It was a day just like any other—except when I woke up I found that my eyesight had radically changed overnight and I couldn’t see beyond my hand. I was very confused by this and my first thought was that I needed a new contact lens prescription.

 

I went to my ophthalmologist, who adamantly told me that she wouldn’t give me a new prescription unless I got a blood test for diabetes. I responded, “With all due respect to you doctor, I think you’re crazy! This doesn’t run in my family and I take great care of myself. I do all the right things: I eat healthy, meditate, live peacefully and I’m in a doctoral program to cultivate greater Self-Mastery in my life. Most of all, I love my life.” However, in the end I decided to placate her and have it checked-out—mainly because I needed a new prescription.

 

And here my journey began. In May 2013 I was given a diagnosis of Diabetes Type I. I knew nothing whatsoever about this condition and I really didn’t care to. I learned that my pancreas was working at a two-percent level of efficiency and was not producing insulin (a natural hormone we need to produce blood sugar efficiently and optimally), thus generating extremely high blood sugar levels in my body. Additionally, my doctor told me that if this had been detected in November 2013 rather than earlier, God knows what condition I’d be in—if even alive. Keep in mind that up until this point I didn’t go to doctors or take medication and I considered myself to be in excellent physical condition.

 

I gratefully had a medical team of angels. My endocrinologist told me that she sees a record amount of women my age—in epidemic proportions, in fact—because of extremely high stress levels (and you won’t find that in any medical journal). Another doctor explained that all the EMF (Electro Magnetic Frequencies) rays in the atmosphere are also a contributing factor.

For my own part, I considered the depression I experienced for decades and the stress in other areas of my life and wondered how they played a part in all this.

 

I asked my doctor to refer to this as my “condition” rather than as a disease, because I wasn’t going to label this or own it as such. I wasn’t in denial; I just knew it wouldn’t serve me to take it on that way in my consciousness. Although I’m not sure she understood me, she respected my request. I asked her, “How long might it take for my pancreas to start working one-hundred percent again, and when can I stop checking my blood sugar five times a day?” She nicely said, “Joelene this is incurable. You will have this for the rest of your life. In my fourteen years of practicing medicine I’ve never seen a pancreas come back. It won’t come back, and if you don’t take insulin you’ll die.”

 

To which I said, “Watch me turn this around.” She smiled. I said, “I’m serious. Just watch me turn this around.” I spoke to other physicians I trusted and they concurred with her diagnosis and prognosis based on medical history and their experience.

 

This was the first time in my life I released twenty pounds without even trying. Of course, I was elated! Until I repeatedly heard that this is a condition in which the body goes into starvation mode. But how was I starving myself when I love to eat?

 

In retrospect, I can see the metaphors. For many years prior, I had lack, limitation and scarcity thinking. I was living in a city that wasn’t nourishing to my soul and I was starving myself by living a smaller life than what I was capable of, rather than reaching for my much larger goals and full potential.

 

Living with an experience of diabetes was initially a radical life change. I was giving myself insulin shots before each meal, four times a day and before bedtime, checking my blood sugar five times a day and eating on demand. I also had to educate myself about the condition because it was foreign to me. At first I felt shocked, confused and angry. After all, I asked myself, with all the inner work I’ve done, how could this happen to me?!

 

My dear mother began scouring the web for all the side-effects and things that could go wrong for an individual with my condition, and I requested that she not share their discoveries with me. She didn’t. For me it was like listening to or watching the news: why would I want to feed that wolf into my consciousness when I have the knowledge and education to stay conscious, clear and positive?

 

Instead I quickly went into inner-cooperation and acceptance of the situation, of “what is”, and I gracefully adapted to my new lifestyle.

I saw this as an opportunity to take my self-mastery to the next level of excellence and impeccability by being very intentional, self-disciplined with my inner-work and creating a whole new story for the next chapter of my life. I took every skill I could think of that I’ve learned over the years and began to experiment with them, to put them to practical use—mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

These profound practices are now a part of my natural and daily routine, not something “extra” to do.

 

I also recommitted to this—I’m choosing to walk a master’s path for myself at new levels of consciousness, vibrant health and wellbeing. I am choosing to walk my walk and talk my talk as an example for my Self-Mastery coaching clients I serve. I choose life!

