Do you ever have those days were you just want to disconnect from diabetes and about everything else and be alone? Me too!
Too Much
We live in a world with so much “stuff” bombarding our brains on a daily basis, some days it is too much to keep up with all of it! Our lives are filled with things that make life ‘easier’, but also faster. Messages, texts, email, tweets, posts, comments, likes shares, video, music, ads,TV, junk mail, websites,phone apps, appointments, reminders, and so much more interrupt us constantly, diverting our attention hundreds of times a day. Sometimes I feel like George Jetson on the treadmill. Do you remember that? “Jane Stop this crazy thing!” He was stuck on a never-ending treadmill! It’s exhausting just to watch it! But our modern world really can be that demanding. I really just want to unplug somedays and ignore it all. But that is how we communicate, so you can’t go off the grid too long or bills will go unpaid, and customers will go elsewhere.
Diabetes is Demanding
A life with diabetes ramps up the alerts, beeps and information overload to an entirely different level. Maybe stratosphere would be a good description! My glucose meter, pump, and pharmacy add to the cacophony of sounds that fill my airwaves! Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for all of the technology, but it adds to the noise and the things we must manage. Even if I tried to ignore my diabetes and not think about it, I am not sure the survival part of me would allow it. It is now a program that never stops. It’s the first thing I think of when I wake and the last thing I think of before I sleep. I am not sure I can really even imagine life without calculating carbs everytime I see anything edible!
Naked Shower
Not only is diabetes a constant thought in my mind, I am literally tethered to my pump 24/7. It boggles my mind that my little companion has been with me 20 years. Just as I type this I realize, I have never given my pump an name. Just “my pump”! I wonder what that means? ……… I digress. My pump requires tender care, not only is it my lifeline, but it is pretty expensive. It occupies one of my brain cells that is “always on” keeping track of where it is, how much insulin is left, and when it’s time to change the battery. But there are a few times a year I get a little break. The online diabetes community is chock full of diabetes slang. Your know, stuff no one else would understand if they didn’t deal with diabetes. And they coined a term for an experience, which is one of my life’s little pleasures, although I didn’t realize it until I saw the term. It’s “naked showers“. In diabetes terms, it is when your site changes, align with shower or bath time. It means you don’t have to cover, plug up or otherwise protect your diabetes stuff from the water. It’s just the clothes God gave you and the water. It is divine to be disconnected for a while, to just be you and nothing else.
Making the Disconnect Count
Since dropping off the grid, ignoring messages and not playing diabetes can have very negative outcomes for your relationships, business or health, I have a suggestion. It works for me,and tends to balance the power boosting your sense of control. Just use this one word: INTENTION. Do things with purpose and on purpose and then pay attention to how you feel and linger there a while.
Disconnect when you need to or when you can. Enjoy the naked shower, really pay attention to how your body feels with nothing poked in or attached. Take a yoga class and focus on yourself and what you body can do. Spend time in solitude in nature, listening to the sound of the wind or marvelling at how flowers unfold Pray or meditate, connect with your God and let that light and love fill you up. Even if you can’t disconnect as much as you want, creating and appreciating little mini breaks, can be very restorative. Every little bit adds up, but you have to notice, enjoy it and remember what a treat it was.
Then, choose when to connect. Choosing gets you out of victim mode. If all those beeps and tasks are constantly interrupting you, then they are in charge. You have lost your power. Resisting the urge to read and react to everything requires effort, but it is a “muscle” you can develop. And guess who benefits??? YOU!!!! And you deserve it!! That is what intention does, it allows you to be your best self. In control, In charge and at peace.
Enjoy being disconnected, just don’t disconnect from me!
Peace always,
Good one. Very helpful vis-a-vis Tiramisu challenge recently !! Fortunately I am able to disconnect a lot. Thanks
Yes I feel disconnected all the time I feel as if I am fighting a losing battle with my health
Hi Becky,
Feeling unattached is actually quite common. Diabetes can certainly leave you feeling like you are different than everyone else in the world. The answer is in your comment! You “feel” disconnected. Remember feelings are fleeting, they can change moment to moment. One small way to start feeling more connected is to make a list of the people you are connected to. On social media, in person, through a group, or a neighbor. It doesn’t have to be a deep connection – just people who you have something in common with. List how you are similar (same neighborhood, church, favorite movies, family etc) and then how you are different. Notice that EVERYONE has something that makes them unique – Yours just might be diabetes. But that is OK. We ALL have something that make us different – that is how it should be.
The good news is, that you get to choose what you pay attention to – the commonalities, or the differences. That choice will affect how you feel!
I disconnect weekends from my busy week and about 70% from diabetes. Being a Diabetic Amputee and advocate is stressful. Trying to balance my life for the last 42 years is hard and no matter how well you manage your diabetes complications always creeps up. So yes, a balanced life should be in mind all the time.
Balance is key! Congrats on 42 years!!!!!