How to Stay Motivated with Diabetes

What is motivation? Is it something we are born with or is it something that we must constantly work on? When life gets tough, motivation can be the difference between lazing around on bed while you procrastinate or setting strict goals so that you can attain them.

It is easy to talk about wanting to set goals so your blood sugar levels are well controlled, go for that daily 30 minutes walk on chilly evenings, and stay away from the dessert menu. But in order to complete your tasks, you must feel motivated! Managing diabetes can be overwhelming. Many people who have diabetes can lose the motivation to keep it under control. The ‘M’ word does not require magic or constant nagging.

There are ways you can start feeling motivated and keep on track. Read on to see what experts have to share on how they stay motivated in attaining goals, whether it is in regard to managing their diabetes or other simple routines.

[accordions id="10560"]

1. Dion McInnis

Another injection? ANOTHER trip to the gym? A N O T H E R yummy food declined? Motivation can be difficult when the reminders of what you're battling against are so ever-present. One important tip for maintaining motivation is to quit thinking about the battle against diabetes. “I'm not fighting against diabetes, I am working for a joy-filled life lived fully as can be.”

Research by Dr. Carolyn Leaf and many others reminds us how much more creative, courageous and capable the human brain is when it focuses on positivity. Think in terms of the positive outcomes of doing the work of challenging diabetes or any health issue: time with loved ones, the chance to see beauty, the joy of creating in favorite art forms, and so on. “I'm walking today so I can teach my newborn grandson to fish years from now,” or “I'm disciplined with my diet because a lifetime can't witness too many beautiful sunrises.”

Write daily about the wonderful things you did or saw, whether subtle or profound; review photos of the people and scenes that inspire you; and, listen to music that moves and enthuses you. Do those things with intention and joy. Thinking of working hard for the beauty of life and living instead of warring against a disease helps maintain focus, discipline, will, courage and joy.

2. Alvin Law

Attitude Matters!

"But I don't have Diabetes!", was how I answered a request to write a short piece on "How To Stay Motivated With Diabetes". I believe that matters, right? Until I thought about it a bit and realized living with any challenge, be it health, or like mine, physical, our approach is profoundly affected by our own "Attitude".

First, let me acknowledge with empathy those of you who live with Diabetes. I truly can't imagine. I also hear that a lot when people see me. I'm hard to miss. I have no arms! I never have. I also own a "label". Mine is "Thalidomider" and I suppose yours is "Diabetic". They are both accurate. By the way, "Thalidomide" was a morning sickness medication given to pregnant women in the early 1960's. This happened before modern medicine developed tests to find out this probably wasn't a good plan and it was banned in 1963. Thousands of babies around the world were deformed and hundreds of thousands died. Years ago, a news reporter asked me if I wished I had died? Pretty blunt but good question. Honestly, "No", but that doesn't mean it hasn't been hard.

Does the expression, "That's Not Fair" sound familiar? No kidding. Yet, that's when what I call..."The Attitude Affect" comes into play.

I was extremely fortunate in that my Mom, who also adopted me after my birth family abandoned me, worked tirelessly with me to make my positive approach to life an actual "habit". You can decide on the best approach but this isn't just hokey "motivational speaker lingo"!

Positive Attitude creates "Positive Energy" in our bodies and minds and not only does it have health benefits, but it makes coping with the daily hassles of life with diabetes more manageable.

A groundbreaking phrase that is also hokey is..."It Is What It Is". I never heard that growing up but the sentiment was the same. "You Can't Change What Happened To You, But You Can Choose Your Reaction" is a quote I'd like you to write down and tape to a wall where you can see it every morning as you start your day.

Life may not always be fair, but it's the only one we get. "Live It" to the best of your abilities!

3. Stephen Guise

"The key to managing diabetes (or anything else) well is to employ strategies that make it easier to succeed than to fail. The truth? You won't always be motivated to do the best thing for your health, but if your environment is already set up for success, you'll be able to win even in those scenarios. One example: Go grocery shopping as usual. When you're finished and ready to check out, replace one unhealthy food with a healthier alternative. This is a small and easy step you can take to make your home environment more conducive to success. You don't need much motivation to do that, but it can have a substantially higher impact on your life than you'd think. Small steps forward like this, when done consistently to form good habits, will compound to much greater things. Another example: Put problem foods in opaque (not clear) containers to make them less tempting. Diabetes isn't necessarily easy to manage, but you can make it easier with smart strategies."

4. Brad Montgomery

Motivating yourself successfully handle diabetes can feel overwhelming. And iI really easy to focus on things that are going poorly, for example a low A1c scores and out of range blood sugars. We tell ourselves that we need to be healthy, exercise more, test our blood glucose more frequently, and generally be rock stars. I'm telling you that much easier and more successful approach is to look for small victories.

Take the example of winning the World Series in major league baseball. I know, this doesn't sound like diabetes stick with me. Baseball teams have to play over 160 games, deal with injuries and illness, travel and… Life. Sitting down at the beginning of the season with the single goal to wind the World Series is just too overwhelming to be super helpful. More successful baseball players break their season down into micro-moments. They focus on one at bat. Occasionally they might focus on an inning. Even a game. May be a three-game series. But that's it. When you break things down into small chunks they don't seem overwhelming. Telling yourself, "I need to have exceptional focus on this at-bat," is a way more obtainable goal than, "I'm going to win the World Series.”

Now, back to diabetes. in order to be a successful manager of your own diabetes healthcare look for small moments that you can break down and focus on winning and being successful in those small moments. For example, turn down one cookie and celebrate. "I ate one cookie instead of two! Hooray for me!” Then maybe the next time you might be celebrating skipping that cookie altogether. Celebrate !

Here's another example: set a goal of testing your blood sugar adequately for a full day. Not a week. Not a month. Not forever. This is a goal you can achieve and build on. "I'm awesome! Today I did exactly what I needed to do with my blood sugar in a way that helped me manage my diabetes." Now you can do the same thing tomorrow. One day at a time. Small steps. Small victories. But progress that's meaningful and positive.

I'm a motivational speaker who works with groups about creating sometimes humongous change. This type of motivation works for all of us. If you're trying to lose weight, when a World Series, cleanup your ridiculously messy closet..whatever. Break it into chunks. Celebrate small victories. And motivate yourself to a better lifestyle.