 

I became even more self-disciplined and focused, as the quality of my life and my life itself depended on it. For the first few months, when I gave myself insulin I visualized and blessed it as liquid love and light—something the body could naturally produce to survive, only mine simply needed help making it. Then I visualized the insulin going into my pancreas, and I imagined my pancreas functioning at one-hundred percent. I consistently supported, encouraged, and acknowledged myself for doing a great job keeping my blood sugar in a particular range. I visualized those numbers. I listened to various CDs nightly for healing. I increased my prayer and meditation and engaged in other wellness practices I’ve developed. Additionally, saw my Eastern medicine doctor and took a powerful neutraceutical to change my metabolism at the DNA and cellular levels and it helped reduce my sugar. (I still do most of these things.)

 

I listened to my intuition, which told me this was about “choosing life,” and I recommitted to my life. I recognized there were three things keeping me in Los Angeles and that my heart was guiding me to be in Portland for a graceful, easier and greener life (even though I didn’t know anyone and had never been there). A friend and medical intuitive asked me, “Joelene, where are you not following your heart?” I knew immediately this was the change I needed. No, craved. My time in Los Angeles was complete, for now.

 

Funny—this being said, the three attachments I thought were behind my continuing to stay in Los Angeles dropped out of my life within a week of this conversation.

 

I recognized that all three were relationships I had outgrown and it was necessary to choose my self-respect and let them go. Ahh, what timing! Truly, Spirit in action!

 

When I was first told I was experiencing diabetes I thought, “But food is my comfort! How will I get that now without the carbs and sugar that I love?!” The last piece of the puzzle, in addition to the actions described above, was that I radically changed the way I eat: no carbs or sugar whatsoever and only protein, veggies and a tiny bit of fruit.

 

Now, my sweetness comes from within and home is in my heart. I honor, respect and cherish my body temple. I lovingly talk with and encourage myself consistently and have a smile in my heart about myself. While I’ve practiced an attitude of gratitude for many years, there was still room for much more, especially given this experience. I continue to be an owner, creating and generating my experience, rather than being a victim of circumstances and a prisoner of my own mind and body.

 

Just three months later, I went into my doctor’s office. She referred to me as her “dream patient” because of my quick progress. I told her what I had been doing recently. I didn’t, however, share with her the full depth of my inner-work and self-discipline because I didn’t know if she would really appreciate it. I ended by saying, “And, I’m no longer taking the insulin because my numbers are so normal on their own.”

 

She ran out of the room, came back in with a cup and said, “Here, go urinate in this, immediately!” Then she ran back out. When she returned she said, “I had to go catch my breath. What the hell are you doing not taking your insulin? You could die!”

 

“Look at my numbers, Doctor,” I said.

 

She did. Her mouth hung open in disbelief and she turned pale white. She looked at me and said, “Your numbers and blood work show that your pancreas is working at one-hundred percent efficiency. Your average glucose levels for the past few months went from very high 11.4, down to 5.5.

Your sugar levels are now normal. You don’t need to take insulin. This is a medical miracle. This isn’t possible. I’ve never seen it before. I have chills.” Then she sat down silent and speechless.

 

My intention in sharing my experience is to offer hope, support, encouragement and inspiration to those who may read this. Most importantly, I wrote this to remind you that perhaps most anything is possible through your tremendous power within, through cultivating a deep and intimate relationship with yourself your higher-power and keeping an open mind and heart.

 

People ask me if I’ve always been disciplined. The answer is, “No, not what-so-ever. I taught myself.” I know personally that self-mastery equals freedom. I’ve also witnessed this with hundreds of clients. The human Spirit is resilient!

 

I continue to cultivate the sweetness within daily and with profound gratitude for my life, myself, my parents, family, friends, and so much more. I too have chills and am speechless—as I sit in my spacious and beautiful home in Portland, Oregon.

 

Are you ready to live wholeheartedly and create radical transformation, sustained change and live optimally?

If so, begin right here and now and seize the present moment!

 

George Moore said, “”We travel the world in search of what we need … then return home to find it.”