Diabetes, Stress, Motivation & Decision Making

This is the 3rd week of American Diabetes Month and another opportunity to create a greater awareness about diabetes management, reducing stress and making healthy decisions.

Chapter 15 in my book, What Color Is Your Brain?, is entitled Effective Decision Making.

Roy Disney said, “It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.”

Knowing your Brian Colors makes it easier to recognize your values and make decisions. Every day, we confront issues and make decisions that are stressful and can affect our health. My family knows all too well how stress affects individuals and their families who live with the daily challenges of a chronic disease.

My father had Type 2 diabetes, and our son, Joshua, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 1985, when he was 15 years old.

Stress has a tremendous effect on blood sugar levels and diabetes management. The following vignettes demonstrate how relationships can create stress, especially when the individuals are not aware of each other’s Brain Colors and what they value. 

Blue and Green Brain Stress
A wife thinks she is being thoughtful when she asks her husband how his blood sugar levels have been.

He tells her, “Second-guessing my diabetes management is unnecessary; you should know I’m not stupid. I can take care of myself!”

“You don’t appreciate me,” she sobs. “It takes time to shop, prepare, and cook all the appropriate foods for you, and you don’t even notice!”

The husband ignores his wife and retreats to his garage workshop to tinker with his motorcycle.
If the wife knew her husband was a Green Brainer, she would have understood his need for privacy and sense of competency about his diabetes management. If the husband knew his wife was a Blue Brainer, he would have recognized that she asked him about his diabetes because she wanted to be helpful and demonstrate her love and concern for his well-being. Their Brain Color knowledge would have reinforced their appreciation for each other’s values and attitudes, and shown them how they each could contribute to the husband’s diabetes management.

Yellow and Orange Stress
A father thinks he is doing the right thing when he decides to tells his teenage daughter, “I know what is best for you; you must keep a detailed record of your meals, exercise, and glucose levels in your logbook.”

His daughter says, “I’m furious with you, your rules, and your intrusion in my life.” Then she stomps off to her room, slams the door, and calls her best friend to complain about her father, “who treats me like a baby!”

If the father knew his daughter was an Orange Brainer, it would have reinforced the fact that Orange teenagers are highly impulsive and loathe parental lectures. If the daughter recognized that her father was a Yellow Brainer, she would know he needed to be a responsible parent and coach her about a game plan to manage her diabetes. Their Brain Color knowledge would have helped them be receptive to each other’s values and attitudes.

Making healthy decisions can be a frustrating experience.

The following are some tips to help you understand what Motivates an individual’s decision making process, which will reduce stress and increase positive results for better diabetes management.

Yellow Brainer Motivators
    ●    Doing what is right
    ●    Completing a to-do list
    ●    Deadlines
    ●    Respect
    ●    Symbolic recognition

Blue Brainer Motivators
    ●    Others listening to and valuing my ideas
    ●    Opportunities to share my feelings
    ●    Not being taken for granted
    ●    A pat on the back
    ●    Creative opportunities

Green Brainer Motivators
    ●    Problem-solving opportunities
    ●    Creating a system or procedure
    ●    Feedback at the end of a project
    ●    Cutting edge resources
    ●    Recognition of my solution

Orange Brainer Motivators
    ●    Thrill of a new challenge
    ●    Financial rewards
    ●    Rapid results   
    ●    Competition
    ●    The excitement of change

TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF!

Sheila N. Glazov ~ Author ~ Speaker ~ Educator ~ Personality Type Expert  
Please, visit my website to learn more about your Brain Colors, my What Color Is Your Brain? book
and workshops. 10% of the royalties from the sale of my book is allocated to JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)

diabetes management
stress
decision making
motivation
what color is your brain
sheila glazov
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