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“Feed the Warrior by training the body to follow the mind.”  I heard Lance Armstrong say this on a TV commercial the other day.  It sounds like a quote from the Marines but it may be a Lance Armstrong original, I don’t know.  I have been thinking about it in terms of how I deal with my Type 1 diabetes.  Dealing with Type 1 diabetes requires a creation of a manual system to deliver insulin and to obtain and maintain good blood sugar levels.  The body is a manifestation of the mind.  At the same time the body and mind are forever connected and interconnected in our present state as human beings.  In my yoga training I was taught that the mind has a casual body and the body has a gross mind.  The warrior in us is an attitude.  It is an attitude that can be described with characteristics like persistence, confidence, strength and courage among others.  This is the attitude that is best adopted when confronting and dealing with an “enemy” such as diabetes.  Perhaps enemy is too strong a word for some of you.  If it is, then replace it with opponent.  But make not mistake, we are always in a state of competition.  You can choose to sit on the sidelines and not engage or you can strive to be on the starting team and play like you mean it.  That part is up to you.    So, with respect to taking on Type 1 Diabetes, we are tasked with staying alive and maintaining health by injecting insulin, taking close account of what we eat, exercising (or not), and testing blood sugar levels to obtain feedback on how well we are balancing.  It requires constant contact with the enemy/opponent.  Ok, I am going to go out on a limb here and tell you that my highest goal in this fight is to defeat the enemy.  I have chosen not to play this game in a way where I become friends or partners with my opponent.  I have decided not to relent or concede defeat to the disease.  My objective is to win.  And for me, that means I have defeated my opponent and I move on to the next competition that is placed in front of me.  I intend to “heal” diabetes.  I intend to experience a day in my life when I can say the game is over with this opponent.  I have never and will never come to a point of acceptance of its power over me.  That would be defeat.  I believe that this warrior attitude I have cultivated has been the primary reason why I am healthy after 31 years of fighting.  At times it has not felt like a fair fight.  I have gotten depressed, have lost hope, felt defeated, wanted to give up but for some reason have been blessed with strong support of others who are my “brothers and sisters in arms.”  They have helped me stay alive to fight the next day and the next.   Think about the advantages of making the warrior attitude yours.  I believe that in our current situation on earth there is really no better choice.  Always remember that the enemy or opponent is never found in another person and neither is your warrior.  Others are cast members in your movie.  Some may appear as opponents but they are only acting as a mirror for you to see the direction to take.  Both the enemy and the warrior reside in you.  Which one will you feed?

About 20 years ago I went through a personal development course called Lifestream.  It was very profound at the time and provided me with a lot of tools.  The other day while going through some papers I stumbled upon this “poem.”.  It got me thinking about how I have dealt with my diabetes and my life.  Be compassionate to yourself as you read it and as you review your past, and perhaps current, approach.  There is great wisdom in the words.

The Difference Between Leaders and Victims

Leaders make mistakes and say, “I made a mistake,” and make up for it.  Victims make mistakes and say, “I’m sorry,” and do the same thing the next time.

Leaders say “I’m good, but not as good as I can be, yet.”

Victims say “I’m not as bad as a lot of other people.”

Leaders affect others.

Victims are affected by others.

Leaders would rather be admired than liked, and wind up having an abundance of both.

Victims would rather be liked than admired, and wind up having little of either.

Leaders respect others and try to learn something from them.

Victims resent others and try to find their faults.

Leaders stand for something and are willing to to fight for it if necessary.

Victims stand for nothing and either fight about everything, or nothing.

“There are essentially two categories of people in the world…leaders and victims.  Leaders are those whose purpose seems to be to inspire and motivate victims until they become leaders.  Victims are those whose purpose seems to be to criticize and resist leaders until they become victims.”

Ross Quinn

A diagnosis of diabetes can easily lead one to the path of being a victim.  Make no mistake, there is great pain, self pity, depression, resentment, anger, fear that comes with being diagnosed with a chronic illness that you did not ask for and did nothing to get.  So, if you fall in the category of being a victim do not be too hard on yourself.  Instead, be grateful to the people around you who have inspired you and who have helped to motivate you to at least be a survivor.  Life is not black and white.  Yes, you either fall in the category of victim or leader but because you are here you have the makings of a leader.  The universe would not have given you a chance if you didn’t.  So, don’t give up.  Keep searching for the ladder that leads you out of victimhood and you will begin to get a glimpse of the light of leadership.  I am still climbing…………One step at a time.  And to you leaders out there.  Thank you and forgive us victims for our parasitic nature.   We are in debt to you.