On January 1st, I announced 2022 as the year of good days. Today we take the good days theme and expound on it once again while working on a puzzle.
Let’s begin today’s discussion with a 1,000-piece puzzle. A table is set up in a room and the 1,000-piece puzzle is dumped out on a table.
Your goal: have a completed puzzle one day in the future.
Your commitment: every day you go in the room for one hour and work on putting pieces in the puzzle. That’s it. You walk in, hit the button on the timer for one hour, work on putting pieces in the puzzle for the hour, and get up and leave when the timer goes off.
Using this scenario, prior to ever walking in the room and putting the first piece in the puzzle, you know in advance that if you stick to your commitment, eventually the puzzle will be completed. It is simply staying focused each day for the one hour you are working on the puzzle, and then getting up at the end of the hour, walking out of the room, and getting on with your day.
If on a particular day you were having a physically difficult day and you ended up putting three pieces into the puzzle, many people will say, “That was not much for an hour’s work. I am having a bad day.”
If on a particular day you were having a physically wonderful day and you ended up putting 30 pieces into the puzzle, many people will say, “That was a good amount for an hour’s work. I am having a good day.”
If on a particular day you were having a physically magnificent day and you ended up putting 100 pieces into the puzzle, many people will say, “That was a good amount for an hour’s work. I am having a good day.”
Enter the Parkinson’s mind: “If 100 pieces was a good day, then you were mistaken when you thought that 30 pieces was a good day. Apparently 30 pieces was a bad day. And, from here on out, any day that is not 100 pieces is a bad day.”
As you can see, the Parkinson’s mind cannot accept good days without telling you that everything other than the one good day must be a bad day by comparison. This is flawed reasoning, but the Parkinson’s mind criticizes you every day with this kind of negativity. It is time for the negativity to stop. Instead, here is how you can say that every day is a good day.
Look at your goal: have a completed puzzle one day in the future.
Look at your commitment: every day you go in the room for one hour and work on putting pieces in the puzzle.
So, every day that you fulfill your commitment and put 1 piece in the puzzle is a day that you have done something positive in furtherance of your goal. That action, in and of itself, makes each and every day a good day.
In fact, if you stick to your commitment, you will achieve your goal and have a completed puzzle one day in the future.
It takes patience and commitment, and I know you can do it.
Now, let’s look at the “puzzle” called the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®. The Recipe is the soul, mind, and body recovery protocol that leads to slowing, halting, reversing, and curing Parkinson’s disease.
Look at your goal: be cured of Parkinson’s.
Look at your commitment: every day do whatever you can in the Recipe to heal your soul, mind, and body.
So, every day that you fulfill your commitment and do at least some of the Recipe is a day that you have done something positive in furtherance of your goal. That action, in and of itself, makes each and every day a good day.
In fact, if you stick to your commitment, you will achieve your goal and have a Parkinson’s cure one day in the future.
It takes patience and commitment, and I know you can do it.
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Thank you for all your positivity and encouragement. And thank you for just being there for us.
Dear Howard,
What you wrote is what I am going through right now. My pd mind has too strong a
Hold over me. Your comments and advice has loosened its grip and I believe doing a
Bit of the recipe is still heading towards recovery so I shall not be. disheartened today
My very bad day
Thanks for your timely advice
Love to you and everyone
Maree
Thank you so much, Maree, you have put into words exactly how I am feeling…
and thank you Howard, for your never ending encouragement, which is always badly needed.
I’m glad we can help each other, especially during these difficult times. This pandemic has made me treasure my times with loved ones and this community even more.
Love, Maree
Awesome analogy friend.
I have used that analogy from the beginning of this epic sojourn. Your guidance and example have any key piece of the puzzle and I’m grateful for your friendship and commitment to recovery for us.
You are an amazing human being Howard.
Love,
W’Ren
Well said W’Ren 😁xx
Thank you Howard.
That is a great way of staying motivated.
I do have “bad” days and feel disapppointed when I can’t complete the recipe I set for myself.
Wyeming
When you put it like that, Howard, of course there’s nothing to worry about! Certainly not the end goal, it’s coming when it’s coming and doesn’t need me fretting about when. I’ve had an awesome week of realisations and this is the icing on the cake. Thank you, Howard, you fellow wonderful human being 😊. Love Sarah
The key phrase for me in this is devoting an hour to the puzzle ‘and then getting on with your day’. I’m sure it would help my recovery immensely if I could do the Recipe and then stop picking at the scab and let the wound heal. I’m actually amazed that I can be aware of Parkinson’s the whole time, whereas I can never hang on to a feeling of happiness for 24-7. I think I’m even aware of Parkinson’s in my sleep. It’s like the needle is stuck on the record until I can get past my illness, which is ridiculous because life offers so much scope for joy, and so many reasons to be grateful, despite my health situation. It’s a sin to let those moments go by without appreciation because I’m looking at the bigger picture and seeing scuffs everywhere.
Thanks for expounding on your theme of a year of good days again, Howard. The repetition is helping to get the message through to my thick head. Love and thanks to the warriors as well. I appreciate you.
Well said and I totally agree! Thank you for sharing.
Dear Howard, thanks again for your infinite advices and today it’s again an exceeding and helpful support!! On this way we are looking forward to our warrior’s goal!!
Hi Howard and fellow warriors, simple but powerful Howard. Karen LOVES simple.😊
I have really resonated with the concept of every day is a good day. It has completely changed my attitude in the mornings especially. My mindset has been “well here goes, I wonder how today is going to be 🤫.” I have come to realise that that attitude was giving my power away and was very much a victim mentality, like Karen had no say in the matter. Knowing and acknowledging that every day IS a good has made me feel that I am no longer “waiting “ for the day when I will be free of this disease so I can be happy again. I am practicing present moment awareness, which is supported now by every day being a good day. Thank you Howard, great analogy and it also reminded me of my love of jigsaws 😁. Big love to you and all my fellow warriors.
Karen xx💕
Keeping things simple works for me to Karen . I would rather ride my mountain bike than drive the vehicle as it’s another form of exercise to keep things moving. Thinking of you all and thank you Howard 😊😊😊🥞
I LOVE the 1,000 piece puzzle. I can pick up each piece, rub it between my fingers, feel it and fit it in to just the right place. SO different than the PD cloud that comes floating in like some sort of poison gas. I pick up another puzzle piece and say out loud, “SLOW, HALT, REVERSE and CURE–as the puzzle piece fits just right. Onward!
Thanks Howard and fellow Warriors!
Roger from Chicago
Thank you for keeping our focus on being cured of Parkinson’s – visualizing ourselves healed maintains optimism and attracts more positive energy.
Well all that I would expound on has been said by my fellow warriors. Thank you each and everyone for sharing your insights and your joy.
Thank you Howard for always finding ways to strengthen our faith in our recovery. You are one of my favorite people. With love and grstitude,
Dianna
Thank you Howard. This is a good day!
Thank you Howard! What a great message for all of us. It always seems like you know what to say and how to get your message across. Once again, you reset my thinking and as a result, keeping me on course! God bless you.
Another great message and assurance from Howard as I like the analogy of the Puzzle with coping with the PD condition. We have to make everyday a good day to cope and recovery from this condition.
Thank you for helping us be positive with hope.