Consciously Accepting When Life is Tough

Life has been getting a bit hard lately. The optimist and little helper in me doesn't want to admit that but realistically its true. And its taken me a while to accept that, and that it is also ok. It is ok to find life tough and admit that you need a bit of help, even if its just to be able to accept advice from others, or to step back and take a break. What's not ok with me is when life gets tough and diabetes takes a back seat, as we all know, that just makes life tougher!

I can struggle at the best of times to put diabetes first. There's always so much to see and do, and stopping to eat, prick or inject doesn't rate very highly with me! But when you throw stress, pressure, frustration, exhaustion and a pinch of hopelessness in the mix, the effort and focus diabetes requires is really hard to find and most importantly stick to.

If you've read my last few very sporadic posts you may have noticed/read between the lines that there's been a lot of personal stuff going on, mainly to do with the wave that follows the death of two family members. There are two very clear issues I can see in my life that are blocking me from being my diabetic best at the moment: Emotional Baggage and Physical Baggage.

I say baggage because that is exactly what is feels like: weight that I'm carrying around everyday. Sure makes it hard to swing a needle and carb count like a pro! But consciously identifying what makes life hard, helps me to understand and deal with it. 

When I started this Mastering Me journey no one could have prepared me for what was to come. While my creative mind is strained under the weight of what I'm wading through and I often find it hard to write here, I will make it out the other side. I know that and work to consciously remind myself of that everyday. What is really important though, is how I make it out the other side.

Through all of this, what has helped me most is eating right and exercising. Without those two factors, everything hits a wall and my life literally feels like it's in pieces.

Sure testing regularly and dosing appropriately are natural necessities too, but it's eating right and staying fit that really help me at the end of the day. It makes my blood sugars more manageable and thus easier to deal with.

If I had one piece of advice for any other diabetics out there dealing with a rough patch in their life, it would be to never let go of your healthy habits. Diabetes seems particularly annoying, if not daunting and scary when everything else in life is a bit...lets just say it...F*Uped. But focusing on going for a long walk at the end of the day, or keeping up with your gym workouts and returning for a healthy dinner and waking up with your tried and proven breakfast keeps a level of normality and consistency that is what's needed most in times like these. Everything becomes that little bit easier, and it provides that little bit of extra oomph and clarity.

But its also a conscious choice, a choice that above all else you will give yourself some time, everyday. You don't have to go as far as saying you'll put yourself first or be 'selfish', as if you're like me, I for some reason think that's akin to some sort of sin most of the time - which by the way it's not.  (But when I'm not 100% that thought gets to me and I have to remind myself: You can't look after others and be there for others if you can't be there for yourself first - another post another day!)

By focusing on the things that make me happy - good food, fresh air and fitness, I find pricking and dosing, and generally being diabetic, comes a bit easier!  And being a better diabetic, a good diabetic even - that certainly makes me happy!