“Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”-author unknown
A man named Jim Rohm, in speaking about the value of work, once said, "You don't get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour." Similarly, it's not the time we put into managing our diabetes that counts, it's the value of the life we reap by doing so that makes it all worth it...
We have been called, for whatever reason, to rise above our circumstances. Not to walk, but to run. Not just to fly, but to soar. My circumstances are only limited by what I tell myself about my circumstances.
I spent a lot of my 'd' life not taking care of myself as well as I could have. I let all sorts of other things get in the way. I put myself on the back burner so to speak. I realize now how selfish that actually was. For in trying to take care of everything else, I ignored the one thing that would keep me around, so that I could continue to 'take care' of all of the other things that were and are important to me.
It took a really bad fall down a flight of stairs to wake me up. You can read about that fun little episode here. But no more. I have been and am now more determined than ever that there is NO WAY I will EVER go back to that former way of being. I have no reason to. I have EVERY reason to go completely in the opposite direction. The direction I set my sails for so very long ago. I refuse to simply be 'blown around by the passing wind' of diabetes. I choose instead to focus, to set my sails and harness and channel that wind to power me where I want to go!
I've been reading today. And watching some video. Reading some quotes and watching video by some guys who inspire me. I'd like to share some of their words and thoughts with you. Their thoughts, while not directly related to the life of a diabetic, can very much be applied to the obstacles we all face, the goals we all share, and the day by day choices we all must make in order to not only 'stay around', but to actually THRIVE as we live the life we have been given, and as we love the ones who are ours to love.
When I say 'the life' we have been given', I do not say it as in "Oh poor me, I am a diabetic, this sucks so much, why me?" Instead, I am saying it as in, "Do you not see the wonderful life I have been given?!?! Look! Look at the opportunities I have, look at all the wonderful people who have entered into my life!"
The life I live only continues to exist because of the grace that has been extended to me, and because of the choices I make each and every day. Those things only exist in the manner they do because I long ago made a choice to never give up, to never EVER let 'd' win. It's a choice I have to make all over again every day, meal by meal, test by test, moment by moment. And the next day, I have to make those same choices all over again. These are choices I am more than willing to make, and sacrifices I am more than willing and ready to deal with. To not do so, for me, would be to give up. Oh, don't let my words fool you and lead you to believe I'm "Super-'d'-human". Not even close. Yep, as we all should, I sometimes make the choice to give myself a break. I do. I am not a machine, as much as some friends like to think I am LOL. I'm human. But because I'm not yet ready to let go of this earthy life quite yet, it's not long before I 'choose' to pick myself up, and start again. And then to do it again. And again. I also do not say these words in an attempt to place myself over and above anyone else. All of us are different, just as the way 'd' affects each of us is completely different. I'm simply attempting to share some thoughts that have helped me today. I hope they help you, as we walk this road together, helping each other, until the day that 'd' is no longer a part of us. For on that day, WE WILL HAVE WON!
But you want to know what I really think? And what I truly believe? ok, come close. Closer... lean WAY in... ok, ready? here's the deal... I already have. I have already won. Simply because I refuse to let it defeat me. I refuse to let it take ONE MORE OUNCE of the energy I work so hard to produce! It's MINE! It can only have it if 'I' choose to let it! My energy is focused like a laser on the things I CHOOSE to focus on. And yes, one of those is overcoming this thing called 'd'. Not just 'managing it'. OBLITERATING IT!!! Yes, there are those days when the best I can do is 'manage' it. We all have those days. But the cool thing is, because of TU, and the greater online community, along with the people we love and who love us, we are all here to share our stories and to support and encourage one another. How great is that?!?!? And the next day? The next day I start all over again. Moving step by step into my future. The one I have been given, and the one I have claimed. The one I WILL have. The one I will work tremendously hard for. Without pause. Without ceasing. Until THAT DAY comes. The day when 'd' is truly no longer a nuisance in my life, and is no longer something I have to deal with. Even if that day only comes when this life is over. Even if it isn't until THAT day that 'd' is no longer a part of me. But even then, it doesn't matter. I will STILL have won. I already have, remember? And 'd'? It will have been kicked to the curb like the trash it is.
Until then, I keep going, and keep trying...
I hope these quotes and thoughts truly give you inspiration and courage to do what you need to do today, to make it and all of your tomorrows the best tomorrows that they can be.
some quotes by Jim Rohm
Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.
Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.
Success is steady progress toward one's personal goals.
If you don't like how things are, change it! You're not a tree.
It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go.
Let others lead small lives, but not you. Let others argue over small things, but not you. Let others cry over small hurts, but not you. Let others leave their future in someone else's hands, but not you.
The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.
When you know what you want, and want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.
The worst thing one can do is not to try, to be aware of what one wants and not give in to it, to spend years in silent hurt wondering if something could have materialized - never knowing.
Either you run the day or the day runs you.
For every disciplined effort there is a multiple reward.
Give whatever you are doing and whoever you are with the gift of your attention.
Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.
If you go to work on your goals, your goals will go to work on you. If you go to work on your plan, your plan will go to work on you. Whatever good things we build end up building us.
It doesn't matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.
The difficulties you meet will resolve themselves as you advance. Proceed, and light will dawn, and shine with increasing clearness on your path.
my thought... baby step by baby step or leap by leap. It doesn't matter! Just start where you are, and never EVER give up! And tomorrow, start all over again, cuz 'd' will surely never quit trying to kill you. And after tomorrow's tomorrow has become yesterday's yesterday, you WILL have made progress! You CAN do it!!!
Tony Robbins, On CLARITY and PURPOSE
What do you want out of life? Do you want all that life has to offer you? Or only what life will 'give' you? Life will pay whatever price you ask of it...
With that in mind...
-Turn your 'shoulds' into 'musts'
-Ask, and you will receive. Not '■■■■■, moan, and wine', and you will receive
-Ask 'specifically'
-When you decide what is truly important to you, you have taken the first step to really going after it.
-You must know specifically what you want and are going after
-You need to know 'why'. Why is this important to you?
-Why do you want this? What is it's purpose?
-The reasons come first, the answers come second
-If you don't have enough reasons, you will not make it happen
-What is YOUR reason?
-What do you need to do to actually make it happen?
TAKE MASSIVE ACTION!!!
-What is your massive action plan?
On WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO
the past can't hurt you
we are not our past.
biography is NOT destiny
the past only equals the future if you live there
DECISIONS shape destiny
'decision' is the ultimate power
the 'defining factor' is never resources, it's resourcefulness
it's emotion
if we get the right emotion, we can get ourselves to do anything
if you're creative enough, playful enough, fun enough, you can get through to anybody (my thought... even yourself!)
if you don't have the money, but you're creative enough, determined enough, you FIND the way
THIS is the ultimate resource
3 decisions of destiny to ask yourself every day...
(1) what are you going to focus on RIGHT NOW?
(2) what does it mean to you?
(3) if it means something to you, what are you going to do about it? Not tomorrow, but what are you going to do about it right now?