Happy New Year
I hope 2022 still feels fresh and new for you – a time of renewal and rebirth. It is definitely that for me. My blogging has taken a back seat while I have taken some much-needed time to focus on other projects. My teaching on Insight Timer is blooming and each week more and more people join my Monday night sessions. It’s a free app that offers talks, meditations, and music, in addition, to live teachers presenting on various holistic and mindfulness topics. I dig into a diabetes struggle each week and share insights and strategies with listeners. Then the last 30 minutes is a guided meditation that gives our bodies some much-needed TLC and restoration from the hardships of diabetes. You are invited and welcome to join anytime!
Find Your Word
For my last Insight Timer session of 2021, we did an activity to determine a “word” that can influence how you show up in 2022. You can catch the replay HERE. The practice involves these simple steps. Take a moment to really consider each step in this activity.
- Picture your life the way you want it to be. Some version of your future that feels easier, lighter, happier, safer, and healthier.
- As you imagine yourself in this future state, notice what you are wearing, where you are, who you are with, what it smells like, the temperature in the space, the sounds around you, and any other details you notice. Really pay attention to how you feel – your body, your mind, and your spirit.
- Now capture this feeling in a word.
That’s your word! It’s that simple! Now as 2022 plays out, use this “word” as your guidepost. Often, we think we must “do” a bunch of things, to “be” a certain way, yet the opposite is true. If we embody the state we desire (we chose to “be” that way), then we are already where we want to be, and our actions play out our desires.
My Word for 2022
This is my 5th year to choose a word as a New Year’s Resolution instead of setting some sort of goal that inevitably fails. You can check out my previous words in this earlier post. This year my “word” just bubbled up one day and I thought “That’s it!”
My word is “unapologetic”. It rings true for me on so many levels. As a person with diabetes. As a woman. As a business owner. As an American. As a parent.
Many of us are taught to feel guilty or bad for wanting to be who we are or needing what we need.
“I am sorry my blood sugar got low.” “I am sorry you have to wait for me.” I am sorry we have to spend money on my health needs.” “I am sorry I want time alone.” “I am sorry I don’t agree with you.” “I am sorry you have to pay for my services.” “I am sorry I can’t work 80 hours a week.” “I am sorry I can’t do one more project.” “I am sorry you can’t be on TikTok all day long”, “I am sorry you have to do chores around the house.” “I am sorry I can’t fix all your problems.” Sound familiar?
Guess what? We matter!
All those apologies and “I’m sorries” only serve to invalidate our worth, as if we don’t matter. We absolutely matter. We don’t need someone else’s approval to navigate all the things that life might throw at us. We officially have permission to like what we like, feel how we feel, and choose what we choose. There is not another person on the planet who has lived your life or had your experiences (including your provider), so how could anyone else truly understand what you need? We each are unique and special in our own right and deserve to show up as our authentic self – diabetes and all – without apologizing for who we are.
I have decided I am OK with others having their own opinion while I can honor my own needs, dreams, and preferences without apologizing. Both scenarios can exist together. It requires a few hard things. 1) I have to be brave enough to live my truth – to step out on a limb on occasion and not take the safe route. 2) I have to accept responsibility for my actions. Some people may drift away when my choices don’t work for them. But then, are those really “my people”?? Likely not.
Boundaries
To live unapologetically means knowing your boundaries. You must be clear on what does and doesn’t work for you. And knowing this creates a safe space to do your thing. What do boundaries look like in diabetes?? It is the number of times you are willing to test each day. It is the type of relationship you will tolerate from a provider. It is the a1C you can live with. It is how much technology works for you. It is how what feels safe to share with others. And so much more. It puts the power back in your hands, and when communicated with kindness and certainty, it helps others know where you stand.
We also get to adjust our boundaries when we learn something new or something changes. These aren’t set in stone. Life happens. Things change. We are allowed to change our minds…. unapologetically!
Wonderfully, change is found in choice and possibilities. And we can unapologetically be curious about all the possibilities. We can unapologetically trust in our own goodness. We can unapologetically support and approve ourselves. We can unapologetically choose to see the good in each day. We can choose what works for us. We can unapologetically embrace each day of life we live on our own terms, instead of hiding away from the perceived judgment of the world.
And that is my jumping off platform for 2022!!
I would love to hear your thoughts! Comment on this post, email me back, join me on Insight Timer or set up a session with me.
If you are ready to bust out of your current situation, I am ready to help you!
Let’s do this – and no apology necessary!
Learn about my Services Email me: patricia@betterdiabeteslife.com Check out Insight Timer
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