Last Updated on April 24, 2024
Do we give ourselves enough credit living with diabetes? Do we ever stop to think about how far we’ve come or the obstacles we have faced? Self-care is a popular topic right now and while it sounds lovely, a lot of times we have a hard time actually putting it into action.
Living with diabetes is much like a partnership. It isn’t as simple as taking medication and carrying on. Diabetes begs for your attention like a toddler and when you do not pay it attention, you’re bound to start a tantrum. You have to work in tandem with diabetes and understand that some days are going to be harder than others. We rely on ourselves to make those calls and to get by unscathed by diabetes.
No one is going to know how hard you’ve worked to get where you are today. Only you know the amount of effort it takes to stay between the
lines of highs and lows. You lived in those midnight interruptions that require you to chug juice boxes on the dark kitchen floor and the moments you were too mentally exhausted to think straight. You know more than ever that you need to add time into your day to thank yourself for the work you put in, day in and day out.
So how do we make this time and make it a priority? Like taking our medication, carb counting and finger pricking, think of self care as a part of the routine. This time is an asset to your health, it will refresh you and encourage you. So find that one thing that makes you take a breath and a step back. For me, that is going for a walk, or buying myself flowers to sit on my office desk. Something that could seem so minimal but makes all the difference in knowing that you’re doing O.K and you’ve made it this far.
It’s okay to feel overwhelmed with diabetes, that is completely normal. But, in the same breath it is so important to recognize when you need to take those moments to appreciate yourself and all that you do.
About Kayla
Kayla Brown was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age eighteen and began blogging a few days after her diagnosis at www.kaylaslifenotes.com. She is also the creator of Type 1 Diabetes Meme page and was apart of the International Diabetes Federation Young Leaders Program representing Canada as well as climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in 2013 alongside others living with diabetes. Kayla also runs a local support group for teen girls living with type 1 diabetes. You can also find Kayla on Twitter.
