The Warrior: Mardie Anderson
MARDIE ANDERSON
"I feel fine. I look fine. I’m functioning fine. And there’s no sense worrying about what’s going to happen," says Warrior Mardie Anderson.

I thought I was doing all the right things.

I’m very healthy. I’ve been eating mostly organic for years. I even owned an organic juice bar for a few years. I always use clean products for my skin and cleaning supplies, including the crystal deodorant. I lived in Los Angeles for a long time [working in film and television], so this was my lifestyle.

My diagnosis was a total shock, especially because I’m diagnosed with stage IV. It’s metasta-sized from my breast, to my lymph nodes, to pretty much most of my bones in my body. But the journey has taught me to really slow down and to take care of myself and to eliminate stress as much as possible.

I’m not working because I feel really good, and I’ve managed really well with the chemo. For my job, my industry, it’s super intense. And I’m not able to do 12 to 14 hour days. I feel like I need to really, really focus on a complete healing. I started a daily yoga, meditation, and reiki prac-tice. I even got reiki certified through Wellness House, so I can reiki myself. And I take tons of supplements, just to try to keep myself strong.

I feel fine. I look fine. I’m functioning fine. And there’s no sense worrying about what’s going to happen.

My husband and I, because we work in film and TV, are writing a TV series that we’re going to sell, which is a comedy about cancer. I have had other ideas of TV shows I wanted to do, or films, and I’ve always been too busy. I [was] a workaholic, so I kind of feel like [cancer] has given me the opportunity to give me the time to actually do my dream.

I am a strong believer that you have the power to heal yourself. And so I really just [try] to use all those tools to have really positive thoughts. It totally calms me down, which is really good.

I feel fine. I look fine. I’m functioning fine. And there’s no sense worrying about what’s going to happen. I could get hit by a truck walking out the door today. And I don’t look sick. I don’t feel sick. So we’re going to operate like I’m not really sick.

Look for joy in everything, because there’s no guarantees for anybody. I had friends die in car accidents. If you’re going to be here, [live your] life every day without worrying about what’s going to happen. You have no control over it anyway.

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