200 Reasons Why I’m Here

I’m not here to……

1. I’m not here to complain, I’m here to contribute
2. I’m not here to wait for optimism, I’m here to create it
3. I’m not here to hide my scars, I’m here to show my strength
4. I’m not here to whinge, I’m here to win
5. I’m not here to avoid pain, I’m here to find purpose in it
6. I’m not here to keep calm, I’m here to stir the pot
7. I’m not here to retreat, I’m here to advance
8. I’m not here to fade, I’m here to leave a legacy
9. I’m not here to sulk, I’m here to soar
10. I’m not here to moan about Mondays, I’m here to own them
11. I’m not here to count my days, I’m here to make my days count
12. I’m not here to crumble under pressure, I’m here to grow from it
13. I’m not here to step back, I’m here to step up
14. I’m not here to envy another’s path, I’m here to walk my own
15. I’m not here to nap through it, I’m here to snap to it
16. I’m not here to watch, I’m here to build
17. I’m not here to play small, I’m here to be a big deal (to myself, at least)
18. I’m not here to wait for the world to be kind, I’m here to be unbreakable in its indifference
19. I’m not here to fade into the background, I’m here to paint the foreground
20. I’m not here to wish on stars, I’m here to ignite my own
21. I’m not here to hide away, I’m here to stand tall
22. I’m not here to complain about the darkness, I’m here to light a spark
23. I’m not here to be bitter, I’m here to be better
24. I’m not here to drift, I’m here to drive
25. I’m not here to shrink, I’m here to shine
26. I’m not here to fear failure, I’m here to outlast it
27. I’m not here to cry over spilt milk, I’m here to churn butter
28. I’m not here to ask “Why me?”, I’m here to ask “What’s next?”
29. I’m not here to avoid the fall, I’m here to rise after
30. I’m not here to curse the wind, I’m here to adjust my sail
31. I’m not here to pass the time, I’m here to make time count
32. I’m not here to sit indoors, I’m here to outdoors on the move
33. I’m not here to stay the same, I’m here to evolve
34. I’m not here to keep quiet, I’m here to speak my truth
35. I’m not here to breakdown, I’m here to breakthrough
36. I’m not here to play it safe, I’m here to play it brave
37. I’m not here to fumble, I’m here to bumble with style
38. I’m not here to blend in, I’m here to stand out like a sore thumb (on purpose)
39. I’m not here to be comfortable, I’m here to be courageous
40. I’m not here to lower the bar, I’m here to raise it
41. I’m not here to tiptoe, I’m here to stomp
42. I’m not here to rage at the storm, I’m here to face it silently
43. I’m not here to dream of ease, I’m here to master hardship
44. I’m not here to beg for an easier road, I’m here to strengthen my stride
45. I’m not here to avoid challenges, I’m here to conquer them
46. I’m not here to weep over what’s lost, I’m here to use what remains
47. I’m not here to grumble and mumble, I’m here to roar and rumble
48. I’m not here to avoid the hard questions, I’m here to face them
49. I’m not here to watch life happen, I’m here to make it happen
50. I’m not here to give up, I’m here to give more
51. I’m not here to sit indoors, I’m here to outdoors on the move
52. I’m not here to keep calm, I’m here to stir the pot
53. I’m not here to row my boat, I’m here to build the whole ship
54. I’m not here to fear the worst, I’m here to hope for the best
55. I’m not here to slow down, I’m here to press on
56. I’m not here to worry about the weather, I’m here to bring the thunder
57. I’m not here to hide behind excuses, I’m here to face the facts
58. I’m not here to avoid discomfort, I’m here to grow through it
59. I’m not here to whisper in the wind, I’m here to leave echoes in the canyon
60. I’m not here to chicken out, I’m here to ruffle feathers
61. I’m not here to nibble at life, I’m here to take a bite
62. I’m not here to wait for change, I’m here to create it
63. I’m not here to break under pressure, I’m here to become diamond
64. I’m not here to cling to comfort, I’m here to embrace discomfort
65. I’m not here to escape the storm, I’m here to dance in the rain
66. I’m not here to be counted out, I’m here to count myself in
67. I’m not here to hold my breath, I’m here to blow minds
68. I’m not here to sit back, I’m here to lean in
69. I’m not here to control outcomes, I’m here to master myself
70. I’m not here to seek applause, I’m here to keep walking when no one claps
71. I’m not here to forge myself in ease, I’m here to forge myself in fire
72. I’m not here to ignore my scars, I’m here to honour them
73. I’m not here to stay a caterpillar, I’m here to break my cocoon
74. I’m not here to be a bystander, I’m here to be a force
75. I’m not here to stay the same, I’m here to evolve
76. I’m not here to light a candle, I’m here to spark a wildfire
77. I’m not here to wait for a bridge, I’m here to build one
78. I’m not here to wish for calm waters, I’m here to become a better sailor
79. I’m not here to avoid the storm, I’m here to become the lightning
80. I’m not here to stand at the gate, I’m here to walk through
81. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be a force for the positive
82. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be constructive
83. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be a light in the dark
84. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be a breath of fresh air
85. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be part of the solution
86. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be hopeful
87. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be a spark of change
88. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be courageous
89. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be inspiring
90. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be kind
91. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be grateful
92. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be relentless
93. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be better than yesterday
94. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be optimistic
95. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be resilient
96. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be the reason someone else smiles
97. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be the change I want to see
98. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be a beacon of hope
99. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be an encourager
100. I’m not here to be negative, I’m here to be a builder of bridges
101. I’m not here to survive quietly, I’m here to live loudly
102. I’m not here to count the odds, I’m here to tilt them
103. I’m not here to seek permission, I’m here to set precedent
104. I’m not here to play safe, I’m here to play true
105. I’m not here to wait for strength, I’m here to grow it
106. I’m not here to be palatable, I’m here to be powerful
107. I’m not here to fear the storm, I’m here to steer through it
108. I’m not here to dwell on damage, I’m here to build resilience
109. I’m not here to explain myself, I’m here to express myself
110. I’m not here to shrink the dream, I’m here to expand the horizon
111. I’m not here to be fearless, I’m here to be fear-tested
112. I’m not here to rush recovery, I’m here to respect it
113. I’m not here to measure loss, I’m here to multiply gains
114. I’m not here to erase the struggle, I’m here to redeem it
115. I’m not here to pretend it’s easy, I’m here to prove it’s possible
116. I’m not here to borrow hope, I’m here to generate it
117. I’m not here to dim the room, I’m here to switch it on
118. I’m not here to deny the darkness, I’m here to light a way through it.
119. I’m not here to pretend it’s easy, I’m here because it’s worth it.
120. I’m not here to be cured of fear, I’m here to live alongside it.
121. I’m not here to rush healing, I’m here to honour it.
122. I’m not here to be untouched, I’m here to be unbroken.
123. I’m not here to wait for hope, I’m here to practice it daily.
124. I’m not here to be defined by diagnosis, I’m here to define my days.
125. I’m not here to count what cancer took, I’m here to protect what remains.
126. I’m not here to hide my scars, I’m here to let them speak.
127. I’m not here to be fearless, I’m here to be faithful to the fight.
128. I’m not here to escape uncertainty, I’m here to stand steady inside it.
129. I’m not here to borrow strength, I’m here to discover it.
130. I’m not here to numb the pain, I’m here to find meaning through it.
131. I’m not here to win every battle, I’m here to stay in the war.
132. I’m not here to rush the future, I’m here to show up today.
133. I’m not here to pretend hope is loud, I’m here to prove it’s stubborn.
134. I’m not here to be broken by setbacks, I’m here to be rebuilt by them.
135. I’m not here to erase the hard days, I’m here to survive them.
136. I’m not here to carry bitterness, I’m here to carry belief.
137. I’m not here to live untouched, I’m here to live transformed.
138. I’m not here to fear the long road, I’m here to take the next step.
139. I’m not here to explain my strength, I’m here to use it.
140. I’m not here to wait for good news, I’m here to make good moments.
141. I’m not here to pretend recovery is linear, I’m here to persist anyway.
142. I’m not here to be cured of struggle, I’m here to outlast it.
143. I’m not here to romanticise survival, I’m here to respect it.
144. I’m not here to shrink my life to fit illness, I’m here to expand meaning.
145. I’m not here to deny grief, I’m here to walk with it.
146. I’m not here to count days lost, I’m here to claim days lived.
147. I’m not here to be optimistic by default, I’m here to choose it.
148. I’m not here to pretend positivity is easy, I’m here because it matters.
149. I’m not here to measure life in milestones, I’m here to value moments.
150. I’m not here to be spared suffering, I’m here to survive it with dignity.
151. I’m not here to silence fear, I’m here to keep hope louder.
152. I’m not here to give cancer the final word, I’m here to speak back.
