#ToolsofType1s - 023 - Sara Mobäck

[00:00:00] Rob Howe: Tools of Type 1s Podcast, Going International, Sara Mobäck. She's been on the podcast before on Diabetics Doing Things. She's from Sweden. I had the pleasure of meeting her in person last year when I was in Switzerland at a Medtronic event. Her tool, Believe in Yourself. I've really been looking forward to this episode. Sarah's voice in social media and diabetes is super powerful, and I'm really looking forward to her answers and sharing them with you. So Sarah, thanks so much for taking the time to do this. And for everyone else, hashtag tools of type ones on Instagram. We are here. We are back. We are still rolling for 2019.

[00:00:40] Sara Mobäck: My name is Sarah and I live in Sweden. I have had type 1 diabetes for almost 16 years now and I also received celiac diagnostics at the same time. I have one of Sweden's largest blogs about type 1 diabetes and with my social media I try to motivate and to inspire and also to give advice on how you as a type 1D can make dreams come true, both big and small ones of course, and also not to be overcome by your diagnosis. The first time I came in contact with Rob was when I asked him if I could join his podcast Diabetic Doing Things, which I could. Then we first met in Geneva this year in October where Medtronic invited me to hear about Rob's story about the the new Medtronic Pump 670G that was launched in in Europe for a month ago. What is your tool

[00:01:44] Rob Howe: of type ones and what's the one thing that a person living with T1D could learn from you

[00:01:50] Sara Mobäck: or your experience? My tool to succeed with my diabetes is to accept myself. Everyday life as a type 1 diabetic can be struggling, but I do think that with the right way of thinking and looking at life, there is a wonderful world to experience. What is the simplest thing you've done

[00:02:16] Rob Howe: that has helped you with the management of your type 1 diabetes. Where did you learn it, or who showed it to you?

[00:02:22] Sara Mobäck: I have always had very easy to adapt myself to different situations and actions in life. It has been very helpful for me to get my daily life together with my diabetes. I have also got lots of help from my family, of course, and from my lovely friends who have been and still are a big part where I can handle my my feelings and my diabetes in the best possible way. What failures or apparent failures with T1D

[00:02:57] Rob Howe: have made you better at living the rest of your life or made you more well-rounded as a person?

[00:03:02] Sara Mobäck: I mean one big failure with type 1D was my eating disorder. The treatment of my eating disorder learned me how to handle my diabetes and my life. For example, that food is something I need to survive and to be able to make my dreams come true.

[00:03:24] Rob Howe: What unusual or absurd opinion or approach regarding your diabetes do you have?

[00:03:31] Sara Mobäck: The absurd opinion I think I have about diabetes is... I'm not sure, but I think I'd rather think that others with type 1D let the diabetes take over their life too much. To focus on eating and measuring blood sugar, that things take over their whole life. I feel like I want to make people to kind of relax more.

[00:04:00] Rob Howe: What's your favorite thing? What gets you to smile or laugh almost every time?

[00:04:05] Sara Mobäck: My favorite thing and what makes me laugh must be to laugh. I mean, that's my best medicine. And what makes me happy is when I hang out with my friends and my family. But even when I get the love and the confirmation from my followers around the world, from social media, I feel so happy and so grateful for that.

[00:04:32] Rob Howe: In the last five years, what new adjustment to your lifestyle has improved your life with diabetes the most?

[00:04:40] Sara Mobäck: The adjustment I have added to my life in the last five years must be to start eating again regularly. I was diagnosed with anorexia a few years ago, and it has been a really rough period. I learned to eat again, but I also learned how amazing life is.

[00:05:03] Rob Howe: What challenges related to T1D did you encounter or have to overcome while you were doing your thing?

[00:05:08] Sara Mobäck: The challenge I had to overcome was actually to start believing in myself again. And life is not always as easy as just taking insulin before eating. There are days where I can't even explain a high blood sugar. But that's okay because no one is flawless. And it's more than okay to feel small and fragile for some days.

[00:05:33] Rob Howe: What bad advice regarding diabetes do you see or hear that you'd like to address?

