• Fresh Views

    Affirmations: There’s no one better than to be myself

    It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. And once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen. – Muhammed Ali

    Simply put, an affirmation is a statement of what you want in your life.

    We recently learned of a new-ish YouTube channel developed by the American rapper Snoop Dogg himself, called Doggyland. He’s turning his rhymes into motivational affirmations for kids…and they work on adults too!  Have we piqued your interest? Check it out here

    Four of the affirmations you’ll hear there are :

    • There’s no one better than to be myself.
    • Today is going to be an amazing day.
    • I get better every single day.
    • I care about others.

    If this resonates with you, you’ll find additional affirmation videos on his channel .

    12 of Tami’s  favorite affirmations:

    • I am joyful. 
    • I am gentle. 
    • I am not easily offended and will not hold on to bitterness. 
    • I am patient.
    • I am self-controlled.
    • I am kind.
    • I am loved.
    • I am strong. 
    • I have not need for fear.
    • I will not worry. 
    • I am focused upon the best things. 
    • I am unfinished.

    While using the Five Minute Journal, Deb’s been using their tips for journaling.  One tip is to use the same affirmation every day if you’re struggling to come up with new affirmations and if you want to focus on one specific idea.  Deb’s daily affirmation since the start of 2023 is I can choose to be healthy! Her goals are to adopt more healthy habits over time, but to start with small, achievable goals. Deb is a big fan of Kelly Clarkson, and loves her affirmation at the end of her show each day,  “Have a great day, and if it’s not, try and change it.” Her message is a great personal challenge, as we wrote about last time, to encourage change and create the life you want! 

    Identify one or many  affirmations that resonate with what you want in your life and post it where you’ll frequently see it. Tami keeps a list on her refrigerator and both Deb and Tami write them down in their daily journal. Encourage your clients to identify affirmations to support their healthy choices and goal achievement.

    If you are a health care professional and interested in learning more about our solution-focused practice and approach, when you subscribe to our blog, we’ll send you in return a FREE resource of 10 Solution-Focused Questions to start a solution-focused discussion with your clients. 

    Follow us on Twitter @AFreshPOVforYou

    Deb is employed by Dexcom, but her words and opinions in this blog are her own.

    Tami is employed by the University of Kentucky HealthCare Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, but her words and opinions in this blog are her own.

  • Fresh Views

    Diabetes Technology and Solution-Focused Practice: Applied to Mobile Apps

    “You`re only as weak as you let yourself become, and you`re only as strong as you allow yourself to be.”

    Daniel Hansen

    Beautiful bougainvillea, Palm Desert, CA

    In this week’s installment of Diabetes Technology and Solution-Focused Practice we’re discussing mobile apps. In our last blog we focused on using a solution-focused approach to interpreting and discussing continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data. This week’s blog we’ll focus on a new discovery for us – the WW mobile app. We will share insights on other apps in future blogs. We believe that using solution-focused language within mobile applications can improve user engagement with the app, as well as encourage individuals to make progress towards their health behavior goals.

    WW App: Deb’s experience…

    As you may know, Weight Watchers is now known as WW. I have been using their app, the WW app, to help  stay on track during the COVID-19 lockdown. You can learn about the different WW programs and pricing here. There are several options to choose from, I only use the app for logging and motivation.  I was encouraged to continue using the app because of the nature of the messaging. Then I began to wonder if they were incorporating a solution-focused approach? 

    From a weekly in-App push a few weeks ago, the headline was “Why you should do what works: You might already have more tools in your toolbox than you think.” If that doesn’t sound like solution-focused messaging, I’m not sure what does! The post reminds us that people typically focus on what isn’t working well and how to deal with challenges. Of course, that is not motivating, and not helpful when trying to make hard health behavior changes.