5. Akash Gautam

My 50 yr old uncle uttered to me a shocker- ‘Akash ! Diabetes is such a sweet disease. I am diabetic for the last 20 yrs & diabetes could not do anything to me. Reason- I am self- disciplined'.

Another uncle- who is diabetic for last 5 yrs & is not self- disciplined; diabetes has already eaten him more than ⅓rd. So, the code word for living with diabetes is ‘Self Discipline'. Nothing better.

6. Josh Hinds

I think it's important to understand that for motivation to last, a person has to have internal motivation and want to change in whatever the particular area is. Whether we're talking about managing diabetes or most anything for that matter. So, while I can write and share things that inspire people to change when they read it, or hear me speak it to a group -- they may be compelled to change at that time it's still important for them to find an inner reason, or "why" to keep them motivated as opposed to hoping an external factor will do so.

All that is to say a person needs to identify what their true "why" is behind what makes them want to stay on track. For example, with diabetes management I think of a lot of very powerful "whys" people might have. Things such as "I want to ensure I'm around for my family, and I want to make sure my quality of life and the time I spend with them is the best it can be." It's important to note that a person's "why" has to be personal to them. For example, if a person isn't truly moved to action by a particular "why", even if on the surface, it should be obvious, it's not going to keep them on track the way, one that is highly personal will. Here's an example. I know of someone who is motivated by a "why" to eat healthy and keep their weight to a minimum, not at all because of the health benefits of doing so, but rather, because they want to look good in a bathing suit. Sure, you'd think the health benefits should be the "why", but for whatever reason it's the other thing that drives them to do daily what's needed to stay on track. In this same way a person has to get really clear on what their "why" is for wanting to manage their diabetes. Once you have that "why" in place, write it down and keep it front and center. There will be distractions. If you are clear on why you truly want to do what you know needs doing it be that much easier to see it through. I also recommend reconnecting with your "why" and what your plan is at least once a day. Just think about all the positive results that you will gain from following through.

7. Melanie Redd

I'm actually the wife of a Type 2 Diabetic, and I've worked hard to support my husband in his diabetes.

When he found out a few years ago that he had diabetes, I attended the training and the classes with him. Then, I threw out most of the sugary stuff in our pantry and begin to cook much differently.

As a result of his lifestyle changes, I've made many myself. For the most part, I avoid sugar as well. I don't order desserts at dinner or eat desserts when we are at our church potlucks. Additionally, I look for sugar-free snacks, desserts, and foods that we can both enjoy. We drink lots of water and we try to take several walks together each week. I believe that my sacrifices have made it much easier for my husband to continue to make sacrifices.

I'm proud of my man for the disciplined way he has managed his diabetes. My hope is that my support will add to his motivation and healthy living.

8. Nils Salzgeber

If you want to stay motivated in the long-run, you need to find the right ‘Why' behind your actions. If your ‘Why' – the reason you're doing it – is strong enough, you will keep going, period. It's like Nietzsche said, “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” That's because meaning drives behavior.

So, how do you find a motivating ‘Why'? Take a piece of paper and write, “Why do I want to do something against my diabetes,” at the top of the paper. Then simply start listing everything that comes to mind.

After a few boring answers such as “better health”, you'll start getting some real motivational gold. You may find that you want to do it because you'll get more energy, because you'll live longer, because you'll be able to see your grandkids, because you'll be able to surf with your grandkids, because you'll feel better about yourself, or because you'll feel proud for doing it.

If you do this exercise for even just a few minutes, you will feel motivated. And if you've found something that really “clicks” and makes you think, “Yes! That's why I want to do it. That's why it matters to me,” then it's just a matter of reminding yourself about it.

Best of luck! 🙂

9. Cheryl Mussatto

“Managing diabetes and staying motivated to do so can be difficult. A person may be doing all they can to keep their blood sugar levels in check and yet still may find times when their numbers are off or they are experiencing some health complications. First thing to do is to keep things in perspective. Diabetes is a part of your life but it does not have to take over your life. Remember, you are in control and not vice versa. Also remind yourself that everything you do to manage your diabetes is making a tremendous difference in the quality of your life now and into the future. Things may not always go perfect but taking good care of yourself can result in lowering your risk for problems with your heart, eyes, feet or kidneys. Also surround yourself with people who encourage and motivate you such as family, friends, an exercise buddy or health professionals. Take it a day at a time with your focus on things you're doing right.”

10. Meg Soper

How to Stay Motivated with Diabetes

Being diagnosed with diabetes poses some significant challenges, especially when we are called upon to change routines and habits formed over years or decades. It is a bit like being told you have a new roommate and that you have no say in the matter!

The reality is that our new roommate is not moving out anytime soon, if ever. Instead of resenting this intruder, we can choose to adjust to the new reality by shifting our perspective, accepting our diagnosis and focusing on all the things that are right in our life.

We know that the top two defenses in managing our health are nutrition and fitness. By taking a leadership role in our own lives, and putting these two elements on our priority list, we are able to take control of our situation. Feeling in control in itself bolsters motivation. It all starts by taking small, manageable, and definitive steps!

As a Registered Nurse with over thirty years of healthcare experience, I believe there are three key guidelines we need to stay motivated in our pursuit of a healthy life, particularly when dealing with diabetes:

1.  Accept the reality of the diagnosis and at the same time, do not become defined by the disease. We can choose to make the best of where we are. I have had patients who told me they live a more balanced life now that they have been diagnosed with diabetes! They are more mindful of making healthy choices when it comes to nutrition and fitness. They recognize that nutrition and fitness are the two best natural defenses against the disease. And, once these changes are incorporated into the daily routine, they reinforce the benefits of a more balanced lifestyle.
2. Take ‘Your 30 Minutes'. This is my personal mantra. In the hustle and bustle of daily living, we often don't take the time to check in with ourselves and decompress. Your 30 Minutes is unique and depends on your personality and interests. It might be meditation, playing a musical instrument, or going for a walk. No matter what Your 30 Minutes looks like, the most important thing is to put yourself on the priority list, and set aside the time every day. This is absolutely vital to living in balance and putting needed fuel in our energy tank.
3. Map Your Plan. Make it Happen. Decide what it is you want. Write it down. Work on it every single day. You increase your chances of achieving a goal just by writing it down. Put it somewhere you can see it every day. I have had clients tell me they post their goal right beside their computer at work or at home. I also practice the habit of keeping a journal where I track thoughts and feelings centered around my health and mental mindset. I don't write in it every day, but I am able to refer to it when I find myself off track for whatever reason. I look back on journal entries from over the years to remind myself of how and why I feel better when I choose to make healthy choices with nutrition in particular.

