Diabetes Blog Week – Day 2: Keep It To Yourself.

Day two of Diabetes Blog Week and the theme is things we would keep to ourselves and perhaps not share with the online world or even family and friends. Thinking about this, I realised that the thing I hide most about myself are my feelings, particularly when I’m stressed or worried over something. 

I’ve always taken pride and relished in my independence, so for me to admit that I need help in any way is difficult. Instead, I internalise it and make it only my problem. Everyone’s got their own problems and I don’t want to add to them. But by doing this, I don’t realise how it impacts the people I love around me. I can get so wound up that a little thing would make me snap or get the waterworks going. It must really suck to be around me when I’m stressed.

Over the years I have developed little strategies that have helped me cope during stressful times. These include a good hard session at the gym, making a to-do list by breaking down tasks and working systematically through them, playing mindless games to give my brain a break and hiding from the world.

Why don’t I just bloody talk to someone and ask for help? Probably because I am stubborn like that. That being said, I have learned to be a bit more open with my closest friends about my feelings. This is just who I am.

People around me are not stupid. They know I am stressed and that I won’t ask for help. But the little things they do for me mean the world to me. Things like sending me a message asking how things are going, a hug, a cup of tea or just little words of encouragement helps to keep me going. So even though I may not be telling you everything about my fears, concerns and stresses, it doesn’t mean you’re not an important part of my life. So many thank you’s go out to friends and family who continue to make a difference to my day, week, month, year and life! You are all awesome 🙂