Everyone has heard the saying “It’s all in your mind”, but the real question is who exactly really believes that saying? Sadly not enough people, and I hope that I can change that metric even slightly. Right now, my only target is you. A positive mindset is truly the key to success for all of us, but it’s not always an easy goal to achieve. Boxing legend Mike Tyson once said, “Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”. Life has a strange way of punching all of us in the mouth, and a diabetes diagnosis definitely qualifies as such. That’s how I felt when I first got mine, and I’m sure yours wasn’t fun either. Any number of nasty thoughts, words, and emotions go through our mind, all of which take a conscious ongoing effort to properly get ourselves back on track. I am a professional comedian by trade, but diabetes is anything but amusing. I do try to make the best of my situation as well as entertain and encourage others to look on the bright side of things, but there are many days when all that I want to do is to simply stay in bed in the fetal position weeping. It would be much easier to just post some hashed-over ‘positive thinking’ lines stolen from Hallmark cards/Zig Ziglar videos, but I really wanted to reach deep into my own life experience and present five practical tips that I have used to keep myself going. If even ONE of these tips helps you out, then it was worth me taking the time to write this.
As a comedian, I have had to acquire some thicker skin to get through some of my rougher shows, and every comedian that you have ever seen anywhere has experienced some off nights occasionally. People with diabetes have their own downtimes too, and said downtimes can last even longer sometimes! Here are my five tips that I am presenting to all of you! I hope that these can help you all out!
1) ALWAYS KNOW THAT YOU HAVE HOPE FROM THE VERY START!
Diabetes is NOT a death sentence – or at least it doesn’t have to be! No disease is pleasant to experience, but we have an opportunity to be our own very best caregiver!
2) YOU ARE IN CHARGE, AND EVERYTHING YOU NEED IS WITHIN!
Your mindset is EVERYTHING, and only you can choose to have a positive one at the beginning of each day! It may take a few days, weeks, or even months to get into a proper rhythm, but once you get there and feel the improvement, you will be hooked!
3) DAYS BECOME WEEKS BECOME MONTHS BECOME A LIFETIME!
Diet and exercise are both habits and disciplines. Even if you are not very disciplined, you should surround yourself with positive people/resources that can change your life for the better in a very short amount of time. Only think about what’s right today.
After a lifetime of eating poorly and living a sedentary lifestyle, I changed my life dramatically for the better in just 90 days, which I know that you can do as well if that is your goal!
4) YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH ANY OF THIS ALONE!
It’s always ok to reach out to ask for help with getting started on your journey. I happen to co-host a very uplifting podcast called “Just My Type” where we showcase people that have also been in the same situation that you are in, and have chosen to take the positive road to wellness.
5) OTHERS ARE ROOTING FOR YOUR HEALTH AND SUCCESS!
Whenever we get down on ourselves, it feels like we are alone in our misery; however when we get into our groove of eating well and exercising, other people will notice and comment in a positive way! This will keep us motivated, and will eventually become a win/win cycle! I’m not perfect (nor have I ever claimed to be); however by practicing those five tips in my own life, I have managed to turn my initial diagnosis around while building a new and very enjoyable life each day!
Do I have bad days? Absolutely, but who doesn’t? What I can say from personal experience is that said bad days not as frequent as they appear to be! Whenever they do show up, they are not nearly as vicious and/or devastating as they were prior. Don’t get me wrong, there are no magical pills or easy solutions, but I can honestly say that working hard every day is a pleasurable thing to do, and I actually look forward to it! Please don’t take my word for it, try it yourself!
It truly is all in your mind, but the good news is YOU get to push all of the buttons!