Think ‘ATM':

When faced with the challenges posed by diabetes, harnessing the power of our mind can do amazing things. By deciding to Accept the new reality, we make that important first step in shifting our mindset, and setting the stage for success. Taking Your 30 Minutes will provide you with the space to find balance and re-energize. Finally, keep a journal, and take a bit of time every week or month to Map Your Plan. It will serve you faithfully over the years ahead.

So, while you may never fully welcome the roommate called diabetes, these three strategies will help ensure that you are able to make peace and enjoy life together!

11. Coach Sherry Winn

When your body no longer plays in the manner you want it to, how do you handle the challenge? Do you toss in the towel, throw a pity party, or yell at those you love?

Or do you seek the best health you can find in your current circumstances?
Living with any long-term health issue like diabetes is challenging.
What I learned through my chronic pain is that you can't be done with your health. You are your body. The way that you treat your body and mind is the answer to your current health situation.

Here are the ways you can “WIN” with your diabetes:
W-Welcome your challenges by reading 10 pages of positivity daily.
I-Identify three people who will support you and connect with them daily.
N-Nourish yourself with meditation, prayer, journaling, and reflection.

Feed your soul as much as you feed your body.

12. Jess Moran

In general for staying positive, I often looked for ways to express myself such as journaling my health issues and how I was feeling on that particular day. I began practicing yoga and meditation to clear my mind. And I started learning about various herbal remedies to help with side effects that I was experiencing such as smelling ginger tea when I was nauseous or getting massages to reduce swelling. In addition, setting goals for myself - even if they were small like going for a walk around my hospital floor once a day- gave me something to strive for. Keeping up with a blog kept my mind active and doing gentle yoga kept my body as healthy as it could be.

13. Simon T. Bailey

One of the things I have learned about being pre-diabetic is that it really is a challenge to maintain the daily habits necessary to manage my health. It's a matter of constantly reminding myself that the reward is greater than the immediate pleasure of doing something that has long-term ramifications that will work against me.

So how do you stay motivated to manage diabetes and pre-diabetes day in and day out?

Be mindful of who will be crying at your funeral.
I know — that might seem a little harsh.

What I mean is: sometimes the pain of wanting to get healthy for the sake of your family and loved ones is a driver to eat right, workout, drink water, and do all the things you know to do to keep diabetes at bay and to keep it in check. Don't think about yourself; think about those who need you now more than ever before.

Start first thing in the morning.
Drink water first thing in the morning. Make sure you get a good breakfast. Take all of the vitamins that you should. Be intentional about writing down what you eat. Follow any instructions from your doctor.

If you don't get off to a really good start, you're constantly playing catch-up throughout the day, and if you're playing catch-up, a lot of times you won't do it. You will get busy with other things, other distractions will show up, and you will make excuses.

Come from a place of joy.
Have the want-to instead of have-to attitude. Instead of thinking, “This is something I HAVE to do,” think, “This is something I WANT to do it because it allows me to live a complete lifestyle.”

Really enjoy the journey and the benefits of what you're doing instead of focusing on all of the things doctors can tell you that will happen. With the best intentions, they sometimes paint the worst pictures: “You can't do this, and you can't eat that.”

Come at it from the other angle: this is really a joy to do because I get to live a completely whole life.

14. Barbie Cervoni

It can be a challenge to stay motivated when you have diabetes, especially because it is a disease that needs constant management and frequent tweaking. The good news is that you can control your diabetes. To keep focused and find your motivation it's important to be gentle and forgiving with yourself. Every day can't be a great day, but each day is a new day.

Try not to overwhelm yourself with too much too quickly. If you can manage to focus on one or two goals at a time, you'll be able to stay positive and feel accomplished. It's always a good idea to make long and short-term goals. For example, a short-term goal might be to walk ten minutes three days this week, whereas, a long-term goal could be to complete a 5K walk by the end of the month. Keeping your goals simple and tangible is a recipe for success.

In addition to making goals, find support. Having a network you can rely on will keep you motivated and positive. Whether it's a friend, a member of your healthcare team, or a loved one—having someone you can relate to or engage with is a great way to learn more about yourself and the disease.

15. Victoria Hockley

When I was asked to write this article, I felt the answer applies to you ‘the individual', not you ‘the diabetic'. I think in life we can sometimes be labeled by an illness, or a function of ourselves, the way we look, or the things we say. But deep down there is more to ‘you' and ‘I' than any of the above. You'restill‘you', I am still ‘me', we just might need a little encouragement along the way.

For me, motivation comes in many forms. And it will be different for each person, it can be so hard in our day to day lives to always feel like the glass is half full, when the glass feels half empty.

But there are ways, andI'd like to share some tips that I think could be of benefit to each and every one of us to help with the daily struggle:

1. Surround yourself with Positive People. I know this isn't always possible. But I believe we all have a ‘choice', and we can mostly ‘choose'who we share our time with, who we share our feelings with and who ultimately has the ability to make us feel better, no matter what.
2. Give yourself a Digital Detox. Sometimes we are so consumed by the ‘so-called' amazing life that everyone else seems to be living ‘online', that we are forgetting to concentrate on ourselves.
   Write down 10 things that you like doing that make you happy. Check your list and take half an hour each day this week that you would normally spend on screens, to do something else you enjoy! View it as your happiness practice time.
3. Start a Gratitude Journal. Write down 3 things at the beginning or end of each day that you are grateful for. It reminds us of the wonderful things we are lucky to have, rather than focusing on the negative – there is always something to be grateful for.
4. Go for a walk and get some fresh air – fire up those endorphins; this will always make you feel better.
5. Take some time out, watch a film or go to the movies. Treat yourself without guilt. Enjoy the process.
   Even the most positive person, can still have down times. I think it is important to accept and acknowledge this, learn from this and try to move on. I hope these tips can help you take that one step to keeping you motivated when you most need it.
   I love an affirmation or quote that makes us feel good, so I'd like to finish off this article with exactly that…

16. Steve Mueller

Fighting a disease is never easy. The moment you're diagnosed, it seems as if your entire life is turned upside down. Especially the initial stages can be quite daunting. However, there will come a time when the healing of your emotional wounds begins. All it takes is the strength to keep fighting until you finally see a light in the dark. When this happens, something truly miraculous starts happening. You will begin to endeavor on a quest to make the best out of your situation. You will realize that you may not be able to change your situation but that you cannot only change how you think about it but also what you make of it. That's the critical point when you realize that diabetes makes you a stronger person than you were before.