    But, what if you “Flip the switch” so to speak? (See our many blog posts from 2019 about “Flipping the paradigm” –  here’s one on healthy eating, and here’s one on healthy coping). The WW message goes on to encourage focusing on the things that come naturally and leverage strengths or what’s worked in the past! Wow! We’ve written about strengths in this blog multiple times (you can read about strengths here), and so believe in focusing on what one does well,  building confidence, and increasing happiness by doing so. 

    Make Strengths your Secret Weapon. According to WW, leveraging your strengths will help you be successful. They suggest asking 3 questions to uncover strengths:

    1. When do I feel like my best self?
    2. What makes me unique?
    3. What comes most naturally to me?

    Those are questions that diabetes care and education specialists (DCES) can easily incorporate into diabetes-related conversations with clients as well. Once those questions are answered, WW suggests creating an “affirmation” to help remember to focus on personal strengths. You can read their post here. One exercise that helps people think through writing their own affirmation includes showing a word cloud to help direct thinking about potential ideas of strengths (including humor, cleverness, bravery, creative etc.). What a powerful visual tool, that would be so easy to employ in any diabetes care and education program! Finally they suggest saying the affirmation out loud every morning or posting on your computer so it will be visible every day. For instance, “I am strong.” “I am resilient.” You get the idea

    I loved this way of thinking about making healthy choices, and reading and engaging with the content. I created my own affirmation and have it posted on my computer with a sticky note so I  glance at it multiple times during the day! Tami has affirmations on her desk and in the kitchen that she sees when making coffee in the morning to start the day off.

    Helping clients create their own affirmation using solution-focused principles is a great opportunity to highlight what is working well already and focusing on their strengths, as well as supporting the development of resilience. 

    Do you recommend mobile apps to your clients? 

    If you have a client interested in weight loss or adopting healthy eating habits, the WW mobile app might be a good option. (We are not endorsed by WW and do not receive any compensation from WW). Knowing the positive strength-based language that is being used is so encouraging. Also of note, WW recently hired Adam Kauffman, formerly of Canary Health,  to head their diabetes program (read the press release here) so we’re excited to see what’s to come in the future.

    We plan to continue to write about a variety of other technologies that impact and influence diabetes care and education including diabetes apps, digital health tools, diabetes devices, online peer support and online coaching. Stop back by in 2 weeks to see what’s up next!

    We welcome anyone interested in our approach to Subscribe to our blog and we’ll email you when a new post is published!

    If you are a health care professional and interested in learning more about our solution-focused practice and approach, when you subscribe to our blog, we’ll send you in return a FREE resource of 10 Solution-Focused Questions to start a solution-focused discussion with your clients. 

    Deb is employed by Dexcom but her words and opinions in this blog are her own. Tami is employed by the University of Kentucky Barnstable Brown DIabetes Center, but her words and opinions in this blog are her own.

  • Fresh Views

    MINDSET: Today’s word to jump-start solution-focused practice

    Deb’s “office kitty” has a mindset that is always focused on envisioning how to get outside and climb those trees!

    Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

    Given the chaos, worry, hurry, and stress that COVID-19 has rained upon the world, it’s timely that April is national Stress Awareness month. And who could have guessed several months ago when we slotted the word “Mindset”  as the focus for today’s blog that it would in fact be so relevant. We know you’re all busy and have many things on your mind, so we’re hoping this blog can help everyone take a short stress break and identify opportunities to reduce stress today.

    Today’s word is MINDSET: So what exactly is a Solution-Focused Mindset? 

    In a general sense, “mindset” is the way you think about your world, what you focus on, and how you relate to the world day-to-day. Change, like we’re all  experiencing now, means the emergence of new and challenging problems requiring new solutions. In matters big and small, diabetes-related or not, by embracing a mindset that focuses on solutions, and channeling energy into leveraging strengths and possibilities, you can cultivate a solution-focused mindset. One that envisions success. One which helps manage stress. Focusing on solutions and getting a plan in place helps reduce stress.

