A voice for living well with Type 1 Diabetes

… is the one (of two) words that describe (what I believe) are essential to living well with type 1.  Let’s take a closer look at the meaning of resilience.

It’s an adjective – used to describe a person place or thing. And that person it’s describing … is us.

As for its’ meaning, Merriam-Webster defines resilience as an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.  Except for the ‘easy’ part, that definition sounds right for being diagnoses and living well with type 1.

Dr. Amit Sood, MD, the executive director of the Global Center for Resiliency and Well-Being, described it as, “Your ability to withstand adversity and bounce back and grow despite life’s downturns.”  Being resilient does not mean that people don’t experience stress, emotional upheaval, and suffering.  Those lacking resilience get easily overwhelmed, and may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms.

When I look at the people who live well – and I mean thrive – with type 1, they are resilient. The good news is while it may come naturally to some, it is a skill that can be acquired.  These skills include self care, relationships, mindfulness and purpose.  All powered by the Mind, the first pillar in our Living Well Model.

Tomorrow, look for the second word that describes what I believe is essential to living well with type 1.

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