How did your relationship with rest and recovery change in that moment?

While my 30s were still extremely busy, I learned to prioritise the things I really, truly wanted to do. I quit my job in financial journalism to become a food writer and eventually quit my next job to go freelance and finish my debut novel, Single Bald Female, which was inspired by my cancer experience.

Although I still travelled extensively, I no longer went straight back to my desk, red-eyed; instead, I started to schedule downtime around my trips to unpack and rest at home with my cats. I learned to say ‘no’ to things, listening to my body when I knew I was taking on too much. I prioritised sleep and vegetables. As my body moved towards perimenopause, I gave up running half-marathons and prioritised gentle jogs and swimming, which my body told me were more doable.

Rest Lessons: “I still feel guilty about taking time to rest now – even with stage 4 breast cancer”