17. Phillip Ramphisa

“To stay motivated living with diabetes you first need to accept your condition. This may not always be easy, understand that sometimes in life we have to deal with situations that we might have not wished for ourselves. So, accept your condition and try to spend less time depressed about your condition.

Live positively by designing your life in a way that allows you to take care of your diabetes based on your doctor's advice. Your ability to stay healthy will be hugely affected by your internal state. Challenge yourself to live positive. Remember that you have within yourself an ability to overcome any obstacle as long you keep a positive internal state and exercise resilience. Surround yourself with people that believe in your abilities. Always take time to enjoy the simple things in life such as spending time with your loved ones and constantly engaging on your favorite hobbies”

18. Sebastien Sasseville

I'm a motivational speaker, so staying motivated with diabetes should be easy for me, right?

The answer is no. Don't get me wrong, I've accepted diabetes a while ago and today I even call it a gift, the best thing that has ever happened to me. It is a vehicle and an invaluable personal growth tool. But that doesn't mean I don't have bad days, like everyone else.

Over the years, I found several ways to stay motivated with diabetes. First, surrounding myself with other athletes living with diabetes has been a blessing. You are more of an artist than an athlete? Find artists living with diabetes, find your tribe. When you can have conversations with people who do what you do, you learn, exchange, grow and you simply can become better at what you love to do. Eventually, you will find yourself helping a newly diagnosed patient who shares the same passion than you. You'll be the reason why they decide not to give up on their passion and to me, inspiring others is the ultimate way to motivate ourselves!

I also believe that diabetes can't be a secret. You don't have to make it your job or start a blog about it, but your friends, family members, and colleagues should know. I still meet way too many people who keep their diabetes secret. When you educate others, they often start caring more. Knowing that I can count on close friends truly provides motivation and it enables me to live the life I want.

As cliché as it might sound, I find that taking diabetes one day at a time helps tremendously. The thing is, with diabetes, sometimes even a day at a time is too much, so I break it down into even smaller pieces. I literally ask myself “What do I need to do to generate good blood glucose levels in the next 3 hours?” and forget everything else. What is good about that technique is that you simplify the equation a lot. And when you do that, diabetes isn't as complex and isn't such a burden anymore, so it is easier (not easy!) to manage and to keep the motivation levels up.

19. Jim Rees

Life can be tricky at the best of times for us mere mortals, so to be able to navigate the up's and down of every day living with Diabetes adds to the trickiness!

As a coach working with senior executives, I have a simple framework that may help you to be able to stay motivated whilst living with the impact that diabetes can have on your life.

The ABC of Success starts with Awareness, which in fact, is a big part of the equation. This is about being fully aware of everything about your Diabetes and taking responsibility for getting into a healthy routine and planning your medication and your food for the day to ensure you're getting the right balance to set yourself up for a productive day.

The latest data from the world of neuroscience shows just how important your thinking can have on your overall wellbeing, which is the "B" of the ABC of Success, your Belief about your ability to make positive changes by thinking positively! You can Youtube Dr. Bruce Lipton's talk or get a copy of his book "The Biology of Belief" which talks about how you can reverse certain diseases using your brain.

It's common sense really and we don't usually think about our thinking but every time we have a thought it creates a chemical cascade, if it's a negative thought, that will flood our body with unfavourable chemicals and the opposite is true if we think positively, we'll flood our body with favourable chemicals.

On top of this, we've all read a lot recently about how important a role food can have on our overall fitness and again you need to challenge your belief about making a positive change over a period of weeks and months, I know this too well, as I attempt to get back into shape following a foot operation. It takes time to get back to fitness and I need to be patient with my progress, I've been off my feet and not training for several months and I can't expect to see immediate results.

For me, having a planned increase over the coming weeks and months will help me get to the weight and shape I'd like to get to, so the best thing you can do is make a plan and then share it with friends and family. I like the old saying, "Rome wasn't built in a day"

The "C" is for Commitment and this is where so many people come unstuck, often lacking the commitment to seeing their goal through to completion. Once you've made a commitment to yourself, stay strong and see it all the way through, even if it's a small goal, tick the box and get it done which in turn, will encourage you to take the next step towards being a better version of yourself.

Finally, motivation is a choice, we can choose to be de-motivated or we can choose to play full on in our lives. I tend to use a simple scale of 1-10 which measures your attitude, 1 is a bit like Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, there's an energy that goes with Eeyore and he doesn't expect much from life and life seems to just happen to him! At the other end of the scale is Tigger, who is full of energy. (I'm attempting to keep this simple!)

Moment by moment throughout our day we can calibrate where we are on a scale of 1-10 and ask ourselves whether we want to stay in this space right now? There are 2 things that you can do to change your attitude, the short-term fix if you are feeling at a 5 or below is to change your Fizzy or your physiology.

1. Movement is important to get the chemicals moving around if you've been sat for more than 45 mins, get up and have a walk or just move to get the chemicals flowing.
2. Posture plays a big role as well, look at the difference in Eeyore and Tigger's posture, they are very extreme but proves my point.
3. Smile more! Again the data is there about the happy chemicals that flood our body when we smile more.
4. Breathing. Just deliberately pay attention to your breathing pattern and aim to slow it down and get yourself into a calmer space.

