Three sentences for the new year

OMG there are just 12 days left until it’s officially Christmas! I feel like December and January always sneak up on me and before I blink it’s a new year. These last two years have been gut wrenchingly challenging for all of us and as the new year approaches I am both hesitant and expectant and personally, charged and ready to respond differently to what life brings. This is in part due to investing in myself and my health over the last few months. Finding a new health care team to get down to the nuts and bolts of how my body responds to food and insulin and also following inspiring people in the online diabetes space.

The Diabetes Psychologist podcast has been a game changer for me, it seems ironic, being a lifelong yoga teacher and having all the best tools at my disposal to manage my mental health that I still gain so much benefit from understanding how my mindset around diabetes can improve.

I know I am not my body, that I am not my diabetes, but simply knowing this doesn’t change the nitty gritty of that super frustrating unexplained high or stomach dropping scary low. All the yoga and yoga knowledge in the world can’t fix a practical miscalculation that sends me on a physical roller coaster.

Three things that I have learned since tuning into the DS Podcast are;

1. Diabetes is challenging, but I got this

2. Be strategic in my decision making, strategy is the best defence.

3. Have a clear vision for myself and how I want to feel about managing my diabetes

Waking up every day and being willing to face the challenges and telling myself I can handle them has brought more acceptance. When I skyrocketed to 15 yesterday after not taking enough insulin for breakfast, instead of freaking out, I grabbed my spade and gardening gloves and planted some flowers. When my meter showed a straight down arrow after 15 minutes of digging I refused to panic. I sat down, waited 10 minutes to see what my blood sugar would do.  After it stabilised, I was able to finish gardening without having to treat a hypo.

When I started to go low before my regular afternoon walk, I got strategic and pre-empted the low with a small amount of fast acting carbs trusting that I would come up enough to walk without worry.  On reflection, strategy is my new best friend as I get more confident with splitting my dose for foods that were near impossible to eat just 3 months ago.

And finally having a daily vision setting practice (called Sankalpa in Sanskrit) has given my day more meaning and focus. Instead of expecting the worst I see the best and brightest. I see myself filled with confidence as I do all the things I love, I see myself managing the ups and downs with grace and security. I see myself as a participant in managing my health rather than a victim of an unpredictable pancreas.

I’d love to share this summer sun solar intention setting practice with you this month as a holiday gift. Enjoy!

With great respect,

Rachel