Fighting Parkinson’s, and finishing up a month of gratitude

We began the year as 2020…the year of gratitude! Today is the last day of January, bringing to a close the first full month of the year in gratitude. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you for opening your hearts for a solid month of gratitude. I am grateful for you!

Some people have had a difficult time this month because of the constant reminder of symptoms. In the middle of Parkinson’s symptoms’ discomforts, people may struggle with their ability to express gratitude. Some have told 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.

If you are sitting zazen, practicing acceptance, getting rid of negative emotions, refraining from self-judgment, self-criticism, not having guilt and regret, and working to get rid of fear and anxiety, please give gratitude to your mind.

If you are feeling love, joy, compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, happiness, and contentment, and if you are smiling more, please give gratitude to your soul for opening your heart and uplifting your spirits.

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, and your mind is getting quiet while your soul is shining brightly. 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 is 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 and soul. 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. I give compassion to all of you and gratitude to all of you 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