111. How To Radically Accept Diabetes, Train An Alert Dog, and Throw a Diaversary Party

From the get-go, today’s guest was not going to let type one diabetes stop her from moving forward with life. DCB graduate Sara Lerner and I sat down for a refreshing conversation about how she came to radically accept her diagnosis very early on. She shares practical advice along with the values that helped her do so and why she DOES let diabetes define her. We also chat about training her beloved diabetic alert dog Louie, why and how she celebrated her Diaversary, and the massive impact of community on her diabetes journey. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or still struggling to accept and feel empowered in your diagnosis, you need to listen to this conversation.Time Stamps:  (05:00) How her diagnosis was the biggest growth of her life (06:58) Grateful from day one(08:28) The values that helped her quickly tackle diabetes with less fear(10:11) Letting diabetes define her (11:24) The importance of getting plugged in early to the diabetes community (13:15) Releasing the fantasy of pre-diabetes life (14:48) “I’m doing more now with Type 1”(16:00) Her DCB experience and eating the thing that scares you(18:50) Breaking your own limitations (19:20) Letting go of control as a control freak (23:39) How she ran a half marathon(29:23) Louie her diabetic alert dog, the training process, and how he helps her(36:30) Diaversary Parties (41:30) The essential role of Community to integrate What to do now: Follow me @lauren_bongiorno and @riselyhealth on Instagram to stay in the loop for when new episodes drop.The doors for the April Decide and Conquer Bootcamp - our signature group coaching program for women with T1D - are now open. Apply HERE. Learn more about our 1:1 coaching programs HERE. Sara’s recommendation for diabetic alert dog training and scholarships available HEREDisclaimer: Nothing you hear on the Reclaim your Rise podcast should be a substitute for personalized professional medical advice. Please always consult your physician or other medical professional before making any changes to your diet, insulin dosages, or healthcare plan.