The long-term solution to playing more from a 10 is using your thinking in the way I've described already, you need to be able to catch yourself when you are thinking negatively and almost have some fun with yourself and realize that the monkey on your shoulder almost caught you out. This is something that will take time to correct, it's a bit like changing the direction of one of those big super ships, we've had a lifetime of conditioning from our parents and schooling and just life in general, this has shaped us into who we are now. The books below can all help with giving you a different perspective and have further strategies to support a more positive mindset.

Books I'd recommend:

• Mindset by Carol Dweck
• The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters
• The Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton
• Breaking the habit of being you by Joe Dispenza
• Maximise Your Mindpower by Jim Rees

My latest book is a book of Inspirational quotes, Built for Greatness, is now available via Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1539870510

20. Chris Ruden

As a type 1 diabetic, there are two factors that are equally important in life: Blood sugar management and quality of life. Staying motivated is a tedious task like brushing your teeth or bathing in that it requires practice daily or else it won't work. Everyone has goals and dreams and desires and if you want to ever experience those you have to first believe that you can and that you deserve to. Then you have to manage your diabetes so that you can maximize your quality of life. If you don't stay motivated, you won't have a great life. Period. Motivation is a choice, your choice, that can be made at any time. It might not be easy but it is simple: Choose to improve the quality of your life through the improvement of your thoughts and actions daily. Diabetes isn't bad or good, negative or positive-- it just is. It holds no meaning except for the meaning we choose to give it. Why, then, would you ever choose negativity? Because it is hard? Life is hard. Because it is tedious? Life is tedious. By removing expectations of a perfect [read: self-made illusion] life, you can do the best with what you have where you are right now. So, how do you stay motivated with diabetes? You make a choice every single minute to be more than your condition.

21. Alli Polin

It's natural to want a break from diabetes management. It's a 24/7 endeavor. When you've ignored your best practices and better judgment, don't beat yourself up about it. One mess up is not permission to throw away all the good choices you've made in the past and will do in the future. Two words: Start again. Reset the clock. Don't beat yourself up, start from here.

You can even make diabetes management into a game. When you find ways to turn the things you want to do the least into play, and a challenge, you're more likely to do it. Pick something to measure and see how long you can ride your streak. Checking glucose levels, how many meals in a row you make healthy choices or any other small measure of success. Each choice you make builds on the last. How far will your success streak go?

22. Carolyn Rim

As you know, motivation plays a significant role when it comes to diabetes! Here are some tools for people with diabetes to stay motivated and help to manage their diabetes with success!

Tool #1 Meditation:
I promise you will not turn into a twisty pretzel "OOOOOMMMMMMMMM" monk if you try meditating. In our fast pace society, meditating for 10 or 20 minutes a day seems like a crazy concept but the benefits I assure you are well worth it. Meditating has the benefits of reducing body stress. What meditation does is help quiet that monkey in your mind. And if you say you do not have chatter in your mind, the voice that was just talking to you as you are reading this... that is it. Meditation helps you calm your body so you can relax and is used as my number one motivating tool for my groups where I lead live meditations!

Tool #2 Write Down Your Goals:
Did you know brushing your teeth is a habit you created? And did you know that you could create a habit in about 2 or 3 weeks if you chunked it out into steps?Write down your goals and then write down the next logical steps you would need to take to get there. Such as, making a list before going to the store and only buying what is on it, etc. Create a new habit by breaking into little steps! TRY IT! THIS SHIFT WORKS!

Tool #3 Reward Yourself For The Little Things:
Most people do not celebrate themselves when they eat something healthy or do something good for them because they think it is something they SHOULD already be doing but by thinking this... you are just should-ing all over yourself. Instead, REWARD AND CELEBRATE YOURSELF FOR THE LITTLE WINS! Research shows people who do this are happier and have more motivation to continue moving toward their goals. The reason so many people are overweight is they do not celebrate themselves for the little accomplishments! Every night before you go to sleep celebrate 3 wins from that day no matter what type of day it was. People will be more likely to reach their goals if they can celebrate the little wins along the way!!! YES! GO YOU! YOU ROCK!

Sending you High Fives, Hugs, & Pattern Breaking Ass Slaps.

23. Kiel Poore

Motivation plays a huge part in taking care of your diabetes and living an everyday life. For me, growing up, I was lucky to have a great support system from my family and friends.

Family and friends are your backbone/support system while motivation pushes you to not only live your life but follow your dreams. Look at celebrities like Halle Berry, Nick Jonas, Jay Cutler, and Gary Hall Jr; their motivations have lead to great careers in acting, signing, the NFL, and the Olympics.

Here's how you can stay motivated:

1. TIME: Prioritize your time every day as much as possible. We all work in some shape or form, go on vacations, go to events, hang with friends, etc. The more you plan your day out, the more motivation you will have for scheduling time to take care of my health (test blood, eat, etc).
2. GOALS: We all know Diabetes is not fun, but when you set goals to manage your health you can live a long and happy life. Some months are better than others but the more you set goals, the more it becomes routine in your life
3. FIND OTHER DIABETICS: Find other diabetics and stay in contact with them when you need extra motivation. There are over 29 million people in the world with Diabetes. We all need a shoulder every now and then. Remember, you are not alone.
4. DIABETIC MAGAZINES & ARTICLES: I am an avid Diabetes self-management reader. Reading new articles in magazines like Diabetes Self-Management or Diabetes Forecast will give you motivation.
5. DETERMINE WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING: I'm sure you have heard someone ask you what's your “WHY?”. Look for things that keep you going. For me, that would be my Fiance, being a diabetic life coach so I can help others stay motivated and healthy, family, friends, and wanting to start a family in the next two years. When you find your “why” it will give you motivation like you can't imagine.
6. REMEMBER HOW LUCKY YOU ARE: Think about the people who don't even know they have diabetes. Now think about being a diabetic back in the late 1800s to early 1900s and the life they had. We couldn't be luckier with the resources and technology we have today to help us take care of our Diabetes.

Remember – “ Life is what you create it to be – don't let your diabetes run your life…YOU RUN YOUR OWN LIFE! It's a race YOU are in charge of”.

