Managing diabetes is a skill. It takes practice, focus, patience, and time to improve. But, as much as you will improve, chances are that you will never be perfect. There are simply too many variables such as pump site failures, not rapid enough insulin, and misleading food labels that are working against you. Perfect diabetes management is an unrealistic goal that will leave you disappointed quite often. Rather, I think it is more helpful to focus on problem solving and learning how to achieve in range blood sugars more often than not.
By focusing on problem solving and how to get consistent blood sugars you may become a more optimistic person because your focus is forward thinking, instead of dwelling on the unchangeable past. So many of us spend too much time beating ourselves up over what went wrong. "My blood sugar is 300, I shouldn't have had that piece of cake!"
Instead, it is much more productive to focus on what you are going to do going forward. "Okay, my blood sugar is 300 because I do not have enough insulin on-board. Let's give myself 2 more units of insulin, drink some water, and check in an hour to see if I am back in range." By focusing on finding a solution you will much more quickly solve your problem and learn what to do better next time you decide to eat a piece of cake.
Additionally, according to Forbes, problem solving skills and the ability to make decisions are two of the most desired skills organizations look for in graduates.
If you have diabetes, I encourage you to list these skills on your resume.
Creative problem solver
Results Oriented Performer
Goal Focused Individual
And, Diabetes Management
Yes, list diabetes management because you want people to notice it and ask why you listed it as a skill. This is your opportunity to explain how living with diabetes has taught you discipline, how to prepare your mind and body to be a top performer, how to overcome challenges and adversity, how you have learned to be a forward thinking creative problem solver, how you are required to be a high achiever of blood sugars 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, how you have learned the value of regular goal setting to stay focused, and how living with diabetes is a skill that has made you a stronger person.
Living with diabetes is an advantage! We just need to make others see it that way.