Do you believe in mind over matter?

Mindfulness.

It makes us more resilient and gives us the ability to bounce back faster after life’s challenges, which is something Kate Kerr knows all too well.

Kerr was a high-powered executive when she survived the trauma of cancer and was given a second chance at living life to the fullest.

“I was diagnosed six years ago with a rare, aggressive and advanced breast cancer. And the prognosis wasn’t wonderful – they hardly ever are, ” said Kerr, who works as a Mindfulness Consultant. “Very simply I had no way of handling the stress of cancer, I needed some tools in order to be with that kind of stress, so mindfulness helped me turn towards it and just start to lean into it and get a little curious about it, as opposed to fearful of it.”

Kerr is not only a survivor, she’s an international speaker and mindfulness consultant. In 2014, Kerr began accomplishing her most important work when she founded Wake Up Kate Inc,.- which aims to bring mindfulness based social and emotional skills to corporations, schools and healthcare.

But what she finds deeply rewarding is coaching for free to those living with cancer.

“I find that through her coaching and her teaching that it really calmed my nervous system,” said mindfulness student Michelle Taggart. “I’m able to focus for a longer period of time, and whenever I’m in situations where I feel particularly anxious or stressed, that I’m able to really ground myself and really be present with the moment.”

As part of Random Acts of Kindness week, Kindness Advocate Steffi Black and Kerr have found a way to bring together mindfulness and kindness this week by offering a free seven-day mindfulness online challenge.

“Mindfulness teaches us to be self-compassionate to ourselves and to others, and when you bring a kindly awareness to it, your interactions with people are much better,” Black said. “They just go naturally hand-in-hand.”

“Six years to the date, I’m cancer free,” Kerr said. “Living the best life I’ve lived.

“In fact, in some way, I was surviving life before I was diagnosed to cancer survivor, and now I’m thriving in life.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "In fact, in some way, I was surviving life before I was diagnosed to cancer survivor, and now I'm thriving in life."