On January 1st, I posted that 2025 is the year of self-acceptance. As we move forward together in 2025, I will help you elevate the “self-acceptance” aspect of your recovery so that you may relax into accepting yourself unconditionally right now.
Last week as we wrapped up the first month of “2025…the year of self-acceptance,” we elevated “okay acceptance” to an even higher level of acceptance and vulnerability. Some people have expressed to me this week a bit of a struggle of a concept that was in the last blog post — being their real self. Today, we will bring clarity to the concept of being your real self.
Parkinson’s has a way of making you feel like you are somebody else. You do not move the way you used to, or look the way you used to, or think the way you used to, or feel the way you used to.
Many times, I have mentioned that Parkinson’s is a symptom of your life being out of balance, and to bring yourself back into balance, you have to let go of your old self (perception of who you think you need to be) and become your new self (which is the real self/original self that never left you).
In the past, when I was asked to explain the real self/new self/original self concept more in depth, here is what I have said. For some of you, this will be a new concept, and for some of you a refresher.
You are not the body. The body has Parkinson’s physical symptoms.
You are not the mind. The mind has Parkinson’s stress, anxiety, anger, frustration, worries and fears.
You are your soul, your essence, your spot of grace (whatever you call the “something” inside you that powers the rest of you and makes you uniquely you). This part of you is untouched by Parkinson’s. It is just covered up by the toxins of the body and mind.
Let’s say you go to the store and buy a shining silver teapot. You take the teapot home and put it on the sideboard to admire it. And then, you get busy with life and you do not spend any time with the teapot for the next six months. When you return to the sideboard, you are horrified to see that your teapot is covered in tarnish.
At first you think, “Oh no, what have I done. I have neglected my teapot and it is ruined.” Then, somebody points out to you that if you get silver polish, you can remove the tarnish. So, you get the silver polish, grab the teapot, and head to the kitchen sink.
You moisten the sponge, dip it in the silver polish, and you begin to rub the teapot. The first thing you notice is that it begins to look worse than when you started — there is black and gray pasty junk and it smells bad.
The mind says, “Look how bad the teapot looks, you are making it worse…it is getting worse. It will never shine again.” In this moment of “cleaning crisis,” your heart and soul say, “I know that what I am doing is designed to clean the teapot, and sometimes it has to look worse on the way to getting better. I have faith that the silver polish will work.” And, you press forward.
Eventually, you have cleaned the entire teapot, washed it, dried it, and shined it. It looks like a brand new teapot. However, in that moment of admiring your “brand new teapot,” it occurs to you that you are admiring the original, beautiful teapot you brought home from the store six months ago. And you realize that although the teapot had been covered in tarnish, the tarnish did not damage the teapot at all.
The original shining silver teapot was under there all along, unblemished by the tarnish. When somebody comes over to your house, they say, “That is a beautiful new teapot you got to replace the old tarnished one.” And you smile and say “thank you” because deep down you know they are staring at the original teapot, and it shines.
Original you, your soul, your essence, your spot of grace (whatever you call the “something” inside you that powers the rest of you and makes you uniquely you)…he or she is in there…The Real You! Right now, you are just covered up with a tarnish (toxins of the mind and body) called Parkinson’s. The Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery® is your tarnish remover.
The Recipe helps bring your life back into balance by healing your soul, the mind, and the body.
The physical part of the Recipe helps you remove the toxins in the body so the organs are clean and functioning well. The mind part of the Recipe helps you clean the toxins in the mind by calming the mind so the stress, anxiety, anger, frustration, worries and fears leave you and do not return. And, finally, the soul part of the Recipe helps you to not be afraid to be the real you by opening your heart to yourself and the world fearlessly. This will bring you immense joy like you probably never have experienced in your life. The joy is the direct line to dopamine production and release. And then, your radiant soul shines again.
Be the real you…new you/original you. To others who have known the old you, you will appear to be a completely new person. However, you will know that what they are seeing is the original you, the real you, and you will shine.
In the comments below, it would be great to hear what is your level of acceptance of your life and being your real self again. Can you say, “Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.”
You can do this! I know you can!
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
“Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.”
Day by day I am sitting and observing the new me and sitting in the grace of observing witness. I accept and welcome my life as it unfolds.
I know that the radiant light, I am, shines through whatever physical, mental, and emotional effects I experience no matter what others may think. It is what I am and It is palpable.
Thank you, Howard. I can do this – I know I can!
Thank you, Howard. This is an area that I have been wondering about for awhile. Your article really hit home with me about the importance of finding out who we really are, under the “tarnish!”