[00:05:38] Sara Mobäck: I mean, there's a lot of bad advice regarding diabetes. The advice I hear the most about type 1 diabetes is from people without the diagnosis, of course. but the most common opinion I hear is that why can I have diabetes when I'm so thin or you can't eat sugar or maybe it's just for you to take the insulin right how hard can it be or how can you be so happy when you have a chronical disease I mean there's a ton of opinions and approaches about type 1D and I don't put my energy of what's sensible.

[00:06:20] Rob Howe: What priority are you focusing on in your own life currently? This can be diabetes related or not.

[00:06:27] Sara Mobäck: My priority right now is to focus on my own business and my projects that are related to type 1 diabetes. I also put an effort to eat regularly of course and to enjoy my meals because food is, I love food. And I also place great emphasis on feeling good in myself and to focusing on what makes me feel good, like my friends and my family.

[00:06:58] Rob Howe: Who is someone that you look up to and what have they taught you? How do you apply that to your life?

[00:07:04] Sara Mobäck: I look up to myself. No, but I look up to many people. My dad and my brother is two persons I look up to very much. And I can sometimes even look at myself and be inspired because I could never ever believe I would be as committed as I actually are today regarding diabetes. I travel a lot and I meet many diabetics around the world, which makes me incredibly inspired to continue the same track that I've chosen.

[00:07:39] Rob Howe: What are you most hopeful for? This can be diabetes related or not.

[00:07:43] Sara Mobäck: It would be stupid not to respond that I hope for a cure, right? I mean, even though the cure is far away, I hope for more developed technologies and advice for us with type 1D to simplify life. But right now, I look forward to the fact that our diabetics around the world become even more intimate than we are today. There's a lot to do. There are so many different communities around the world, and it would be great to be able to help across national borders.

[00:08:23] Rob Howe: What advice would you give someone who has T1D and is trying to pursue a career in your line of work?

[00:08:30] Sara Mobäck: it's hard in someone I would advise someone who has type 1d to to do the same thing as me is to not give up and I know I do hate to hear it by myself when I ask people but it's true I've been struggling to create new relationships and to get my own way of living and it takes a lot of time and a lot of power. But I do believe that when I really want something, it just feels very fun and educational. More people are required to engage and it is always welcome to join the closest city organization to begin with. I mean, it's so simple. Just send an email or make a phone

[00:09:19] Rob Howe: call. Simple as that. What's the one facet or trait that you think makes you uniquely you?

[00:09:24] Sara Mobäck: explain why the one thing that I think makes me unique is that I'm a positively engaged person I'm the boss of my own life and my everyday life I in in my everyday life I find my energy and also I see things from a positive side there's not much that I can make I mean there's not much that can make me feel useless or gray. And with this positive attitude, I've come a long way. So I keep up with that.

[00:10:03] Rob Howe: Plug yourself. Tell us where we can find you in the diabetes online community.

[00:10:08] Sara Mobäck: You can find me on both Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and my Swedish blog where I'm under the name Diabeteskvinnan. I know it's a Swedish name and it's kind of weird that I actually have more international followers than Swedish followers. But I do write in English sometimes or the mostly. But when I don't, it is simple to Google Translate. Trust me, I've tried it myself.

[00:10:38] Rob Howe: Where do you get plugged into the T1D community the most?

[00:10:43] Sara Mobäck: I am united with the Swedish diabetes organizations who work every day to spread the knowledge about type 1 diabetes and to of course support research. I became involved when I started taking contact with my local organizations as well as people I knew could give me more information and give me more knowledge. So my advice for those who want to get more involved is not giving up, of course. And supporting diabetes organization is always, always welcome. I mean, try to read more and find your unique selling point. Nothing is impossible and you can always do something. It is always welcome. Thank you.

[00:11:38] Rob Howe: Thank you for listening to the Tools of Type 1's podcast on diabetics doing things. I'm Rob Howe, And every Tuesday and Thursday in 2019, we are posting the next Tools of Type 1 episode. So follow us on Instagram, hashtag Tools of Type 1s, or just on Diabetics Doing Things. We will post those regularly every Tuesday, every Thursday. My favorite Type 1s are answering the questions I want to know the answers to. And hopefully, you'll learn a few things as well. If you like this episode, be sure to review us on iTunes. And if you didn't like it, go ahead and let me know that too. I want to know. All the feedback is good to me. Thanks again for your time. I value that more than anything you could possibly give me. Thanks so much. Bye-bye.