A paradox of the Parkinson’s recovery is finding happiness inside yourself when your body is at its worse. However, it is that exact happiness that lights up your dopamine and helps your body restore itself to its best.
For many years, on my desk I had a notecard with a reminder from Dan Millman’s “Way of the Peaceful Warrior.” Dan’s mentor Socrates told Dan that an important principle is to practice “unreasonable happiness”…that a warrior is “happy without reason.”
For all of those years, pre-Parkinson’s, I simply failed to understand the true meaning behind the important lesson. Parkinson’s had a way of nudging me remove the veil of illusion to see what was real.
And finally, it hit me: I needed to be in my worse physical and mental state of being to be motivated to surrender to the fact that I was a spiritual being and could be happy and grateful to be alive and have this life…unreasonable happiness from most people’s perspective as I physically looked and felt miserable.
It was this unreasonable happiness that confused people and made them question my sanity. To them, I was the miserably-looking physical being in the Parkinson’s body. To me, I was the spiritual being awakened my authentic nature and to the paradox of the healing: Find happiness inside you and unlock the final piece to the puzzle — dopamine flow.
And the shift took place. The genuine smile appeared on my face, and my words, my actions, my thoughts, and my feelings were driven my the realization that I could practice unreasonable happiness all the way to my full recovery.
So, my friends, here is some help to lift your spirits and assist all of you in losing your minds, opening your hearts, doing the soul, mind, and body healing of the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®, and practicing unreasonable happiness:
Let’s practice unreasonable happiness together all the way to each and every one of your full recoveries!
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Oh wow, as synchronicity exits, this post just fell in my lap.
Wonderful!
Good swinging song
❤️❤️❤️
It came yesterday to me as to give up the fight with the feeling of illness. I was walking in the supermarket like an old woman and I said to myself: it’s time to give up the fight to be better than it was. This gave me a relief.
Then a moment of realizing yesterday also: being attached to emotionally burdened past blocked me from opening to what is now, instead of feeling guilt to the past.
And this morning with a meditation, I could feel how it feels inside to be Happy. And now I read this post.
❤️❤️❤️
mooi Petra!
Thank you Howard!
Lol that video is great and guaranteed to put a smile on the most serious of faces- I love it
I put a playlist of happy songs together and I play it often while I’m making dinner, it lifts my spirits
Love to all xoxox
This is a wonderful reminder, it really made my day.
I started my journey of recovery 8 months and 6 days ago. The last 2 weeks have been the hardest. The recent heatwave coincided with another increase in symptoms. Increase tremors, stiffness, pains including head, ear and tooth aches. BUT I have survived and found peace and feel happy. I know I am recovering. Thank you as always Howard for giving me my life back. Good luck everyone, love yourself and applaud your courage.
Good morning 😃 thank you thank you 🙏 thank you!
Just started my day off with one of my most favorite songs and I danced and can feel my dopamine flowing, YIPPPEE!
In gratitude,
Pamela🎉💃
Once again you hit the nail on the head Howard! When it’s dark, shine a light.
Thank you from me on the darkest day so far which you rescued.
Patricia (UK)
OMG, I love it! Thanks for posting the song, Howard. I started dancing in front of the computer. 🙂
Great video very catchy, made me feel like I wanted to dance , will add this to my song collection thankyou Howard . Time is flying along 8 months tomorrow doing the recipe , getting closer to my full recovery and when I’m fully recovered I will dance until the cows come home lol 😆 😊😊😊😊😊 love to everyone
Clapping!
Thank you, what a great post, dear Howard….we are looking forward to win!!!
Thank you Howard for the beautiful work you are doing! I’ve been contemplating the important role gratitude is having towards my recovery and your blog just reinforced it!
Dear Howard
Wonderful~ the dopamine started flowing immediately.
It’s just a bump in the road…..
Noel from Australia
OMGosh!! what an amazing collective synchronicity!! … only last night after spending an hour on phone (trying to resolve technical difficulties), towards the end of the call I experienced emotional and physical ‘tantrum!’ Mr. PD helped a lot, my body just went crazy!! I ended the call apologizing for my outburst and we laughed.
There is more … Then I sat with my ‘tantrum’ and imagined that when I was a child ‘tantrums’ possibly were not allowed! ….. so better late then never and Mr. PD helped me to have one or more!! I laughed until my belly was hurting and still am thinking about it!
Much love to all,
Ola
😁
Thanks, Howard! Seems like great way to start everyday.
Perfect timing since I have been experiencing worsening of my worst symptom. As always your positivity is contagious. Hey, I would love to see you write a second book, this time , based on your post PD experience. Really, I believe it would be the kind of book that I would read over and over again to uplift myself in my journey. Thank you again for all you do for us
The write up on let’s be happy together was the tonic for me and I loved the video too. I immediately started dancing in front of the computer. 🙂It made my day! Whenever I am down, I will play the video to boost myself. Thanks Howard.
Your post and the song brought me joy. Happiness is the key to recovery and opening the dopamine hose!! Thank you and all my fellow happiness warriors.
Thank you Howard for sending this video in your Blog.
It brought to my feet and danced like no one was watching lol.
God Bless!