Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Colmenares
Hi Stephanie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When first diagnosed with a chronic illness, it can feel completely devastating. You may struggle with acceptance and even avoid self care altogether. In the years following a diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes, I struggled to care for myself because I did not want to accept that I had a chronic illness. Over time, I realized that my attitude, my beliefs, and the words I say about this “challenge” have a huge impact on my overall health! Our inner voice has a great impact on our daily lives and shutting down the negativity that surrounds a health issue has been imperative for me on this journey.
After facing my fears and learning to accept this illness, I wrote books and created a journal for children and young adults about Type 1 Diabetes. The book is called, “A Thriving Diabetic” and it is available to Etsy and Amazon, which is really exciting. The creative process was very therapeutic for me and helped open me up to a beautiful community who was also dealing with the same challenges I was!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The struggles that came with being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes were definitely the misconceptions that others had about it!
Many misconceptions involve the diet and causes of T1, which can be very harmful to young people growing up and learning themselves. A misconception that stayed with me was that my diet caused T1 but this is simply not true. Experts are still exploring what causes the immune system to destroy the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. In addition, many people questioned my food choices and made unnecessary suggestions about my diet. The truth is that many people living with this chronic challenge eat well and we can be hyper aware of food labels and nutrition facts in order to give ourselves enough insulin to cover what we are eating. I wish that more people took the time to learn about T1 before commenting on a health challenge that someone is living with daily.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I teach English as a Second Language (ESL) and I am very proud to teach English to speakers of other languages. My students are from all over the world and because of this I learn a lot about languages, cultural differences, and how to make learning engaging for my students. My job is interesting and there is never a dull moment in my classes!
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking can be wonderful if you or someone you know has been diagnosed with a chronic health challenge. Having a mentor or friend to talk with can help you thrive, instead of just surviving. It’s great to get medical advice from doctors but having someone who lives with the health challenge can be invaluable! They will know the real struggles that you deal with and maybe they have solutions and resources to help support you.
I found a T1D group on Instagram and they have become a great resource for me when I have questions or need help with something. Living with chronic challenges can also be very expensive and there are many resources available to help, the problem can be- finding them. Try to find and connect with others and ask what resources they use, you may be surprised how much money you can save in the long run. Finally, a community group can be there for you in ways that medical providers can not because they live with this chronic challenge daily!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thrivingdiabetic.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thriving.diabetic/