24. Quinn Nystrom

Living with type 1 diabetes for the past 18 years I realize how tough some days get. We who live with this disease don't have the option to take a “vacation” from it and so there are times that I get burned out. Here are two tips that have helped me stay motivated to stay in the fight and continue to manage my diabetes vigorously:

1.  Figure out what is something that you're working for or that you want. Diabetes itself doesn't motivate me, but when I was a teenager I was motivated to have good care because I wanted my driver's license. Then as I got older I was motivated because I loved traveling internationally, wanted to attend college out-of-state and so to do those things I was ok with putting in the work to have good diabetes control.
2. Celebrate your Dia-versary! Ever since I was diagnosed with type 1 at the age of 13 years old, my mother decided we would celebrate on the date of my diagnosis every year. Not to celebrate that I got it, but that I had worked really hard this last year for a disease I had no choice in getting. It's a small thing that she does, but it has made me feel special and that support people in my life get how tough it is living with it.

25. Steve Gutzler

My grandmother was always pleasant, loving, and optimistic. She also lived with diabetes and I didn't understand it—it was a mystery to me. What wasn't a mystery, was her ability to manage her life with a purpose and positive choices.

Having now delivered over 2500 presentations on personal leadership, emotional intelligence, and living with intentionality, I credit my grandmothers and parents for modeling strength and the value of making courageous choices.

I'd like to offer ten choices you can make to maximize your strength and motivation:

1. Choose to speak positive and feelings will follow
2. Choose strong values to anchor your days
3. Choose to focus on “one day at a time"
4. Choose a purpose-driven life
5. Choose to focus on others
6. Choose to live with courage and strength
7. Choose to review how far you have come
8. Choose to draw on daily faith and not daily troubles
9. Choose to improve one area of your life today
10. Choose gratitude and your heart will be filled

Remember, we make our choices and our choices make us. I encourage you to draw upon your strength today with the utmost respect to you, and my grandmother!

Here's to your strength and motivation!

26. Daniele Hargenrader

One of the topics I teach about most often is how to get and stay motivated, which is incredibly important when it comes to choosing to take care of our health. When it comes to diabetes management practices, one tool I use often is the “Get To” mindset. In America, the vast majority of us get to take care of our diabetes, while many other developing countries around the world don't have that option at all, and struggle immensely with simply getting access to ANY insulin under ANY circumstances, let alone a glucometer or test strips.

The perspective we choose to see our diabetes management care in is the single most important factor when it comes to staying motivated to keep up the often tedious day to day actions necessary to live happy, healthy lives. The perspective I choose is gratitude, and I consistently remind myself that I don't have to take care of myself (I know this from many years of personal experience with extreme neglect to my diabetes management), I get to take care of myself, and that is the motivation that I never lose sight of.
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer

27. Stacy Pederson

How to Be Happy When Your Health is a Mess:

Staying Motivated When Your Body is a Literal Pain in the….(You fill in the blanks)

I'm not going to lie. I hate being sick. I can think of myriad other things I'd rather struggle with: too much money to know how to spend, such fame and notoriety I have to wear body armor (and I'm not talking about deodorant), or being a perfect parent who parades their children around in public. (That's it. That's as high as my dream goes. Parading my kids around in public without them embarrassing me.)

Alas, I am sick. I struggle constantly with inconsistent health and have often felt the depth of disappointment when even the simplest task, such as going out to see family, or even getting out of bed and washing the dishes, can sometimes be too daunting, painful or require intense willpower to follow through.

So what is it that keeps me going when going seems physically or mentally impossible?

Gratitude: I hate this one. It's extremely annoying to be grateful in the first place, let alone when it's for the littlest of little things. I'd like to be thankful for a maid or a Porsche, but instead, I'm thankful for legs that still work, for days I feel almost like my old self, for the new people, life lessons, and overall outlook on life, I never would have obtained if I hadn't fallen ill. Gratitude is, unfortunately, a key element to living a happy and good life. Most of us can't learn it without losing the things we are grateful for first.

Knowing What Defines You: I was a dancer, an actor, a very fit, competent, and active person in my earlier years. I lost that part of who I am, but I didn't lose me. The true me. I'm still me, even on those few dreaded days I can't get out of bed. My body is just one element. I've got a mind, a spirit, I can be somewhat witty on rare occasions, I love, and have been loved. My illness has altered some of my life but it's not my entire life. It's just a portion. Like the spinach pushed aside and smeared around the corners of a kid's plate. It's there but doesn't make up the entire meal.

3 Day Rule: When you get sick it can be painfully difficult to keep from punching well-meaning positive people in the face when they tell you to get up and keep going with your life. Why? Because you've lost something. When you fall ill, you've lost the ability to do certain things. It can be embarrassing to lose your independence, scary to go forward not knowing how or if you're body will adapt, and lonely when people around you don't understand the challenge of navigating the loss and instability you are facing. I give myself a “3-day rule” for when I am really struggling with grieving my “old life”-the one I mentioned above about being competent, active, etc. I get to feel sorry for myself, lament, lock myself in a room even for day 1, day 2, BUT on Day 3, it's time to rise again. It's time to shut up and get up. So that's what I do. When I first got ill, I used this rule…let's just say OFTEN-to put it mildly. Now, it's very rarely needed.

Anything is Something and Something is Better Than Nothing: Turns out science has found there's no true “one size fits all” for motivating yourself to move forward. We all are unique so different things motivate different people. What science has found to be universal is the act simple act of STARTING is all that's needed to become motivated. Example: have you ever put off cleaning the garage for 3…years, until 1 day you go out and the next thing you know it's the evening and your garage is immaculate? Now you're ready to tackle the basement, the laundry room, and clean out your in-laws-all on the same day. Why? Because you simply started. I often motivate myself saying, “Anything no matter how small I start to do is something, and something is better than nothing”. I've learned that once I start, I'll more than likely be able to do A LOT more than what I thought I was capable of.
Which leads me to You're Never Going to Want to, So You Might as well Do it Anyway. Need help just getting started? Repeat after me, “YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO WANT TO SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL DO IT ANYWAY.” This gets me out of bed more often than I'd like to admit.

If you're reading this, it means you are still breathing. This means you still have a lot of value to offer this world. There is honestly no one like you other than you. Which means this world needs you. Sometimes the greatest lesson we can learn is that our life is not our own. Life is better shared and given. You have wisdom, insight, possibly a lick of humor and hope you can offer, too, so don't waste it. Get up and give it away to someone else who could use it today. I wish you a wealth of health and hope on this day, and when I'm down, feel free to pass it on or pass it back. WHICH, you're never going to want to…so you might as well do it anyway, because of anything I something….

