I teach tens of thousands of people the value and importance of acknowledgment. Numerous participants in my courses have requested that I even add an 8th Principle to the 7 Principles of Acknowledgment, one about the importance of self-acknowledgment, but I haven’t done that yet. So I will just ask your tolerance and your permission to step out of my usual role of acknowledging others, and to let you know what I’m proud of that I have recently accomplished.

This October I celebrated — truly celebrated, with joy and a sense of accomplishment — having had Type 1 Diabetes for (count them) 60 years! At the time I was first diagnosed, this was felt to be a terrible fate. My dear mother used to rip pages out of a diabetes magazine that came to our house, which related in grisly detail the complications of this dread disease. But I found out on my own anyway, as I grew older and others filled me in, some with pity, some with sadness. So I became a bit of a rebel, not even imagining I could outwit my “fate.” But eventually the kindness and caring of some awesome medical practitioners helped turn me around. This led me to convert to taking amazing care of myself, and it’s not an easy job. For years now, I have been testing my blood glucose about a dozen times a day, I have an insulin pump and a glucose continuous monitor and sensor that I wear and carry the remote devices for at all times. If this is more information than you would like, I apologize. But it is this constant monitoring that has made me a bit of a “poster child” for what good control can do — to achieve 60 years with the disease and without the complications of it. When I had reached the 50 year mark, the Joslin Diabetes Center gave me an actual medal which reads “For 50 courageous years with diabetes.” There is no special medal for getting to 60, but I am aiming to collect the one for 75 years that they bestow.

And yes, it does take courage. It does take commitment. It does take a constant awareness of what is going on in my body. But it is truly worth it, as all of my loved ones and certainly my Grateful Leadership “fans” would say. I wrote my first book, The Power of Acknowledgment just as I was getting my 50 year medal! And the other two books came after that…so having this time in a totally healthy state has made a difference, and not just for me.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month and I want to acknowledge all of the diabetics out there who are doing their best to get or to remain healthy. I am available for coaching, or support for anyone who wants to take on this important work and major challenge. And I am a cheerleader for the work being worthwhile. Thanks for “listening” and for your ongoing and great support.

Now I want to ask you this: what are YOU proud of YOURSELF for? Please share this with us! It is important to be able to acknowledge ourselves, isn’t it?!

Until the next time…. Judy Umlas