Bless you!
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Okay. I’m becoming the shining teapot. I’m becoming my real self again. I can do this! I am worth it! Thank you Howard!
“Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.”
That’s a great analogy, it seems that I keep moving the polish around but it keeps getting blacker and I can’t see the luster. I know it was there once…we have a bunch of pictures in our entry way of when my teapot was brilliantly shining.(Pictures of me when I was shiny!) Maybe my silver polish is not the problem but I need a new rag.
Thanks Howard!
It’s not just one thing, it takes the teapot (me), the polish (the recipe), the effort and the correct rag or rags (soul mind body effort) to complete the job! Shine away!!
I am worth it!
I will give up fear and be the real me again. I owe it myself.
Great teapot analogy, Howard.
I am working through the black to the silver beneath. Okay. I’m becoming the shining teapot. I’m becoming my real self again.
I accept myself unconditionally, right now.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Love you all
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.” I can feel the real me inside wanting to just burst out of this Parkinson’s body! The healing is happening, I am recovery and I am worth it!
Dankjewel! Niets meer aan toe te voegen. Ik ben onderweg 🙏
Thank you! Nothing more to add. I’m on my way 🙏
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again. I know that some day in the future my real self will emerge….my healing is happening a day at a time and I know it is happening for us all. Thank you, Howard, for the Recipe and for all you do daily.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
I can do this! I know I can! I am worth it!
Grateful for you Howard!
Okay, I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again. I have let my mind and body overtake my real self and am overdue to commit to the intense polishing (recovery recipe). I am worth it!
Howard I am grateful for your gernerosity.
Forever Blessed,
Sally
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self.
Thank you for this explanation, I am really beginning to see myself again. Using its “okay” does wonders for me when I get frustrated. I have learned to appreciate so much of myself, patience with myself and others. What used to drive me nuts, no longer does. I accept the Thando I am & love myself. This is for me, not anyone else.
Thank you Howard.
Okay, I am becoming the shiny teapot.
Your analogy reminds me of the nursery rhyme, “I’m a little teapot, short and stout, tip me over and pour me out!”
The new me is now becoming a shiny little teapot, short and stout…
Thank you Howard for inspiring me.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Day by day I am sitting and observing the new me and sitting in the grace of observing witness. I accept and welcome my life as it unfolds.
What a great analogy, Howard!
I’m working my way through polishing my teapot, grappling with the murky stage. I’m realizing the tarnish (Parkinson’s) is temporary. The shiny teapot underneath is eternal. I’m reminding myself of this fact each time my mind focuses on the mess produced by cleaning the tarnish… I’m beginning to sense & feel the shiny silver underneath calling me from within…
Deep gratitude to you, Howard!
Original me, my soul, my essence, my spot of grace (whatever you call the “something” inside me that powers the rest of me and makes me uniquely me)…he or she is in there…The Real Me! Right now, I’ve just been covered up with a tarnish (toxins of the mind and body) called Parkinson’s. The Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery® is my tarnish remover.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Thank you, Howard!
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
I learned from you Howard and is so true that SOUL eventually is the supreme leader and has the first and final word! Soul poses a reminder to the mind and body that follow right after! :)
Soul is the one and only Leader!
Thank you!
Ok. Sto diventando la teiera splendente. Sto diventando di nuovo il mio vero sé.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Thank you for this week’s post, I really needed that.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again!
Great analogy!
I can do this and I know I am worth it!
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
I can do this! I know I can! I feel I need a little help and guidance from God
I will pray and ask for support
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Blessings to all.
This is a good reminder. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am feeling fairly smudged and blackened on the outside, so I am gateful that on the inside (my soul) is untouched.
Thank you, Howard!
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
I am worth it!
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Thank you Howard, for clarifying this important aspect and inspiring us on our path to recovery.
Exceptionally strong analogy Howard! My teapot is shining. Thank you
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
“Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.”
This will bring you immense joy like you probably never have experienced in your life. The joy is the direct line to dopamine production and release. And then, your radiant soul shines again.
I’m looking forward to this immense joy and the promise of my radiant soul shining again! I’m very grateful for the Recipe. Thank you, Howard!
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.”
Thank you Howard. You are the best!
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again. Gratitude to Howard and all for support and encouragement.
Okay. I am becoming the shining teapot. I am becoming my real self again.
Grateful for you Howard – You are a light in the darkness for me and my journey.
Okay, I am becoming the shining teapot. I am by my real self again.