28. Elita Torres

When my Mom was diagnosed with Diabetes, she did not realize how much of an impact it would have on her daily life. When she realized the extent to which she would have to modify her daily habits, it took her a while to adjust. She faced many battles with Diabetes including depression. Slowly she began to adapt to her new lifestyle and created habits that helped keep her motivated to continue her journey. When faced with a challenge, your mindset is one of the most important factors in overcoming or adapting to your obstacle. Sometimes, as in the case of Diabetes, it's about finding a way to live your new normal.

Here are some great tips on where to start to keep your motivation high:

1. First, learn everything you can about diabetes. The more you can understand this disease the more ways you can find to take control of it.
2. Next, build a support network. Who can you turn to when the tough days come? Who can help you get through them.
3. Make realistic goals. When my Mom tried to change too many habits at once, she became discouraged. What can you tackle today that will make the biggest difference? Start there.
4. Get involved in activities you are passionate about. The more involved you are in activities that fuel your energy, the easier it will be to stay motivated.
5. Laugh. What makes you happy? Developing a sense of humor can be one of the best stress managers.

29. Ellen Bard

Diabetes can be overwhelming, with so many suggestions as to what you should do or change in your lifestyle. Finding the motivation to engage with it all, and manage your condition effectively, can feel exhausting.

Start by understanding more about the form your motivation best takes - is it through internal or external accountabilities, for example? Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies Framework can be helpful for understanding yourself better in this area (her quiz is here http://gretchenrubin.com/happiness_project/2015/01/ta-da-the-launch-of-my-quiz-on-the-four-tendencies-learn-about-yourself/ ) If, for example, you are motivated by external accountabilities, then get people to check in on you, or get a diabetes buddy who understands and check in on each other.

To keep your energy and motivation levels high, make sure you engage in effective self-care. Most of what you will do to manage your diabetes is self-care, and repositioning the things you do for your diabetes in your mind as nourishment, rather than as a duty, or a chore, can be very helpful in motivating you.

Self-care will also include things like taking time for yourself and doing activities that support you physically, mentally and emotionally. This will be different for everyone but will help energize you so you are able to motivate yourself to do the harder things. Start small by making a list of the tiny pleasures you enjoy – whether it's the feel of your favorite piece of clothing on your skin or the smell of freshly mown grass. Include more of these in your day to day, and really take pleasure in experiencing them when they happen.

30. Naomi Kingery Ruperto

The hardest part about living with a chronic illness like diabetes is that you have to find ways to stay motivated every single day. There isn't a goal that you're trying to reach or a task to scratch off from your to-do list. Motivation has to be constant to keep picking up your lancet, treat your highs and lows, and stay on top of your overall health. Here are a few ways that I've stayed motivated in my 15+ years with diabetes:

1. Don't take care of your daily diabetes tasks because you have to, make it a CHOICE backed by purpose. Maybe it could be that self-care means feeling better so the symptoms don't get in your way of your career, or being able to play with your grandkids.
2. Make sure your life isn't consumed by diabetes. Find a new hobby. Get a library card. Challenge yourself to conquer a fear. Or spend time with a loved one who makes you laugh.
3. Know that some seasons with your diabetes might be harder than others, so it's ok to need EXTRA motivation. Write positive quotes on your bathroom mirror. Write a note to yourself to leave in your glucometer case. Put an inspirational song on repeat. And ask your loved ones for some extra encouragement.

These are just a few of my tips, but at the end of the day, you have to find what works for you. What keeps you motivated in other areas of your life? Try applying that to your health and see what happens!

31. Edward Fieder

My number one tip with staying motivated with diabetes is to surround yourself with others who live with type 1 diabetes. If you are under 18 I would STRONGLY suggest joining a diabetes camp. These are immensely helpful to prevent diabetes burnout and you will gain friends and share experiences you will never forget. If you are not able to attend as a camper I would suggest volunteering as a counselor or staff.

If camp isn't your thing then go to one of the walks that JDRF or the ADA put on. Other organizations do similar events and most are free. You can help become a part of these by raising money for their organization but there is a lot more to them than just raising money. Any participation is encouraging. Especially just showing your support by showing up!

If you don't like going outside because you fear the sun is a monster there are always Facebook groups and Instagram pages you can join that have an evolved community. These help develop relationships without even meeting face to face. These are also helpful to help get quick feedback or info with a diabetes question.

There is comfort in knowing that you aren't alone with diabetes and surrounding yourself with others is a great way to never feel alone and stay motivated with kicking this disease in the butt.

32. Simerjeet Singh

As a life coach, my approach to dealing with any issue whether it is a physical or mental ailment is to train your mind while you allow the therapy to take its course. It is my firm belief, that human beings, by using their mind correctly, can alleviate themselves from a lot of suffering. Here are a few things that I would suggest that you do to maintain your motivation:

1. Focus on something that is working well for you right now and allow that positive feeling to dominate your consciousness. Refrain from the temptation to make your ailment the sole focus of your life and of your conversations with other people. I know for sure that ‘what you focus on, expands.' While you allow your medication to keep your Diabetes in check, you can work on training your mind and your thoughts for better emotional well-being. I know this is easier said than done but I do know that it's possible. Regardless of the state of your physical well being, you always have the freedom to choose your thoughts.
2. Try to meditate every day just by gently focussing on your breathing and allowing your body to relax. Practice gratitude and visualize yourself in a healthy body doing the things that you would like to do. The mind, I believe, exercises tremendous control over the body and with the magical trio of meditation, gratitude, and visualization, you have an effective pathway of taking charge of your motivation.

