It's nice to be nice

20/06/2024

C O M P A R I S O N

We are ever presented with the images of success and happiness on social media. This at times can make us question our own progress or standing.

Remember, you only see the side of people they want the world to and at times this is a fabrication, to mask other hurt, trauma or personal shortcomings.

You are only competing against the 'you' of yesterday and not the stranger/friend/collegue of today.

Live in the moment, embrace your journey, YOU'RE DOING JUST FINE 💙

"Comparison is the thief of joy"

21/03/2024

T H E M A N I N T H E A R E N A

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs; who comes short again and again because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end knows the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails at least fails whilst daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt, Paris, 1910.
(Extract from Citizen in a republic)

Keep fighting, you're doing better than you know.

It's nice to be nice 💙

Image credit: Adrian Swancar via Unsplash (license free)

01/03/2024

C L A R I T Y

Sometimes we set upon a journey and there are bumps in the road. Sometimes the journey seems unattainable and it can cloud our vision.

Never be afraid to pause and take stock of how far you have come.

YESTERDAY is done, TOMORROW is not guaranteed, so be proud of YOU for where you are TODAY.

Don't forget to enjoy the journey, whilst you're stressing over travelling along it.

It's nice to be nice 💙

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27/02/2024

A W A R E N E S S

Please take 2 mins to have a read 💙

Knowledge is power.

It's nice to be nice 💙

24/02/2024

F U N D R A I S E R

🔗 Link in bio 🔗

Jenna's best friend Terri McCormack is running this year's Great North Run in memory of Jenna and in aid of Diabetes UK

Terri is by her own admission NOT a runner but has been putting in the hard graft even starting from Couch 2 5K ana now up to regular runs and smashing PBs in her Park Runs.

As a nurse for nearly 20 years she understands more than anyone how much needed these research finds are in battling T1DE 💙

Please show Terri some love and support where you can.

🔗 below and in bio 🔗

https://jenna.muchloved.com/Fundraising/Events/679291215

It's nice to be nice 💙

07/02/2024

B A L A N C E

A lot has been said about balance, the need to treat life like a hanging scale. What we take from one side we must add to the other. The need to ensure we are at a constant steady level, to manage the load that we carry

Are you giving too much of you in one direction and leaving nothing for the other? Do you keep the plates spinning to make everything seem ok, but it still feels so overwhelming at times? That's ok, sometimes the imperfect is perfect and it's not a failure if something has to give

But what if your resting state, is chaos and uncertainty? What if you have been in the fight for so long, that you view every day a potential crisis or something to be overcome?

Sometimes a resilience that has been built from years of struggle means you dont live in the moment. Not being present, due to waiting for that next fire to erupt and needing to be extinguished as quick as possible

We need to pause, even if briefly, to take stock of the path we are heading down. Sometimes out of necessity we plow headstrong into situations, that can often not be truly how they seem. We can exist in a survival mode and not truly seen what is in front of our eyes

The world can seem a negative place, where you compare/contrast and think, why me?.. why us?..why more bad luck?

One good day may be followed by several bad and that's ok - Keep going, but not an an unmanageable pace

Whether you are caring for yourself or for someone else, be aware of the path you are heading down and how you view the world

Sometimes not everything is a battle or a fight and it's ok to just stop and think "this is tough" and it is!...and that's ok

The rest of the world may not be in the trenches with you and may seem so much better, but your 'truth' isn't theirs. We don't know what is inside other people's heads or what they carry

Be thankful to YOU for all that you do and remember: to carry a load you need strength and balance. Do not give all of your strength away, for the load that is to be carried, requires you to feel well, to be healthy and to be present.
Be kind to yourself.