153. I’m not here to hide from vulnerability, I’m here to live honestly.
154. I’m not here to chase miracles, I’m here to keep going.
155. I’m not here to deny exhaustion, I’m here to rest and return.
156. I’m not here to be reduced to a patient, I’m here to remain a person.
157. I’m not here to wait for strength to arrive, I’m here to grow it slowly.
158. I’m not here to demand certainty, I’m here to hold courage.
159. I’m not here to outrun fear, I’m here to walk beside hope.
160. I’m not here to prove I’m strong, I’m here because I am still standing.
161. I’m not here to rush resilience, I’m here to let it form.
162. I’m not here to let illness shrink my world, I’m here to keep it human.
163. I’m not here to be saved by optimism, I’m here to practice it.
164. I’m not here to fear the scars, I’m here to honour survival.
165. I’m not here to be untouched by pain, I’m here to be guided by hope.
166. I’m not here to count how hard this is, I’m here to keep showing up.
167. I’m not here to just survive cancer, I’m here to live despite it.
168. I’m not here to wait for the old normal, I’m here to build a new one.
169. I’m not here to be crushed by statistics, I’m here to be counted present.
170. I’m not here to pretend the fear disappears, I’m here to keep moving with it.
171. I’m not here to outsource hope, I’m here to generate it.
172. I’m not here to shrink under uncertainty, I’m here to stand taller inside it.
173. I’m not here to be rushed by recovery timelines, I’m here to move at a human pace.
174. I’m not here to deny the cost, I’m here to honour what it buys.
175. I’m not here to live on borrowed time, I’m here to live on chosen purpose.
176. I’m not here to wait for strength at the finish line, I’m here to build it on the road.
177. I’m not here to pretend survival is simple, I’m here because it’s sacred.
178. I’m not here to measure life by scans alone, I’m here to measure it by meaning.
179. I’m not here to fear the quiet days, I’m here to listen to them.
180. I’m not here to be made small by illness, I’m here to stay expansive in spirit.
181. I’m not here to deny how hard this is, I’m here to keep choosing hope anyway.
182. I’m not here to wait for permission to rest, I’m here to recover with intention.
183. I’m not here to trade honesty for positivity, I’m here to hold both.
184. I’m not here to outrun grief, I’m here to let it walk beside me.
185. I’m not here to be defined by survival alone, I’m here to live fully after it.
186. I’m not here to chase certainty, I’m here to practice courage daily.
187. I’m not here to pretend I’m the same, I’m here to become who I am now.
188. I’m not here to fear the long haul, I’m here to pace myself with hope.
189. I’m not here to give illness my identity, I’m here to keep my name.
190. I’m not here to wait for light at the end, I’m here to carry it with me.
191. I’m not here to silence vulnerability, I’m here to let it strengthen connection.
192. I’m not here to treat survival as an endpoint, I’m here to treat it as a beginning.
193. I’m not here to minimise what I’ve endured, I’m here to honour it.
194. I’m not here to demand guarantees, I’m here to keep showing up.
195. I’m not here to be brave once, I’m here to be brave again.
196. I’m not here to let fear write the story, I’m here to keep authorship.
197. I’m not here to be done with hope, I’m here to deepen it.
198. I’m not here to survive quietly, I’m here to live gently and deliberately.
199. I’m not here to give up on joy, I’m here to make room for it.
200. I’m not here to wait for life to return to me — I’m here to meet it, fully, as I am.

Enjoyed reading this? Please consider donating to my GoFundMe and help support me through my own cancer journey: https://gofund.me/2a6d5199