A New Take on Stress
Diabetes can be stressful. It can feel overwhelming and difficult to manage, and, often defeating. These feelings are common and – whether you’ve had diabetes for 25 years or 2 months – people struggle with the day-to-day management of diabetes. We’re not here to pretend that stress management is easy. Stress is a part of life. However, there are some tools that you can use on a daily basis to support yourself in moments of high stress.
How does it feel when you look at the things you “need” to accomplish? Or when you look at the things you “need” to change? The use of the word “need” makes us feel pressured to do something. Smart phones, social media, and podcasts are always accessible making it easy to get lost in the “things we need to do” or the “things we need to change”. As a result, we often don’t do anything because it’s hard to determine what to prioritize and it feels too hard to do it all.
When I’m working with a participant, I often suggest one small but impactful change – shifting how they look at their list of “needs”. Make a change in your language! Make a shift in the way you speak to yourself – from negative talk to positive talk. A shift from the negative to the positive requires effort, but it’s worth it. Practicing this in your day-to-day management is a great place to start. This may be as simple as saying, “I walked today!” rather than saying, “I only walked for 5 minutes today”. Another example may be, “I made breakfast this morning and I feel satisfied” versus saying, “I ate too many carbohydrates this morning and I should have eaten less fat”. Rather than reinforcing the things you didn’t do, you are choosing to say less and focus on what you did do. This is small, but effective.
Each of us is a work in progress – we grow and change. Some days, weeks, months, we see ourselves moving forward and others we feel stuck in the mud. Small goals may result in small changes and throw you into gear. The foundation of this is how we approach ourselves – with self-compassion and kindness – for the struggles we are facing. Self-compassion can unlock the door to change and propel you forward in your journey of diabetes. A way to foster self-compassion is by reminding yourself that you are doing your best each day – and each day is different. Be compassionate toward yourself when you have had a day that feels like you didn’t do anything right. Forgive yourself, accept where you are, and how hard the journey is; then, move forward.
Here are some additional tools that may be helpful in shifting your mindset, your thoughts and your self-talk to a more positive place. Meditation and mindfulness can be useful in helping you to be more present and accepting of yourself. Mindfulness is reflective and can help bring awareness to negative self-talk. Movement, which does not have to be focused on physical activity, may also provide space for reflection and may create a positive shift in your mind. Movement in nature is ideal on days that you can get outside!
Lastly, use reflection to find your “why”. Why do you want to better manage your diabetes? Why do you want to be your best self? What motivates you? There is no wrong answer – it can be for you or for loved ones. Family and friends can be a wonderful support system; let them know how you’re feeling and give them some ways they can better support you. But remember, it’s not their journey, it’s yours; you are the one steering the ship – weather the storm. You’ve got this!