It's nice to be nice 💙

Image credit: Elana Mozhvilo (via unsplash.com)

26/01/2024

P R O G R E S S

Progress is a funny one, how do we define what progress actually means? As intelligent people we know about setting realistic goals, SMART goals and all those types of buzz words. But is just doing 'ok' still progress? 📊

We probably sit at home and tell our loved ones how to be thankful for small improvements...great advice right? 💙

We teach to make incremental changes, so we can appreciate the journey and also to limit dissapointment - All sound advice 👏🏻

What about when we haven't improved? How do we deal with this? 🤯

Sometimes just maintaining an already difficult life or situation is an achievement in itself! But how does it make you feel when you are goal driven? 🤔

How do you feel when your HBA1C has gone slightly up or hasn't come down? How does it feel to hear "you've stayed the same" or "has been no improvement"? 😐

Tell yourself you're doing ok, tell others, believe it when you hear it! 🫶🏻

Be kind to yourself, speak to others, be PROUD of maintaining the status quo! 💪🏻💙💪🏻

T1D is tough but so are YOU 💙

Image Credit: Christopher Sardegna (via unsplash.com)

23/01/2024

S C A L E

Of the 440,00 people living with Type 1 Diabetes in the UK, 144,000 have experienced some form of eating disorder 💔

Time for change - knowledge is power 💙

Source: JDRF London parliamentary enquiry via Diabetes UK website

Link: https://jdrf.org.uk/news/parliamentary-inquiry-calls-for-urgent-action-on-type-1-and-disordered-eating/?fbclid=PAAabk6idWXdoaJgpFqmLyiLZEzFOdLXAjTYnzAb6bQGjc4NedQXB6NOnV4RU

Image credit: Chris Lawton via unsplash.com

It's nice to be nice 💙

23/01/2024

This is so important 💙

It's time proper education, training and resources were given to the treatment of T1DE ("Diabulimia").

Too many people have never heard of this nor are aware of how to properly care for someone suffering.

Such a complex and challenging condition, but this cannot be the excuse not to progress this area of care!

A chronic illness can have the same effect as a terminal one, but over a time and the person and families have to watch that happen.

This can be FATAL 💔

Proper psychological support from ED behavioural specialists must be given to sufferers of T1DE. The purging of insulin is similar to the purging of food in a bulemic person and so some of the knowledge to treat this is already out there!

UK Government: Do the case studies, get the training in place and stop more lives being ruined!

Read the full report below.

Thankyou to Sir George Howarth MP and JDRF London for their work with this enquiry. Please keep pushing this so the health ministers cannot ignore it!

Full report here: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:6474c445-a22b-46ec-b40a-57079c553384

A new Parliamentary Inquiry report has highlighted the risks of disordered eating in people living with type 1 diabetes and is calling for essential changes to be made to provide effective care 💙

Some form of disordered eating is reported in up to 40% of girls and women and up to 15% of boys and men living with type 1 diabetes, the report highlights the need for integrated physical and mental health care but despite NHS pilot schemes in England this is not yet the norm across the UK.

But if T1DE is identified and treated early and effectively then people can go on to recover and live well.

We welcome the recommendations in the report and join the call for mental health to be better embedded into diabetes care.

The full story 👇🏽

https://orlo.uk/jSEKV

22/01/2024

K N O W L E D G E

Our minds are so very busy, it is important to take every opportunity to grow and expand our knowledge to help us cope and navigate through this journey 🙏🏻

Diabetes can be a very complicated, misunderstood and at times scary prospect. By taking a few moments to learn, we can better care for ourselves and our loved ones 🫶🏻

Diabetes UK have a free 'Learning Zone' online packed with short, manageable, but useful information 💻

Give it a try, grow your mind, help others....help yourself 🙏🏻

🔗 https://learningzone.diabetes.org.uk/FHG

Image credit: Gabriella Clare Morino via unsplash.com

It's nice to be nice 💙

22/01/2024

A life changing community that helps so may families and individuals suffering with any form of stress 💙

'Saving Lives, Changing Lives'
Rock 2 Recovery UK 💛

Collectively, you as a community helped raise so much awareness and vital funds last year. These funds have helped almost 100 families of the 1000 we help each year proving your efforts really do make difference. We’re looking forward to what 2024 brings!

Our non-clinical approach is aimed at inspiring, coaching, motivating and supporting individuals to experience real and positive change in their lives by “rethinking your thinking”. We encourage everyone to engage in their own recovery and find their “rock”.

Your hard work with allows us to continue us to offer free, confidential one to one specialist change management coaching for members of the Armed Forces, 999 Services and their immediate family members, either face to face, via Zoom or by telephone, with a fully qualified change management coach. We cover England, Wales, Scotland, Jersey and the Isle of Man.

If you’re looking to raise money for us in 2024 we would love to heard what’s your up to!