In my last few posts, I have written about keeping a positive attitude and about keeping a strong faith in your recovery. Clearly, when trying to look beyond symptoms and toward recovery, faith is what we hold on to. In the middle of Parkinson’s symptoms’ discomforts, people often miss the opportunity to express gratitude. Some have expressed to me that they see nothing for which to be grateful. Let’s talk about that.
Gratitude. Let’s see where we can take this.
If you are reading this post, please give gratitude to your eyes and for your eyesight.
If somebody else is reading this post to you, please give gratitude to the person, to your ears, and for your hearing.
If you are doing any of Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®, please give gratitude to your liver, gallbladder, kidneys, bladder, stomach, spleen, small intestine, large intestine, heart, lungs, and brain.
If your hands are struggling to do your buttons, please give gratitude to your hands for trying, have compassion for their weakened state, and offer them this healing: Put hot water, not too hot, in your sink. Submerge your hands for 2 minutes. While your hands are submerged, for 1 minute alternate making fists and stretching your fingers. Leave your hands submerged for 2 more minutes (total time 5 minutes).
If your feet are struggling with numbness or cramping, please give gratitude to your feet for doing their best with your walking, have compassion for their weakened state, and offer them this healing: Put hot water, not too hot, in a bucket or tub. Submerge your feet for 2 minutes. While your feet are submerged, for 1 minute alternate clenching your toes and stretching your toes. Leave your feet submerged for 2 more minutes (total time 5 minutes).
If you are breathing deeply (click here for instructions on how to breathe deeply), please give gratitude to the Mother Nature for filling your lungs with fresh oxygen to feed your cells and help you recover, and please give gratitude to you lungs for participating in the process.
Are you getting the picture? Every one of your organs and every one of your limbs is doing its best to help you in your life and in your recovery. If you are doing the Recipe, you are supplying your soul, your mind, and your body all of the tools they need to bring you to your full recovery, your cure.
Gratitude is your way of saying to them: “Your best is good enough. I am compassionate to your situation, and I am so grateful that you are trying so hard on this journey to my cure.”
When you are consumed with your symptoms, it like being ungrateful to your soul, your mind, and your body. You are sending a message that says, “Your best is not good enough and I am disappointed in you.” I think all of you know how that feels, when somebody indicates to you that your best is not good enough and that they are disappointed in you. It is debilitating, and so is your Parkinson’s if you are not grateful for how hard your soul, mind and body are working to cure you.
Instead, find a place of true compassion and gratitude. Gratitude is your way of saying:
“I am grateful for being alive, even in a Parkinson’s body. My best is good enough. I am bringing my life back into balance. I am recovery. I am worth it!”
Every day, I begin my day giving gratitude for being alive and my soul being in a human being. I began doing this gratitude when I had Parkinson’s. I was healing my body and calming my mind, and it was gratitude that helped open my heart. I became so truly grateful for my life, even in a Parkinson’s body, that I became overwhelmed with joy.
And the joy was so powerful, I completely stopped caring about the Parkinson’s. I knew my full recovery would come one day, so I just accepted it as true and continued doing the Recipe every day. But I was different and I knew it…I was experiencing joy from the inside, and it was overwhelming.
Your symptoms are nothing more than a notification system to let you know you have Parkinson’s. That is all. So, why be ungrateful or bitter because you have symptoms. You have the Recipe, so be grateful that you have in your hands the one thing so far that has been proven to slow, halt, reverse, and even cure Parkinson’s Disease.
Don’t look back with guilt and regret…don’t look forward with fear and worry and stress…adjust your thinking…see your recovery in your future and be grateful for where you are going. You are on the path to your recovery. See it. Be it. You are your own cure…be grateful for that!
Oh, yes. Every morning I give gratitude for all of you. Compassion for all of you and gratitude for your hard work and dedication doing the Recipe and working on your recovery. Also, I give gratitude to all of you for allowing me the privilege of serving you. Thank you. I am grateful!
Keep developing your attitude of gratitude. It will change your life and your recovery.
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Howard…..much gratitude for you, friend!…I speak out loud gratitude every day for various things…..I don’t feel it in my heart, but I speak it anyway believing that
feelings will come….And, I am truly thankful for some things but despair, fear, anger like to get in the way….But, I have less of those emotions than I used to have, so I guess that’s progress….Many thanks to you, Howard, for this necessary, inspiring post….I had not thought to thank my body, organs, etc….But, I will now…..
Howard, what a beautiful GIFT you are. Gratitude is the attitude that must make God smile. Thank you for your wisdom and TENDER-HEARTED KINDNESS. THANK YOU FOR SENDING “UPBEAT NEWS!” This message rings loud and clear to me. When we empty ourselves and DO for others, we get out of our CIRCUMSTANCE and know that the good Lord sees to it we get yet another chance to do better, think better, be better-and it’s done through His beautiful GRACE!!!!!
Thank you, dearest Howard.
Keep writing~~~~~<
THANK YOU and all of life, for the words about GRATITUDE. They ring so clear and true. I am grateful my heart will open someday and Ill be cure. Thanks for sharing and being a beacon of light to all of us.
Howard,
Thanks for heads up on feet. I have been going crazy
Pam
Thank you Howard. You are leading us on a spiritual path -a path that will integrate our bodies , minds and souls. At the end we should be stronger, more passionate and more accepting of the universe as it is.
Thank you Howard.
I did do a novena to Pope John Paul II. He suffered from Parkinsons. Its comforting to know the disease that plagued him, plagues us. He was special and so are you Howard. God is good. I am an artist. My right hand tremors, yet my artwork is still created. Keeping up with God given talent has instilled a tremendous amount of gratitude
Thank you Howard a truly wonderful post. I so often feel gratitude but your reminder is apt and teaching me to be grateful for every part of my body and life. I am truly grateful thank you. I love myself and others and life itself xx
Thank you. You are truly an inspiration. Your words & message keep me going. I also do Wisdom Healing Qigung and your joy helps me understand the ‘smile within’. Thank you again.
Sue
Howard, Thankyou for the reminder. I do keep gratitude for all things in my heart but fear often sneaks a foot in the door. The reminder is much appreciated as well as your never ending support! Much Love and gratitude, Melanie
Howard beautiful, simply beautiful.
The tears rolled down my face as your words touched my soul.
You truly are God in motion. It’s like he speaks to us through you,
Reminding us of his strength, his belief and his Love for us all here.
You always seem to know exactly where we all are at.
You truly are A Gift. I thank God each day for guiding me to you.
With Love and Gratitute.
Karen x
Thank you Howard. As always you are spot on in your wisdom that you freely share with us all. Being grateful is also a journey of discovery and your thoughts are immensely helpful. I hadn’t figured out that my organs could be shown gratitude!
best advice for anyone, maintain an attituude of gratitude
Howard this so beautiful….
Thank you for showing me way way home.