8 Soulful Tips to Live a Happier, More Mindful Life with T1D

In life with T1D, it’s about creating small, but impactful habits that build you up so you can focus less on disease management and more on the gift of life. You deserve to look up every once in a while—maybe more than that—and less on the numbers and beeps that accompany them. 

Living contentedly means living less in the highs and lows—both blood sugar-wise and emotionally—and more in your “time in range.” That is, your mental time in range. In this guide, we share eight soulful strategies to live a happier, more mindful life with T1D—on your terms.

1. Figure Out What Happiness Means to You

Happiness means different things to different people. For most, not every day can be filled with pomp and circumstance. Big celebrations are often infrequent, which makes them more meaningful. But we can't just wait for the big moments to be happy.

There is plenty to celebrate about making it through another day with T1D. Learning to appreciate the small things can lead to a more joyful life.

True happiness comes when you learn to find meaning and contentment in the everyday hum of life. Yes, even when T1D tries to bring you down. What counts is how you recover and move forward. A grateful life is a happy life.

2. Set Realistic Expectations for Yourself with T1D

Even when you seek happiness and health, bad days will happen. That’s normal. That’s human! Accepting bad days is necessary, and avoiding dwelling on them too long is also crucial. If your day were worth $1000 but $70 of that value was wasted, you wouldn’t throw away the remaining $930, right? Probably not!

When you adopt this mindset, bad days start to seem like challenges. Challenges can become opportunities instead of barriers. And these opportunities can lead to a healthier mindset—a better way of seeing life with T1D!

The more you practice it, the better you'll become at mastering this method. Sometimes, it requires a little reconditioning before the neuroplasticity of this approach activates. Be patient with the process. You’ll get there. Repeat it until it becomes a habit.

Challenges for women and girls can be especially complex. Learn how to navigate these issues alongside ever-changing hormone levels.

3. Hold Yourself Accountable to T1D

Little happiness is found with a victim mindset when managing T1D. While being accountable to yourself can be challenging, it’s worthwhile. Taking responsibility for your habits, how you show up, and how you speak to yourself makes a big difference. 

In life with T1D, this can lead to better blood sugar management. The more gratitude you cultivate, the less stress you'll feel. Since stress can negatively affect blood sugar levels, reducing it is important. A little stress is normal and okay, but too much can be painful! Stress is sometimes our body’s survival tool.

When you learn to treat yourself with respect without being mean, you can live more contentedly. 

4. Feel Through the Emotional Highs & Lows

You can feel grateful and frustrated at the same time. Honor your feelings. Just because you’re focusing on gratitude doesn’t mean there’s no room for frustration. It’s essential to validate yourself and experience your emotions when you can. Not overthinking. Not suppressing. Pushing yourself at the right time.

Feeling through the ups and downs of T1D on your own timeline in your own way. For some people with T1D, talking it through helps. For others, task-switching does. Sometimes, it’s a combination of both. These are just a few examples—there are many ways to feel through the emotional highs and lows of T1D on your terms.

Let others know how they can support you best when you’re deep in your T1D feelings. You don’t have to do it alone, but if you want to, that’s okay, too.

5. Treat Yourself Like a Friend

On days when managing T1D feels especially burdensome, remember to treat yourself like you would a good friend. If you could swap bodies with them for a day, how would you care for them? How would you care for their body with T1D? 

This perspective can help you reset your approach to T1D management. Offer yourself the same kindness, patience, and compassion you would give if you were in their shoes. You deserve that kind of love and support every day you live with T1D.

6. Remember: There is More to Life Than T1D

Seize opportunities to get lost in activities beyond type 1 diabetes. It can be tough, but it’s crucial not to let type 1 define your whole life or identity. T1D is just one part of your story—yes, a significant one—but not the entire picture. You are a whole person without this disease.

Allow yourself to enjoy hobbies. Spend time with friends. Travel. Try new things! Move if you want to. Do something wild. Hit the gym! T1D might force you to pause sometimes, but it doesn’t have to hold you back forever. 

Managing it can help you experience other moments and feelings more deeply.

7. Find Your Community & Lean Into Your Connections

While having a community that understands T1D can be helpful, it’s equally important to find peer support outside of diabetes. A trusted group can remind you who you are beyond your disease and help you see more of yourself than just your condition.

Having a variety of perspectives, backgrounds, education levels, and experiences in your circle can enrich your life.

It’s good to step away from type 1 and immerse yourself in other communities. When you’re constantly focused on T1D, it can feel like there are no breaks. Taking those breaks and getting mental reprieve can ease your mind, boost laughter, and provide warm hugs when T1D feels cold.

8. Trust Your Gut When It Comes to T1D Management

Having friends, a care team, supportive communities, and networking can be helpful, but ultimately, no one knows your body better than you. Listen to yourself. Trust what’s working. Talk with your care team when it’s not. Use other people’s experiences as a starting point, but not as the final authority.

Learning to trust how you manage T1D can provide the peace, safety, and security you deserve to truly thrive!