Out of all the factors in the world: work, school, family, friends, eating. being sick, anything. How do you guys handle outside factors while you try to manage and stay on schedule?
I just find it hard to control the things around me when when i’m trying to control my diabetes, it always seems there will be something to distract me and set me of course(big factor is stress) And everybody knows that falling off the “diabetes” wagon could take you a long time before you get back on. Why is it so easy just not to take care of oneself? I figure it’s because it’s one less factor to worry about for a while. Not saying that it’s good, it’s just hard to stay on track.
3 things. (1) Attitude, (2) making correct (and sometimes “not fun”) choices, and (3) continually learning how to “say no” at times, especially to myself! The hardest person to say no to is always me. But I have learned that there are times when I must say no to all sorts of “distractions”.
For me it’s kind of like time management. Can you really manage time? No. But what can you manage? Your priorities, meaning what you do with your time.
For me, I had to make a decision as to what my priorities were going to be. When given a choice, and having to choose between doing something else or managing my diabetes and focusing on that, I choose to take care of myself. When there are distractions that I can’t say no to like work, I do the best I can. But even then, there are things I can do to limit the distractions and maintain focus. That’s where the attitude comes in. I have to constantly ask myself, “what’s more important, this or that activity, or doing what I know I need to do, both for myself and for my family”? Taking care of myself goes far beyond what it does for me personally. It also has a huge impact on those for whom I am responsible.
Here are some quotes taken from a video I am working on and hope to share with everyone in the coming days.
“Where the heart is willing, it will find a thousand ways. Where it is unwilling, it will find a thousand excuses.” - Arlan Price
“Just go out there and do what you have to do!” - Martina Navratilova
And my favorite . . .
“Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’.” - Yoda
Just remember, you are working really hard, and this is a marathon you’re running, not a sprint, so do give yourself a break once in awhile. It is ok to say “yes” every so often. It’s all about balance.
I totally agree, it’s a daily struggle, and sometimes even a minute by minute struggle. I didn’t always have this attitude, but am extremely glad I do now. Fortunately, I have a wife and two daughters who support me in this, and help me.
Do I miss out on “other things”? Perhaps, but I don’t really think so. I do the things that I need to, and the things that I enjoy. It’s just that at times I have to say no to some things, and yes to focusing on my care. If I don’t, who else will do it? No one. It’s up to me to do this, and me alone.
Does it suck that I have to make these choices, and can’t just live “free” like the rest of the world? Yea, it does. But that’s another choice I made long ago. I could dwell on that, see the glass as “half empty”, and get dragged down into an ugly pit, or choose to see the glass as “half full”, and try by best to rise above it. I choose to be positive, do what I know I need to do, and live “free” in that decision.
For me, it’s a daily choice. It’s attitude, making correct choices, and sometimes saying “no”, especially to myself, in order to obtain and maintain balance.
Blessings!
Tim
Dear Domo, I have become very selfish when it comes to handling my disease. If the outside world is pushing too hard to make my management difficult I take a step back and ask, What is more important, me or this issue? I always win out. My health is too important to allow folks and circumstances to make control go out of control. I am first and the other stuff will work out if I stay healthy. Good luck. Karen t1 since 1964
I am personally having issues with this myself, and see that most of myswings (not all) are insulin timing issues…thinking about asking my endo to try apidra and see if I have better luck…