Monday, August 29, 2016

It's Your Journey

Diabetes is not a race, it's a journey. I think it is incredibly easy to get caught up in numbers measuring our success as people living with diabetes. "What's your a1c?" is the dreaded question that somehow marks your capability of being able to take care of yourself.  But, that isn't what living with diabetes is about.  I got really caught up in my last a1c. I honestly felt like I let myself down but more terrifying was that I felt like I let down my community. I get that I play a large roll in the diabetes community and I have teens that rely on me as a good role model, but I felt like I was cheating them.   It wasn't until I sat down and thought about why I was beating myself up over a number that actually isn't my final score. An a1c is a blood test that gives your a snapshot of your last three months, not your future.

I threw that mentality of diabetes being a race out the window. I am not competing with people. I am proud of those that hold great titles of a1c's and that check their blood sugar without hassle and eat clean 24/7. You go girl! But, I cannot be perfect. I cannot hold myself above or below, I need to focus on the journey ahead - the journey of living with type 1 diabetes for the rest of my life.

Focusing on the day to day goals is easier than focusing on lowering my a1c, that's a given. But, incorporating focusing on my mental health, physical fitness, social status, work load, those day to day goals can get blurry and that's okay.  I am listening to my body, my thoughts and living in this moment. Diabetes will throw curve balls at me but so will anything else, that is what makes it your journey.

Kayla


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