Last week, I posted, “Fighting Parkinson’s, and let’s play a game, 2020.” If you have been playing the game, great. If you have been unable to maintain positive thinking, that is okay…just pick yourself back up and start your positive thinking today. Your first positive thought can be, “It is okay that I got consumed by negative thoughts, and today I am starting thinking positive thoughts again.”
Okay. Whether your glass is overflowing with abundant joy, or your glass is half full on its way to overflowing with abundant joy, or if there is one drop in the bottom of your glass on its way to overflowing with abundant joy…”OKAY!” Today, you will receive lots of assistance and inspiration to keep playing this game. That is what I have to offer…KEEP PLAYING!
What? How can I ask you to keep being positive in your life and your recovery? Is this unheard of? Is this completely contrary to human nature? In response, I ask you a very simple question: “Weren’t you doing everything according to what was the customarily accepted and expected ‘human nature’ when you got Parkinson’s?” Thought so.
That being the case, it is unreasonable to expect that the accepted and expected negative thinking of “human nature” will help you get better. As all of you know, negative thinking, stress and anxiety make your symptoms worse.
Why? Because you never leave your mind. It is that adrenaline-driven mind that jumped on the fear train and took you full throttle to Parkinsonsville. If you stay in that adrenaline-driven, negative thinking, fearful mind, you might as well get comfortable in Parkinsonsville because you will not be leaving.
However, there is another choice.
Jump on the heart-felt, soul-enriched, dopamine-producing tortoise trolley to Recoveryville. This is a ride where you overcome fear and negative thoughts by seeing and experiencing the world through your heart and soul. You were not doing this when you got Parkinson’s, and that is why it works. It brings you back into balance.
So, let’s keep playing this game. Here’s some help:
Make it an outrageously joyful Positive Thinking Only game for yourself. I will provide you some examples of what I mean, and you all are bright enough to run, or shuffle, with it from there:
1. Pain. If I had pain in an area where I previously felt nothing, instead of being angry about the pain or fearful of what it might mean (i.e. Parkinson’s getting worse — isn’t that what every change in your symptoms you do not like ultimately adds up to in your mind?), I would say something like, “This is great! Pain means that the electricity is flowing from my brain to the part of my body that hurts or I would not be experiencing pain. This must mean all that stuff in my brain that the doctors say is dead is not really dead. This is my recovery happening!”
2. Stiffness, fatigue, and slowness. “My body is using my available energy to open blockages, so it is making me more stiff and fatigued and slower than usual. It will improve when the blockages are opened. This is great! This is necessary for my recovery!”
3. Increased tremors. “Wonderful. Tremors are created when electricity hits blockages or when I just need to shake off some stress I have been holding for decades. Increased tremors means I am creating more energy in my low-energy brain, so I shake more. This is great! This is my recovering rolling out in from of my eyes!”
4. Click here to read the comments posted by your fellow travelers on this path in response to “Fighting Parkinson’s, and let’s play a game, 2020.” You will be inspired to keep playing this positive thinking game, or to get started again if you fell down. Please remember, “Failure is not falling down, it is not getting up again.” — Mary Pickford.
5. I had the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®, and so do you.
Overcome fear and negative thinking, and see the world through your heart and soul. It brings you back into balance. What I mean by this is that you are not changing or controlling what is happening…you are adjusting your perspective.
Instead of looking at symptom changes and life with fear, which never has a positive outcome, now you can look at changes in symptoms and life with love, joy, gratitude, compassion, forgiveness (positive thinking, positive emotions), and you will have a much better opportunity for a positive outcome. This will release your dopamine flow.
I started playing this game during my recovery because it made sense to me to change my perspective this way. It kept me on the positive track toward recovery.
I am still playing it today, over 10 years since being cured from Parkinson’s. I greet the morning each day with gratitude for being alive. I accept all that is happening in front of me with a compassionate smile and an “okay.”
Okay simply means that I am living in the moment and acknowledging what is happening in reality in the moment with acceptance, surrender, gratitude, and no judgment. And then I take action based upon what just happened.
I do not react emotionally based upon past or future judgments. I came to realize that the only thing actually happening in my life in the moment is whatever is going on right now…and I embrace it from my heart and soul. Why not? It is my life, one for which I am abundantly grateful.
Overcome fear and negative thinking, and see the world through your heart.
Why not? It is your life.
Okay! So who is continuing to play this game by jumping on the heart-felt, soul-enriched, dopamine-producing tortoise trolley to Recoveryville? As you know, the tortoise trolley moves very slowly, so nobody will be left behind. Let’s enjoy this journey called life together, with open hearts, radiant souls, joyfulness, gratitude, and compassion…and recovery!
