Seven years ago, I began doing the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®. Of course, back then it did not have a name…it was just what I was doing. At the same time, I began keeping a hand-written Parkinson’s Daily Journal. It is time to share my journal with all of you. Here is my October 30, 2009 journal entry, seven years ago today.
“10/30/09. Up at 4. Nothing new to report on the health end of things.
Steven is spending the weekend after his football game tonight. Genevieve has Homecoming tonight. I hope she has fun and I hope she has a great overnight at Dana’s.
Tomorrow is Halloween. Victoria has big plans and will be Corpse Bride. The rest of us will go to Mary and Jerry’s and hand out candy. They get a lot of trick-or-treaters. It is always fun.”
What I have noticed over this last month is that when I was focused on my heart — thinking and writing about my family and the fun things we were doing in life — I did not pay much attention to my symptoms at all. Seven years ago yesterday, I was having a pity party, and one day later seven years ago today, all I said about my symptoms was, “Nothing new to report on the health end of things.”
The mind: Adrenaline.
The heart: Dopamine.
Calm the mind: Lower the Adrenaline.
Open the heart: Increase and release the Dopamine.
Simple enough formula, don’t you think?
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Click here for my November 30-day challenge 2016.
Please note: I will be posting one post per day through the middle of November. If you subscribe to receive email notifications when I post new blog posts and you would prefer to not receive those daily email notifications, simply send me an email at howard@fightingparkinsonsdrugfree.com, and let me know that you do not wish to receive a daily email with a link to each post. I will remove you from the list through the middle of November and add you back on the list after the middle of November. However, I still would recommend you checking the blog on a regular basis as it will contain very useful information for understanding my journey and helping with your journey.
I love this post thank you Howard!
Dear Howard,
Thank you too for your effort to explain and help all warriors, it’s really so kind of you!!! Thank you very, very much, your dopamine is flowing all the time with your heart-warming advices 💕.
Love
Tery and Werni
Good reminder to stop waiting like a tiger ready to pounce on all new symptoms. Stop feeding the tiger and he’ll go away.
Thanks, Howard, this is wonderful and so uplifting. We deeply appreciate the daily encouragement.
Sincerely,
Karen and Don
Thanks Howard.
I’d like to say that this also applies to caregivers. I constantly find it necessary to let go of my adrenaline mode mind that worries over all I have to take care of. It degrades the quality of care giving as well. So I take your advice and I tell myself, “This is perfect. Whether I understand it or not.” And I let it go.