My 7 Champagne Vows

If you wonder what relief + happiness + gratitude looks like, look no further.

This picture was taken by my daughter Matilde on February 6th 2023; the day I was declared cancer free, after a 7 months long breast cancer journey.

As I left the radiation facility on that last day of treatment, I knew that nothing would ever be the same again. I felt as if my life had gotten a reset. A new beginning. It was almost like being born again.

As we celebrated and cheered for health, happiness and LIFE, with every sip of champagne, I made myself a vow:

I vow on this glass of champagne that there are many more glasses and years to come, but most of all I vow to live my life HERE and NOW.

I vow on this glass of champagne that the glass of life is full. Not half full. Not half empty. But full. Full of possibilities, experiences, growth, beauty, gratitude and joy.

I vow on this glass of champagne to never sweat the small things again. I will only spend my energy on things (and people) that really matter to me. Everything else is just a waste of precious time and energy.

I vow on this glass of champagne to stop holding back or containing myself to fit into other people's preferences or expectations of me. I vow to set myself FREE.

I vow on this glass of champagne to not postpone any of my dreams to "one day". That day may never come, so I vow to myself to do whatever I want, right now.

I vow on this glass of champagne (which was starting to get empty by now) that even on days when it may feel empty, I will remind myself of how I am feeling right now: in awe of being ALIVE, including all of its ups and downs.

I vow on this glass of champagne to give myself permission to live my life FULLY, UNAPOLOGETICALLY and JOYFULLY. And by doing so, hopefully inspire those around me to do the same.

Life is a journey and no one goes through it without meeting, or crashing into, some bumps in the road. There are so many things in life that we can't control. But there is one thing we can control, and that is how we respond to what happens to us.

When life feels like an uphill battle or rollercoaster, when things simply aren't going your way, I hope you will remember that it is within your greatest struggles that you may find your most precious gifts.

It may sound crazy, but I am only grateful for what I have been going through.

It has shaken me, it has awoken me, and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that what comes next will be pure magic.

Cheers to life, friends!