Last night, I almost broke down in tears – the first of many signs that I’m stressed, maxed out and putting undue pressure on myself. It’s been a busy few weeks, to say the least.

A little more than nine years ago, I also felt broken. I was preparing to graduate college, move out on my own and start working full-time. And then I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

While lying in a hospital bed next to syringes and vials of saline solution (for practice), I remember telling my mom how much I had on my plate and that I didn’t have time for “this” – this being my newfound life partner, diabetes. In so many words, my mom replied: “Tracy, this is your life now. You can’t ignore it.” 

She was right. I can’t ignore diabetes – something in my body is off-kilter. And if I don’t pay attention to it, I become a ticking time bomb. This is true of my stress levels, too. When certain elements of my life are off-kilter, I can’t ignore it. When I start to panic that I’ve somehow walked into the men’s restroom by accident because I can’t remember how I got here, I know it’s time to re-evaluate priorities.

This post is part of my 30 Days With Diabetes series.