Okay, so this year I remembered my "9 Years of Diabetes Anniversary"...March 22. I used to kind of ignore my diagnosis date, but I remembered it this year proudly, because I've never felt more healthy and more in control of my diabetes - so I wanted to share a few things I've learned with you:

1. Perfection isn't possible. I used to feel guilty about really high numbers that I knew were probably because I completely miscalculated how many carbs I was eating and I took too little insulin. Okay - big deal. NOW, the important thing I've learned is that my diabetes will never be perfect, but the more I try to pay attention and the more I focus on learning how many carbs are in foods and how much insulin I need instead of feeling guilty, the happier both me and my blood sugars are!
2. Check. Check. Check. I used to check my blood sugar about 3 to 4 times a day. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes not. Sometimes before exercise, sometimes not. NOW I check often! It only takes two minutes at most to check my blood sugar and the information I get from it is so valuable! If I do go high it's only high for a short period of time because I catch it so quickly and give myself more insulin. And checking often means I can exercise more often and play sports with my friends and basically just keep up with every non-diabetic around me! In fact, they're trying to keep up with me!
3. When I make good choices...good things happen. I know it sounds funny, but when I follow the "rules," it makes having diabetes so much more simple. Healthy foods (fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains). Healthy ways to spend my time (lots of sports, much less TV). And there are other healthy choices I've made this year that have had such an impact on my diabetes like: getting plenty of sleep, never drinking alcohol, drinking lots of water, and only spending time with good friends who make me laugh! And you'd be surprised at how easy it is to make good choices after you practice making them for a while, because the benefits are just SO worth it!
4. I don't know everything! So, no matter how long you've had diabetes for (and many of you have had it much longer than me), there's always more to learn. Always. I can be very stubborn sometimes and therefore very reluctant to trying new things, but by keeping an open mind and asking for help I've learned SO MUCH more about diabetes. My doctor. My trainer. Other websites and blogs. There is just so much to learn and as soon I decide, "I know everything," I instantly cut myself off from learning all that good stuff!
5. Diabetes can't keep me from doing anything. In the past year, I've traveled to Japan and maintained healthy blood sugars. I've been training every day in the gym and have never had an episodic low blood sugar. I've rock-climbed an 80-foot cliff (made it higher up than my brother!). I've become a certified yoga instructor and now teach classes regularly. The point is: YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! And yes, there are laws against people with diabetes driving 18-wheel trucks or flying commercial jets, but...besides that...YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!