Alpena County Relay for Life recently held its annual 24 hour rally. I had the pleasure of speaking at the event during the “Fight Back” portion of the program. When I started preparing for my presentation I did some research on the event and what the “Fight Back” portion was designed to achieve. Through that process, I learned more about the other components of the event – Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back.

On the Relay For Life website, the components are explained as follows: Celebrate – During a relay event, participants and survivors celebrate what they have overcome; Remember – Participants remember people who lost to the disease, and honor people who have fought or are fighting cancer; Fight Back – This inspires relay participants to take action against a disease that has taken too much.

Those three goals of Relay for Life really stood out to me because I realized they were concepts we could apply to our lives in many ways. We are all fighting our own battles and we could use the structure of the Relay event to remind us of a few things.

We should always celebrate. We should not overlook the small successes, wins or other positive outcomes and actions. We should take a moment to celebrate the positive things, no matter how big or small, before we move on to the next battle. I think too often we are so rushed to get through one thing so we can move on to the next that we forget to reflect on the lessons learned, the positive outcomes, and the small or large steps forward. We also should help others celebrate their successes, achievements, and hurdles overcome.

We should not lose sight of how far we have come. We should remember what we have conquered, even if it is the smallest of hurdles, and use that experience and accomplishment to propel us through the next battle. Just like in Relay for Life, we should remember those who may be struggling with something similar. We have a lot to offer others and remembering that can be of great value to help others celebrate and fight back.

What are you fighting for? Have you stopped fighting?

Relay for Life teaches us that we need to fight for what we want, for our health, and for our futures. We need to fight back against things that negatively impact us, and fight for what is positive in our lives. Don’t give up the fight for what you really believe in and what you really want. Sometimes the fight needs to be reignited but it is always there when you are passionate.

As I was thinking through all of this and finding ways to apply it to my life and my Relay presentation, I also began thinking about other organizations that, through their structures, offer us great wisdom and tools to live by. Consider Alcoholics or Narcotics Anonymous and the 12 steps. These steps have helped hundreds of thousands fight back against their disease of addiction. But even if you are not fighting an addiction, practicing these tools are a great way to live your life in general and can be of great value. Know yourself, make amends, place principles before personalities – this is a sample of some of what the 12 steps can teach us.

There are other organizations that offer such great plans for better lives. Their plans are designed around a particular topic of interest – cancer or addiction, for example – but are applicable and flexible to be adapted to many situations.

I don’t have my own cancer story. I haven’t battled addiction personally. But I have other battles in my life. Just like everyone else. The lessons I’ve learned through allowing my mind to be open to new experiences have been tremendously beneficial. Learning about Relay for Life’s Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back approach, learning about the 12 steps, and learning about other systems of success has given me tools to better handle my own battles.

Keep an open mind. Always look for applicability to your own life. Be strong in your resolve to fight back and seek resources to help you find success in the fight. Resources are everywhere, even in some of the most unexpected places.

Jackie Krawczak is president/CEO of the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce. Her column runs bi-weekly on Thursdays. Follow Jackie on Twitter @jkrawczak.