Don’t waste energy on what might have been; put it into what you can do.
Summary
Don’t waste energy reflecting on what you might have done without your medical condition, or life complication. Redirecting that energy towards what you can accomplish is one of the most powerful mental moves you can make.
Insight
I can still remember the dark shadow of well-intentioned but misinformed comments that arrived soon after my diagnosis at 14. Well-meaning people who assumed they knew diabetes would say things like “with diabetes you can’t eat this”, “you can’t do that”, or “that’s not for you”. Fortunately, that negativity bounced off me thanks to a timely message from my wise endocrinologist. When we first met, he asked me what I loved doing. After thinking about it for a moment, I told him, “Well, I love team sport – you know, rugby, football, cricket.” His next words have stayed with me ever since, because they shone a bright light that blew away the shadows. He said, “Well Duncan, that’s great, because you can do all of those sports. And what’s more, if you keep doing them and keep yourself physically fit, the diabetes will look after itself.” That was 40 years ago.
These Moves are drawn from lived experience and reflect my ‘Fitter for Having It’ approach.
They are not medical advice. Always consult qualified health professionals before adjusting your T1D plan.