Disruption

The subtitle of my latest book is Intrusions, Oxymorons, and Transformations in the Breast Cancer Marathon.

The transformations were what intrigued me the most. How could something so terrible transform lives in such a positive way? It turns out there is research around this.

Disruptions in life are an opportunity for new beginnings. Transitions, or new beginnings, are times when people are most likely to make and keep resolutions. They provide an opportunity for change. They let us take charge of our lives in a new way. More resolutions are made during disruptions/new beginnings: New Years, birthdays, anniversaries of major life events, first of the month, first of the week… etc.

While disruptions provide opportunity for new beginnings, adversity teaches us life lessons and provides the strength, resilience, and determination to follow through with our resolutions and make the most of our new beginnings.

For example: baseball players who are traded across leagues in seasons when they are doing poorly are much more likely to improve after the trade than players who are traded while they are performing well. Those players tend to have worse seasons after the trade.

A negative disruption (I think breast cancer qualifies here) can be a new beginning, a transformative experience. A negative life disruption can add purpose.