    Mindset has a more positive connotation than does stress, and implies that one has some control over the way they interpret and interact with their world during times of increased stress. Today we share with you 7 strategies you can use to help you as you function in your new environment, and also can help you step alongside your clients and support them in embracing a solution-focused mindset and managing stress:

    1. Create a morning mindset routine. We find that starting the day by making a list of each thing you’re looking forward to in that day (or even in the future) creates a feeling of anticipation and excitement that creates momentum for the entire day. Aim for at least 3 things. While you can note them mentally, in your phone’s Notes sections, or in a journal, if you write it them on a post-it note, you can easily post it somewhere that you’ll see it throughout the day (such as on your blood glucose monitoring supplies, on the car dash, on the refrigerator, you get the idea…) By focusing on the positive at the beginning of the day, it’s much easier to be happy, be focused, get work done more quickly. And often,  getting work done seems easier too.
    2. Live your Miracle Day. You may be familiar with the book by Stephen Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. In his book, Habit 2 is called Begin with the end in mind. In thinking about this process, the solution-focused tool The Miracle Question can be employed to change mindset. It guides in envisioning how life would be different tomorrow if a miracle occurred tonight and your challenges were gone. It helps know what you want.You can read more about it and how to use it here. 
    3. Build on your past success(es). While we  might not have any specific past successes that directly relate to our world today, we can apply successes in similar areas. What has worked well for you in the past when you’ve been under stress? Or maybe you can learn from others and what has worked for them. On social media we saw a post about how people are outside taking walks more often while staying and working at home. In one neighborhood someone started writing messages in chalk to give people passing by some hope and strength. We thought this was a great idea and so started doing this too. We now have neighbors writing back to us!
    4. Move your body. It might be simply taking a walk. Physical activity lowers stress hormones and triggers the brain to release chemicals that make you feel better. (We’re finding that taking short walks to clear our minds is helping us to feel less stress and think more clearly). During this time of crisis, many physical activity outlets are offering free online opportunities for those staying at home.
    5. Use positive affirmations. We wrote about using positive affirmations in a blog last December on Healthy Coping here. When life is feeling especially challenging, we’ve found that practicing “daily affirmations” greatly helps us. An affirmation is a short, positive statement that you say to yourself to build yourself up: I can do this. I am strong. Each moment brings choice. I will not hold onto bitterness.I can live an overflowing life. Have you ever tried affirmations? The reality is that we believe what we tell ourselves and what we hear others say about us. Using affirmations can help to “rebuild” negative thinking and strengthen positive thoughts. When working with clients in a solution-focused way, we can  help them to create their own affirmations as one Healthy Coping mechanism.
    6. Surround yourself with positive mindset people. Stress can cause some to turn inward and isolate themselves.Talking to others about your stressors and seeking their support is one way to de-stress. A positive social circle can act as an echo chamber for positive ideas, focusing on a great future and supporting your dreams. Maybe it’s taking a walk outside with a friend (practicing social distancing, of course) or chatting via Google Hangout or Facetime. Whenever the two of us are together we have lots of fun and laughter. That is one way we cope with stress. Find your tribe.
    7. Close out the day with a “wins”checklist. These may be linked to some of the things you were looking forward to, or different things. They don’t have to be monumental. The point is to keep your focus on your day’s best experiences and recognizing how you were able to leverage strengths and doing more of what’s worked well in the past. Finding ways to practice gratitude may be helpful.  You can read more on gratitude here.

    Each week we’ve been inviting readers to participate in a solution-focused challenge. Given all of the real world challenges we are all facing…..we didn’t think you needed another this week! So, we encourage you to try out one or more of the strategies we shared today, and please reach out and let us know how you’re doing! We’d love to help you de-stress and focus on a positive mindset.

    We welcome anyone interested in our approach to Subscribe to our blog and we’ll email you when a new post is published!

    If you are a health care professional and interested in learning more about our solution-focused practice and approach, when you subscribe to our blog, we’ll send you in return a FREE resource of 10 Solution-Focused Questions to start a solution-focused discussion with your clients. 

    Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AFreshPOVforYou