Being diabetic is one of those things that completely alters your life.
It can cause people to become pessimistic or lazy about their health, and worst of all it can convince you that you'll never be as "capable" as other athletes/people.
In a way I believe I was fortunate to have been diagnosed with diabetes at the age of five.
Some people have to totally change their lifestyle towards dealing with the disease, but being so young I was able to conform to it rather easily.
There are times when I wonder if being diabetic made me more aware of nutrition and the importance of exercise, and I suspect there may be some truth in that.
This article isn't meant only for those with diabetes however, rather for anybody with problems (we all have them) that need to be seen as a challenge rather than a "handicap".
Having been an athletic person all my life has provided me with a natural sense of work ethic, one that I'm sure a lot of people have.
I feel that as we get stronger and grow we also increase the capacity for hard work.
An example for me is when I switched from high school swimming on a small club team to swimming at the college level which was a big wake-up call.
The environment that you choose to surround yourself with determines what you turn out looking like.
I've always naturally surrounded myself with people who liked being successful in their own ways.
Sure many of my friends do not get as jacked up about lifting weights or swimming as I do, but they excel at what they do nonetheless.
You too have to surround yourself with things that make you successful whether it be friends, posters, ideas, movies, or reading this article.
It is because I have surrounded myself with success that I experience it.
Even when diabetes causes me to get out of the pool during a set or bring something to eat every time I lift weights, it doesn't give me a feeling of guilt or anger but instead reminds me of why I do what I do.
Exercise is the thing that maintains my health to a degree most people don't need.
I don't feel lucky that I'm as athletic as I am with diabetes...
I feel empowered at the fact that it has no significant hold over me.
Even if your fitness obstacle doesn't seem as "significant" as mine, if you let it get the better of you then it does become worse than mine.
Pushing yourself to your absolute limit is a rare feeling for most, but when you do you know it.
Don't be afraid to push yourself.
You've only got one body and one life so why wouldn't you want to make the most out of every opportunity?