Bethany Adair: The Woman Who Inspired LuxCare’s Hang Tag Philosophy

Wisdom Woven In series shines a light on the women who transform challenge into wisdom, weaving their stories of strength and resilience into the tapestry of our community. This month, we close the series with the woman whose insight gave me the idea to put quotes on our tags and labels, Bethany Adair, a yoga teacher, mindset coach, and author who redefined what it means to live fully in the face of cancer. Her story is less about fighting, but more about listening quietly, learning, growing, and finding presence within the messiness of it all.

Ever since I met Bethany, I’ve been inspired by how she navigates life. She is always in touch with her emotions, brings humor to every situation, and is self-reflective in the most delightful ways. Learning from her has been a true honor. It’s a privilege to feature her words on our hang tag, as she truly embodies “the flow” and inspires so many.

Her quote lives on the LuxCare hang tag, every headscarf, every garment:

“Trust the flow of the river of life. It's ok to "eddy out" when needed. Float on self-care, community, nature, compassion... and you will find the fuel to face the next adventure. You can't always choose what happens in life, but you can choose how you react to it. Your greatest challenges may be leading you towards your greatest gifts.” – Bethany Adair

When Illness Becomes a Teacher, Not an Enemy

“What if illness happens for our enlightenment?”

This is the question Bethany held close after her diagnosis with Stage II breast cancer in 2015 at just 34 years old. It wasn’t a question born from denial or toxic positivity—it came from an intentional choice to meet cancer not with fear, but with curiosity, compassion, and a hunger to learn.

Bethany chose to walk through cancer with open eyes and an open heart. In a world that often tells us to “battle” disease and “win,” she offers something refreshingly different: What if healing is not a war or a cure, but a mindset?

Making Friends with Cancer

My Guru Cancer, became a deeply personal chronicle of her journey, not just through surgery, chemotherapy, and traditional treatments, but through emotional healing, self-inquiry, and spiritual awakening. She called cancer her “guru”— because it became a teacher.

“I am not here to fight cancer. I am here to make friends with it, listen to it, learn from it, evolve & grow.”

Bethany’s path blended conventional medicine with alternative approaches: yoga, meditation, acupuncture, nutrition, and most importantly, mindset work. Her intention wasn’t to pretend everything was fine—it was to be with what is, with patience, grace, and fierce honesty. 

This approach supported Bethany through a rigorous 2-year treatment plan and her cancer went into remission. While overjoyed to hear she was cancer-free, her experience taught her “true freedom from cancer is a state of mind.”

Finding the “And”

“There won’t ever be a time when waiting for it to be over will work,” she said. “You can’t put life on hold until you’re ‘better.’ Life is happening right now.”

Rather than waiting for the cancer to be gone to be happy, Bethany made a conscious choice to live fully with cancer. Not after. Not later. Now.

Birthing a Book (Not a Baby) 

After five years of blogging, Bethany gave birth to what she jokingly calls her “book baby.” In 2020, she released My Guru Cancer: You Don’t Have to Fight to Find True Freedom from the C-Word, a heartfelt, hilarious, and soul-deep memoir about transforming trauma into truth. Her writing is part spiritual guide, part messy middle, part love letter to anyone who’s ever asked, “Why me?”

The book is more than just cancer. It’s about learning to live fully with uncertainty, about meeting fear with curiosity, and about the radical act of choosing presence—even in pain.

When her Guru returned stage 4

While in remission, Bethany also made big changes to her life by leaving an unhealthy marriage, moving from Texas to Colorado, embracing adventures like skiing and hiking, and she soon fell in love with her now husband, Tim.

She began to experience intense low back pain, which got her advocating for scans. 5.5 years after her initial diagnosis, Bethany received the heartbreaking news that breast cancer had spread throughout her bones, liver, and various lymph nodes. “I was completely devastated. I had just found “the life” and now it could end soon? I had to feel all of my feels and grieve the life I thought I’d have.” 

Then one day, a sense of acceptance arrived. While she didn’t choose cancer, she did have a choice. “I can fight this reality or embrace it. That’s when I decided to rename my diagnosis Live the F*ck out of Life.” And she truly has been!

Gratitude, Grounded

Today, she continues to coach, teach, write, and speak—offering others the tools to find freedom not from their diagnosis, but within it.

Where Is She Now

Bethany Adair is living proof that peace and illness are not opposites. Her journey reminds us that healing is more than a straight line, and joy doesn’t have to wait for perfect conditions. You can thrive while navigating cancer. You can laugh, travel, write a book, hold someone’s hand, breathe deeply, and begin again—right where you are.

Learn more about Bethany and her work at mygurucancer.com. 

Follow her @mygurucancer and explore her book My Guru Cancer on Amazon.

Want to experience Bethany’s vibrant energy firsthand? Join one of her classes or book a one-on-one session. And be sure to catch one of her inspirational webinars for a deeper dive into her insightful approach.