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
I just started reading your book last week and it aligns well with my thought process. I believe that I have the power to beat this disease on my own. It’s hard at times to maintain positivity sometimes. Your blog today helped pick me up again. Thank you.
Dear Howard,
This is actually needed most as I was falling down in negative thoughts due to symptoms worsening.
Thank you so much for timely help. I am SO MUCH GRATEFUL
This was AWESOME 😍 I am on the TORTOISE TROLLEY and it’s leading me right to the soccer field 😁!! Slowly getting in the game🐢⚽
Dear Howard,
If you allow, I like to share this with you and other game players.
Today, my 3 year old granddaughter asked me “Why are walking slow Grandpa!”
I took the comment in a positive note, which further motivated me to STAY POSITIVE and STRENGTHEN my determination to overcome this tortoise trolley to Recoveryville!
To STAY HAPPY and ENJOY LIFE with grandchildren.
Always right on point! I am on the Tortoise Trolley, too.
Thank you!
Sharon in North Carolina
I’m in!!!!!!!!!
Giddy up Tortoise here we go !!!!!!
This is wonderful. We just have to stay patient and enjoy our journey on the Tortoise Trolley!
Sounds like an easy game. Just let my soul sniff, snort and root out negative thoughts and turn them on their heads.
I can’t lose. It’s just matter how much progress I make by overturning evermore negativity.
It reminds me of a snippet from a praise to the universal soul I’ve been working with:
“You terrify the demons (negative thoughts) around us and inside us,
And graciously.nullify their power (cast a positive perspective on them)
You are the loving one loved by all.”
Howard, thanks for the priceless examples of how to play the game in today’s blog post.
Happy sniffing and snorting to all,
Chris
PS: I got the ‘sniff snort and root out’ imagery from watching our Golden Retriever puppy work the back yard. 😀
Thanks Howard,
It is amazing how insidious this disease can be. I was thriving and felt like I was doing so well and then took a wrong turn down the path of negativity. Lost my way for a while, however I’m back on the Recovery path thanks to an appointment with Howard.
Accepting what is, and doing what I can, is so important. Thank you community for your cumulative energy that gives us all hope.
Pamela
… I’m worthy, I’m loved, I’m worthy, I’m loved, I’m worthy, I’m loved … This is a great game. This is a great life!
As I discover my worthiness I find that joy shows up. How cool is that? This is wonderful! I AM WORTHY! I AM LOVED! And I get to enJOY it too! Thank you Howard.
Positively on the way to Recoveryville – slow and steady … I’m worthy, I’m loved, I’m smiling, I’m worthy, I’m loved, I’m winning … 🙂
I’m reading the book now. I plan on using the recipe
Thanks Howard for your steady support we need very much.
I’m in again, I was totally out….thanks Howard!!
Respected Howard sir,
It is difficult to keep on playing game of positive thinking continuously. But your weekly booster doses make me play the game.
What a beautiful example of tortoise trolley taking to recoveryville ! I will prefer the destination of recoveryville with my fellow passengers.
Thanks for being there.
Regards
Mona
I’m in and on that trolley looking forward. Life is good and I am moving forward. If I knew how to add a picture on my blog, I would show everyone what I am creating. I am painting and loving the positive energy. What is everyone else doing to create joy in their lives? Karen from Wisconsin
Thank you for your wise words Howard. I had a week of symptoms worsoning. Thankfully I was able to stay pretty positive because of your challenge. However it felt like Parkinsons tried every trick in the book to dissuade me. Not to get overly dramatic, but it felt like a battle for my soul.
On another note, I have rather severe scoliosis. It causes pretty intense pain at times which has caused curses and self pity. But the alarm went off stating ENOUGH. Thus I am going to apply these same positive principals to this disease and see if I can get some relief.
Bless you Howard for leading the way.
Dianna in Wyoming
I’m in!
lol!!! Love it!! …. sounds like Harry Potter movie … I chose to go to platform 8 and jump on the heart-felt, soul-enriched, dopamine-producing tortoise trolley to Recoveryville.
Parkinsonville train can carry on without me!
Thanks to you Howard. I am discovering that Love, Compassion, Self-Approval and Self-Acceptance are the great miracle cure!
Warmly,
Ola …. Texas
Thanks Howard!
I’m so grateful to have discovered your website. I’ve been practicing the recipe now for 2 weeks and noticing some changes….some good and some not so good. This tells me the recipe is very powerful and I need to keep doing what I’m doing. Staying positive and taking the Tortoise Trolley will get me to recovery!