How we communicate is very important. I, being in the States, am communicating in English. For many of you, English is not your first language. Fortunately, there are translators so you can understand my blog posts. However, this week, I learned another important lesson about language that I will share with you today.
My last few posts have been about self-acceptance and self-love. They help overcome the self-judgment and self-criticism that you put against yourself. My feeling is that self-judgment and self-criticism is using somebody else’s words against yourself. It is unhealthy and unnecessary, and it blocks the healing in your life and recovery.
I have provided affirmations to re-write the old programming of self-judgment and self-criticism. However, since I speak English, and I write English, the affirmations are in the English language.
This week on a coaching call with our fellow warrior Ola, she explained to me (and I am explaining to you with her permission) an important realization — when she was given judgment and criticism leading to bad feelings about herself and feelings of not being safe and secure, it all happened in the Polish language.
She realized that no matter how many times she met with and spoke with her little girl self and no matter how many times she repeated affirmations, nothing was sinking in at the soul level. With the assistance of her cousin in Poland, her own memory of the Polish language, and a really good translation dictionary, Ola has taken affirmations and translated them into Polish.
The result has been astounding. Affirmations that had little or no impact have brought deep feelings and tears of healing. When she told me about this on Tuesday, I asked permission to share her realization with all of you. She said, “Of course, we all are helping each other in this recovery journey.”
So, for all of you where English is not your original language, think back to when the bad feelings arose, the uncomfortable feelings of judgment and criticism, or not feeling worthy, or not feeling safe and secure, and ask yourself, “In what language was the unpleasantness delivered?”
Like Ola, I hope that you are able to establish the language and translate into that language the affirmations of feeling special and worthy. Then, there is probably a better chance that the hurt younger you on the inside will understand the healing message and help you re-write the unpleasant programming.
Here are some affirmations to help you get started:
“THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME!
I am abundant health. I am allowed to be abundantly healthy.
I am joy. I am allowed to be joyful.
I am gratitude. I am allowed to be grateful.
I am happiness. I am allowed to be happy.
I am love. I am allowed to be loving.
I am forgiveness. I am allowed to be forgiving.
I am compassion. I am allowed to be compassionate.
Parkinson’s is curable.
I am my own Parkinson’s cure.
I am slowing, halting, and reversing the progression of my Parkinson’s.
I am extraordinary.
I am recovery.
AND, I AM WORTH IT!!!”
Yes you are! Each and every one of you is worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Thanks Howard for the great message once again. I still have to concentrate while walking as I have a foot drop and I still get the shakes in my left arm when concentrating, but over all I’m feeling great! My mind isn’t so cloudy and I’m speaking clearly in short bursts. One week short of 6 months doing the recovery now, yahoo! This is all temporary. Love to everyone, Rick from Australia
Well done my friend. You nailed it right on the head again!
Thank you so much for this guidance and support.
Dustin from Nanaimo
Howard, what a great idea. Thank you to Ola and you, I will try those affirmations in my first language as well and see how things turn out.
Beautiful message thank you Howard and Ola!
Although we share a common disease we all have different life experiences, language etc. I think it is critical to find out what our individual issues are and deal with them , thank you for bringing this to light for me
Love and healing to all my fellow warriors xo
I am constantly monitoring my self talk because my enormous ego still tries to defeat me. Thank you Howard for your words of wisdom which I will inundate my psyche with. Even though I don’t wish this disease on anyone it does offer some comfort knowing I am not alone in seeking to see my beauty.
I am grateful. May we all dance with joy.
Dianna in Wyoming
This is profound and interesting and a great personal discovery for Ola, which is sure to provide insights for others. I have a Latvian friend who speaks reasonable English. We are pretty close but we both agree that not sharing the same first language means we are each unable to convey or understand the nuances of emotion, which is inhibiting to a fuller connection. I can see why it is so important for Ola to clear the lines of communication to herself in order to receive the full benefit of positive affirmations. However, I don’t agree with Howard that the definition of self-judgement and self-criticism is using somebody else’s words against yourself. Third party remarks are very insipid compared to the words that come from me.
Hi Val,
Thank you. I would like to clarify one thing. I agree with you that the worst judgments and criticisms are the ones we give to ourselves. What I was trying to explain is that I do not believe they originated with ourselves. I believe that the judgments and criticisms originated with other people, then we took them on board, then we turned them into self-judgments and self–criticisms, and these turned out to be even worse judgments and criticisms against us than the original people ever lodged in our direction. I hope this clarification helps.
Love and blessings,
Howard
Thanks, Howard. Yes, this clarification does help. Have a good weekend! 😀
I say the affirmations in both Languages to feel sure. It is double the time but also double the pleasure.
Good blog Howard. I am in Brooklyn, and just got your book last week. What you say sounds so much like program, it is comforting. I’ve taken medication for 12 years, but I am working on your recipe now. I have never had tremors when I take the medication and all the suffering you went through seems very difficult.
I am not going to put dos and don’t on this recipe, instead I am going to proceed in faith that it will all work out. My friend, C. L. just signed up for lessons with you. She has Parkinsons and we are a part of Mark Morris, Dance for PD. Many of them are looking at your book and considering your recipe.
6 months completed of the recipe+ and still keeping the faith despite weeks of sudden advanced symptoms. Bless you Howard and best wishes to all.
“Ní bhíonn an rath acht mar a mbionn an smach” Irish saying:
“There is no prosperity without discipline.”
Thank you Howard and thank you my fellow Warriors!
I was so passionate in my English thinking that I mistook my thinking for feeling, until I said the same affirmation in my Polish ‘mother tongue’ language. Then I felt a shift from the head to the heart/body. Ever since, I talk to myself and my ‘inner child’ in Polish.
Interestingly, my symptoms got worse nevertheless, I have newly found radość życia i nadzieje (joyfully alive and hope).
Much love,
Ola
Ola,moówię po Polsku.Mogłybyśmy się skontaktowac..?
Thank you Howard and Ola, these are great news. We not only speak German, rarely, but Swiss German, our common language we use daily, and with Howard English…so we give it a try what is helping best!!! Thank you Ola for sharing it with us!!
Right on target, as usual, Howard. Thank you and all our warriors. Keep on keeping on!