thyroid cancer. Shocked and terrified, Courtney underwent surgery and began treatment.

Learning to Stress Less

Forced to slow down during recovery, Courtney realized how much stress she had been under. She consistently worked hard and, it seemed, she had forgotten who she was and what she wanted from life. As a matter of fact, slowing down was a foreign feeling that caused her to experience intense discomfort. It was a total life transformation, and learning to live a different way of life was also a lot of work!

Remission and Motherhood

Thankfully, Courtney went into (and is still in) full remission. During this time, she leaned on the support of her close-knit family. Additionally, Courtney focused on unplugging and reconnecting with the people in her life. She learned life is too short for excessive stress.

Cancer treatment often causes infertility, therefore, Courtney didn’t expect motherhood to be in her cards either. Much to her surprise, she got pregnant ended up giving birth to a beautiful baby boy. While there was great joy during this time, Courtney still felt anxiety about where life would lead her. The uncertainty of motherhood caused new levels of stress and fear.

Learning to Live More

While the unknown is scary, the joys of motherhood allowed Courtney to learn the true value in stressing less in order to live more. Life is about authenticity, connection, and transformation. Courtney knew all too well that every day is a gift and life is too short. Stop working so hard and start taking care of yourself.

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