Shame, vulnerability, and an Oreo cookie

I was just innocently listening to a Type 1 Diabetes podcast, and I burst into tears.

The guest had a huge secret to share that she’d been harboring for 23 years. She had just told her husband the night before and was finally ready to come clean. Since the title of the episode was about navigating “shame and vulnerability”, I knew this secret was going to be big.

As a child, weeks before her scary Endocrinologist appointment, a friend at school offered her an Oreo. Although it was against her strict diet, she decided to eat the Oreo anyway. Fast forward to her Dr appointment, she was asked if she “cheated” to accommodate for her blood sugar spike. She denied all wrongdoing to both her Doctor and her mom. In the podcast, she went on to describe the shame and guilt of eating the cookie and lying about it after.

That was it. The big secret.

She ate an Oreo cookie.

And I burst into tears.

🥲 I cried because, on the deepest, rawest level of my soul, I could relate.

🥲 I cried because when I was a kid, I felt so truly and utterly alone. I was convinced that I was the only person with T1D who snuck food and then lied about it.

🥲 I cried because that’s the level of guilt and shame I used to feel.

🥲 I cried because I’d also beat myself up for my feelings and for lying to my parents.

I wanted to jump through the podcast and give her a hug.

I wanted to jump through time and give the younger version of me a hug.

I’d love to give you a hug if you need it.🤗

If you are feeling ANY of these feelings, please remember…

💗 You are not alone

💗 Any feeling you have, is ok. Give yourself permission to feel any feeling you want.

💗 It may not feel like it, but shame and guilt are optional. YOU have the power to decide how you want to think and feel.

And I can help you. Schedule a free call – let’s chat!