33. Jay Hewitt

Diabetes is a constant daily challenge to manage. Virtually everything we do affects our blood sugar besides just the two obvious ones of nutrition and medications such as insulin – stress, exercise, illness, the list goes on. I have always been motivated to manage my diabetes by making it the best thing that ever happened to me. I want to prove to my diabetes that I am stronger than it is and that it attacked the wrong guy. I respect my diabetes, but I will not surrender to it. Use it as motivation to eat a more healthy diet (a diet that everyone should eat). Set a fitness goal – run/walk a local race, cycle in an event, hike a hard trail. Visualize yourself at the finish completing that event to motivate you to train. I raced 14 Ironman triathlons and 3 years on the US national triathlon team motivated by my Finish Line Vision® and to prove that diabetes would not stop me. Learn more about it in my new book Finish Line Vision® available on my website this summer. Others in your life will notice your commitment to a healthy diet, exercise and managing your diabetes and you will be an example and inspiration to them and your family. Keep going!

34. David Thomas

Essentially, staying motivated is the same whatever the challenge.

And motivation is always internal. So the messages below are strong and direct but will help people with diabetes.

Here are some tips:

1. Focus on what you can still do. Diabetes will create limitations. Where you go, what you can eat, what exercise you can do, etc. Get a piece of paper and draw some columns. At the top of each one, write Food, Places to visit, Activities, Exercise, etc. Then fill each column with the ones you can do in each area. Looking at what you cannot do anymore is utterly pointless.
2. Make life as easy as possible for yourself. Take all the changes you have had to make since getting diabetes and find a way to minimise their impact. A very simple example is putting your insulin and/or tablets in a place where you can easily find them.
3. Learn, learn and learn again. Understand exactly what diabetes does to your body. Research positive case studies where people have reduced the impact of their diabetes through lifestyle changes.
4. Take MASSIVE ownership. There is a huge and well-trodden correlation between diet/lifestyle and diabetes. This sounds harsh but if you get diabetes and don't make the subsequent changes that you know you should in your life, things will get worse. And that will be YOUR fault, no-one else's.

35. Suzannah Baum

Motivating yourself to manage your diabetes is very similar to motivating yourself to anything. As a public speaking specialist, my clients need to be motivated to do give speeches, something that often makes them feel uncomfortable, nervous, or overwhelmed. Yet at the same time, they fully understand how pushing past this discomfort will bring huge rewards to them, both personally and professionally. Being able to visualize this rewarding end result is what helps them see the value of doing the work that is required.

Anything worthwhile requires work. Giving great presentations requires work. Managing diabetes requires work. But if you can visualize the rewarding end result – the empowerment you'll feel by taking action, the health and wellness that you will achieve by regularly managing your diabetes, and the inspiration that you may provide to others dealing with the same challenges – you'll no longer require motivation to manage your diabetes. You'll do it because you want to.

36. Dan Millman

As a former psychology major at U.C. Berkeley then gymnastics coach at Stanford University, I immersed myself in the subject of motivation. How could I help busy students stay motivated in the discipline of daily, rigorous training despite competing priorities and inevitable ups and downs? Back then, I found that motivation was connected to meaning — the more meaningful (and worthwhile) the task, the more motivation for doing it.

When we simply want to do something, because the rewards are clear or apparent, we don't need to motivate ourselves. No one needs to get motivated to watch a favorite film or go to a spa or get a massage. But other activities, like cleaning the house or taking out the trash or getting regular exercise — things that feel difficult or repetitive, and which don't give clear and immediate rewards, seem to require more sheer discipline or willpower.

As the years passed, I began to notice how motivation (to do what we need to do for our health whether or not we felt like it) seemed to wax and wane. Motivation is fickle and arbitrary. Sometimes we have it, sometimes we don't. One trick is to make what we shouldn't do inconvenient, and make what we should do as convenient and routine as possible.

Whether someone is trying to get motivated to eat better or exercise regularly to stay healthy, or to do any other task, it's good to consider the following:

To progress toward your goals, please choose one of the following methods:

1. You can find a way to quiet your mind, create empowering beliefs, raise your self-esteem and practice positive self-talk, find your focus and affirm your power to free your emotions and visualize positive outcomes so that you can develop the confidence to generate the courage to find the determination to make the commitment to feel sufficiently motivated to do whatever it is you need to do.
2. Or you can just do it.

Life always comes down to that — just doing it. We don't usually need to get motivated to floss and brush our teeth. We just do it. We make it a part of our life. Same with bathing.

Our lives are shaped not as much by what we think or feel as by what we actually do. And the greatest challenge we face, whether we're dealing with diabetes or any other physical condition, is turning what we know (is good for us) into what we actually do. Which is why I advise my readers and students to Dream big but start small, then connect the dots. Little changes can make a big difference, because they get our foot in the door, give us a good start. Rather than go for huge changes, start small, then do it regularly so it becomes a habit. Need to exercise more? Walk around the block. Or heck, begin with one jumping jack or turning on some music and moving around a bit. Eat a little less of what's not helping and a little more (nutritious food) that does help.

Don't wait for motivation. Just do it. Because it's better to do what you need to do than not do it and have a good excuse.

37. Himeesh Madaan

"Self-loathing is the psychological equivalent of self-flagellation. There are several ways you can make yourself traverse from the state of pain to a state of power. Acceptance is the key to this plan.

There are several things you can change and have control over; at first, make sure that you truly believe this. Second, and more importantly, there are things that are beyond your control. It is important to recognize and accept this. Make a balance sheet of life and count your blessings. Make sure this balance sheet is visible to you when you start your day and before going to bed at night.

Take control over the subversive by removing painful words from your vocabulary; replace them with thoughts of self-discipline and own your schedule, habits, and body. Evict yourself from the victim's mentality and surround yourself with positivism by reading the right books and watching the right TV/Internet videos."

----

It is normal to lose motivation when something negative has happened or if you already have the sinking feeling that the journey you are embarking on may not be successful. Many times, we don’t even try to attempt tasks if there are no incentives or positive feedback involved. You must constantly remind yourself that if you are managing your diabetes, you are not doing it for others, but for yourself. You must have the drive to stay on track, not because this is how life is supposed to be, but because you want the best for yourself. In order to live your best and happy life, it is important that you set effective goals and realize them. This only comes from motivation. Motivation is the key to improvement.

We love to hear from you. We hope that the tips and suggestions that works for our experts will work for you to achieve and accomplish your goals. Please leave your thoughts on our piece in the comment section below. Or simply share with our readers what is your trick to stay movitated during tough times.

TheDiabetesCouncil Article | Reviewed by Dr. Christine Traxler MD on June 02, 2020