November 2020 Happy Diabetic Challenge

I created the Happy Diabetic Challenge to help create a positive outlook, raise awareness, and provide inclusion for the diabetes online community. And since then, I’ve brought it back each year to celebrate Diabetes Awareness Month – November. This is the fourth year!

The goal is to raise awareness for how alienating, depressing, and difficult diabetes is, but with a twist, to turn all the negativity into POSITIVITY and to find community. It’s a fact that people with diabetes are 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with depression that non-diabetics (Diabetes.co.uk). So instead of focusing on the negativity and how difficult having diabetes can be, I challenge you to find a silver lining each day in November. It won’t always be easy, but each day will become easier as you’re more aware of your positive mindset.

Scroll to the bottom for translated versions of the #happydiabeticchallenge!

Here are the prompts for the 2020 Happy Diabetic Challenge

Here’s some guidance for each prompt:

1. Introduce Yourself – This one’s pretty simple, share a little bit about yourself.
2. Type of Diabetes – Did you know that there are over 10 different types of diabetes? Share which type you have.
3. Diabuddy(s) – This is slang for friends with diabetes. Do you have any friends with diabetes? If not, get to know someone by using the hashtag #happydiabeticchallenge on instagram.
4. Weirdest Comment – What’s the weirdest/craziest thing that someone has said to you regarding your diabetes?
5. #throwbackthursday Diabetes Style – If you’ve had diabetes for a while, you might have some crazy stories to share on how you used to manage diabetes, like boiling syringes. Or maybe you have a funny story to share!
6. Everyday Diabetes Hero – Who from the diabetes community inspires you?
7. Diaversary – Years with Diabetes – Again, more slang for diabetes anniversary. How long have you had diabetes?
8. Diabetes & Work – Take this one however you want to. Is your workplace accepting of your diabetes? Do you know your rights? 
9. Motivation Monday  – What motivates you to stay positive, to take care of yourself, etc…?
10. Diabetes & Mental Health – Do you know much about the link between diabetes control and mental health? Share your experience.
11. Go-To Snack – What’s your go-to snack that’s easy on blood sugars? Not sure of any? TypeOneGrit has a great Pinterest page full of yummy ideas.
12. Pump, Pens, or Pills  – What do you use to manage your diabetes?
13. Blue Friday – Wear BLUE, the color that represents diabetes. Check out the #insulin4all shirts from T1International.
14. World Diabetes Day
15. Blood: Lick or Wipe? – After you check your blood sugar, do you lick your finger, or wipe the blood?
16. Day in Emojis – What does your day look like? Show with emojis!
17. Favorite Diabetes Book – Do you have a favorite book related to diabetes? I recommend 2 of them on my links & resources page.
18. Where are you from? – Actually, I hate this question. I was born and raised in Minnesota, but I lived in Germany for three years. I belong in both places, so where am I from?
19. Diabetes & Relationships – Do you have a supportive partner? How do you find dating with diabetes to be?
20. #FollowFriday – Who Inspires You?
21. Change Your Lancet  – When’s the last time you’ve done that?
22. Biggest Supporter – Who has your back?
23. Diabetes & the Pandemic – How has 2020 been for you?
24. Three Positives – I know you can do it. Name three positive things that diabetes has shown you.
25. Cost of Living with Diabetes – How costly is diabetes, financially, mentally, etc…? I wrote about the financial aspect here.
26. What are you thankful for?  – It’s Thanksgiving Day in the USA, so what are you thankful for today?
27. Exercise & Diabetes – Yeah, we should all probably get a bit more exercise in. But how do you manage your diabetes with the kind of exercise you enjoy most?
28. #insulin4all – T1International  – Surely you’ve heard of T1International, one of the only diabetes non-profits who does not accept $$$ from big pharma. They are the driving force behind the #insulin4all movement in the United States. Learn more about T1International.
29. Diabetes Goals – We should all have goals related to our diabetes. How else do we hit targets and maintain great control. Create SMART goals and go break them! Read more about setting diabetes goals.
30. Beyond Diabetes – Forget about diabetes for a day. Who are you, beyond diabetes?

Many people post on Instagram or Twitter, but feel free to post wherever you’d like! Just remember to use #happydiabeticchallenge!

Still have questions? Let me know in the comments below.

And don’t forget: like, share, SCREAM, tag, repost, etc, to help raise as much awareness as possible. Let us be heard during OUR month!