I have lived with T1D for over forty years. Remembering to check, correct, pace food choices and activity, remembering, remembering, remembering.  It can be exhausting.But when we don't remember, when we miss a step, which I promise you all of us humans do. What we say to ourselves matters.  Through my coaching I have built a path to help people change the way they talk to themselves and in turn change the amount of energy they have for all the things in life. When we spend our days beating ourselves up. It takes a toll on the way we interact in the world. I find it important to be curious - What's the story you're telling yourself? Then we ask ourselves, is this story helping or not? I can share more about how blame and shame can't be the long-term solution but for now: Brené Brown's work on shame has been particularly influential in how I think about this. If you're interested in learning more, I highly recommend her TED Talk, Listening to Shame.    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psN1DORYYV0.My clients are learning how to change that conversation. I am not talking about "everything is great" or "I can do anything I set my mind to" many of our brains will fight back when we hear something we don't believe.  I'm talking about finding a thought that is more compassionate and believable.Because when we are overwhelmed, the answer isn't to do more.Sometimes we need to make the next step smaller.This is where my clients and I draw a version of the future. Sadly when deep in burnout sometimes the vision is, "I just want to have the energy to take my dog for a walk"Through my diabetes experience and of those I have talked with I have found when A1Cs are high, having more energy can come more quickly by getting blood sugars closer to range. 

“But Danielle we have all tried that, we have all woken up and said today is the day only to feel miserable by lunch.” SCOOP is different. We talk about the when, where, and how, we get out our schedule and make sure it will work, we remove the barriers before they trip us up, because saying "I'm going to take better care of myself" hasn't been helping.

I have created a new framework: SCOOP.

I've been putting the framework I've been using in my coaching into a format that I can teach to more people.

SCOOP: Your Journey From Story to Summit

S — Story
 What story am I currently telling myself?
C — Compassionate Belief
 What is a new thought I can actually believe right now?
O — One Small Step
 What is the smallest step I can take?
O — On Top of the Mountain
 How can I stop and appreciate my progress?
P — Please Repeat
 Wanna do it again?

That's the work I love doing with people.  Helping them find that next step when diabetes—or just life—feels like a lot. You don't have to climb the whole mountain today, taking the next small step is enough

Please comment if this resonates with you and If you are comfortable to share: What's the story you're telling yourself? Is it helping you or holding you back? You don't have to change the whole story today. Just find one small step.