James Van Der Beek learned a lot about himself during his health battle. Almost a year before the 48-year-old actor passed away, he took to Instagram on his birthday, March 8, to open up to followers what cancer has "taught" him. Perezcious readers know James was fighting stage three colorectal cancer for several years before he died. He always tried to remain optimistic and see the disease as a blessing. Related: Stacy Keibler Shares Powerful Photo & Message Revealing James' Final Days In fact, he once said it was "the best thing that's ever happened to" him, simply because he knew it would bring positive changes to his life! Shows what kind of human being James was! But beyond making life changes, the Dawson's Creek alum also learned a few valuable lessons and made sure to share them with everyone. He reflected in the Instagram video : "Today's my birthday, and it has been the hardest year of my life, and I wanted to share something that I learned with y'all. When I was younger, I used to define myself as an actor, which was never really all that fulfilling. And then I became a husband, and that was much better. And then I became a father, and that was the ultimate. I could define myself then as a loving, capable, strong, supportive husband, father, provider, steward of the land that we're so lucky to live on. And for a long time, that felt like a really good definition to the question, who am I? What am I?" However, everything changed when he "had to look my own mortality in the eye" and "come nose to nose with death." James continued: "All of those definitions that I cared so deeply about were stripped from me. I was away for treatment, so I could no longer be a husband that was helpful to my wife. I could no longer be a father who could pick up his kids and put them to bed and be there for them. I could not be a provider because I wasn't working. I couldn't even be a steward of the land because at times I was too weak to prune all the trees during the window that you're supposed to prune them." James shared that he had to do a bit of self-reflection to discover who he was at the core afterward, and he figured it out: "And so I was faced with the question, if I am just a too skinny, weak guy alone in an apartment with cancer, what am I? I meditated and the answer came through, I am worthy of God's love simply because I exist. And if I'm worthy of God's love, shouldn't I also be worthy of my own?" The Labor Day star made it clear that "the same is true" for everyone else, too. He added: "As I moved through this healing portal toward recovery, I wanted to share that with you because I think that revelation that came to me was due in no small part to all the prayers and the love that had been directed toward me. So I offer that to you. However it sits in your consciousness, however it resonates, run with it." James then concluded: "If the word God trips you up, I certainly don't know. I can't claim to know what God is or explain God. My efforts to connect to God are an ongoing process that is a constant unfolding mystery to me. But if it's a trigger, it feels too religious, you can take the word God out and your mantra can simply be, I am worthy of love. Because you are." A very important reminder for everyone. We applaud James' beautiful message. Watch the entire video (below): View this post on Instagram A post shared by James Van Der Beek (@vanderjames) Rest in peace... [Image via James Van Der Beek/Instagram] The post What Cancer 'Taught' James Van Der Beek, In His Own Words appeared first on Perez Hilton.