On January 1, 2023, I announced this year as the year of change. I mentioned that I realized that in order to have my full recovery, I needed to change, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Today, we will address mental change.
Mental Change. Seeing gifts where you used to see sacrifices. Seeing acceptance where you used to see resistance. Seeing life as a moving meditation where you used to see difficulty with symptoms.
Seeing gifts where you used to see sacrifices. In my last blog post, I discussed physical change, including dietary changes. In the comments, and in some conversations I have had with people on this issue, some people see their dietary changes as punishments or sacrifices. Here is the mental change in action:
“When I eat too much white, processed sugar and sugary sweets, it causes my symptoms to increase. Reducing, or eliminating white, processed sugar and sugary sweets is not a sacrifice. Since I am reducing or eliminating something from my diet that increases symptoms, I am giving myself the gift of good health.”
Seeing acceptance where you used to see resistance. Click here for seeing acceptance where you used to see resistance.
Seeing life as a moving meditation where you used to see difficulty with symptoms. The best example I can give here is from the story of the tortoise and the hare. The tortoise is recovery. The tortoise views recovery as each small advance toward the symptom-free recovery at the finish line. However, the tortoise, by its very nature, has to move slowly and steadily, treating each step like a moving meditation, and the tortoise cannot worry too much about the bumps in the road. The tortoise sees the flowers, the birds, the mountains, the sunshine, and beauty of life. The tortoise knows that every step toward the finish line is recovery, in and of itself, and the tortoise sees love and joy and laughter and gratitude and fulfillment on the entire journey. Oh, yes, and then the tortoise wins the race.
Change is not easy. However, if you make healthy changes and do them relentlessly, then the healthy changes become the rule of your life and you are able to heal your life and your Parkinson’s.
Okay! Who is willing to make these three healthy mental changes?
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Thanks Howard.
Moving meditation is a part of Leela, Divine Drama.
Good morning Mr. Howard and fellow warriors. Happy Friday. Each step is like a moving meditation leading us towards the finish line in recovery.🙏🏼
I am with you Howard!
Hi Silvana!
It is always fun to see a new name up here on the blog.
Best regards, Chris
Hi Chris, thank you! Blessings!
I am on board. My biggest problem is just remembering to do it. So I came up with a short phrase to help me remember:
“Always take a positive interpretation of life‘s events!”
Then I will truly be walking in a sacred matter.
Thank you Howard for this inspirational blog post!!
I am in. Thank you
Thank you, Howard, I’m appreciating the gift of no longer craving sugar, the gift of being able to say, “No, thank you,” to biscuits while also baking them for my family. This little tortoise is enjoying the blue sky and freshly-mown grass in the southern hemisphere as I do my qigong exercises.
I love the view of this physical experience as a moving meditation. I have aimed to do that for a while now and with your affirmation it will stick.
I have transformed enormously because of this process and feel that another corner has been turned in the right direction.
Thanks Howard. Love to all.
Thank you, dear Howard, for this very inspiring post, I will view my recent difficulties with walking in the new light of acceptance!
Howard,
I Liked your article, it taught me that to enjoy the journey to recovery.
Happy New Year Howard and all warriors!
I am a bit late on the wishes but I am here and with you Howard and all that are aboard. I feel like it’s going to happen for me this year. There is more joy and more love in my heart and I feel like Parkinson’s can’t live in this love joy environment.
I am also more forgiving toward myself. I believe in RECOVERY!
Colette
A belated Happy New Year everyone. It is so good to read all your comments again. I have been working with Howard for over 2 years now and I feel I know some of you as I follow your journey to recovery though I think I have only written two replies myself. I intend to change this in 2023! Thank you Marie for continuing to encourage us after your recovery. I also have to work on acceptance, changing frustration, emotional and mental stress to acceptance. I am trying to be vigilant by journalling in my 2023 diary. I am working on changing my vibrations this year. I am upset too often, which just makes everything worse. At the moment I have to to visualise the exercises. I wrote 2023, the year of my recovery in my diary. Good luck to all of us!
Love Sue 😌