A paradox of the Parkinson’s recovery is finding happiness and gratitude inside yourself when the body is at its worst. However, it is making those chooses that lights up your dopamine and helps the body restore itself to its best.
Choosing to be happy!
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.”
Pre-Parkinson’s, I failed to understand the true meaning behind the important lesson. However, Parkinson’s had a way of nudging me to remove the veil of illusion and see what was real.
Additionally, 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. This was 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 to my authentic nature and to the paradox of the healing: Finding happiness and gratitude inside me unlocked some of the final pieces to the puzzle and ignited my dopamine flow.
Finally, the shift took place. The genuine smile appeared on my face, and my words, my actions, my thoughts, and my feelings were driven by the realization that I could choose to be happy and grateful all the way to my full recovery and for the rest of my life.
Choosing to be grateful!
I realized in my recovery that having this life, spirit me in a human existence, was the ultimate gift, in and of itself. Moreover, when I receive a gift, I say, “thank you.”
Looking at life through the heart and soul brought me the awareness that for me to be having any experience in this life, first I had to have this life. Also, I liked having this life, even in a temporary Parkinson’s body.
Additionally, because I was grateful for my life, I saw everything as an extension of the original gift, having this life. As a result, I began giving gratitude for everything.
Fifteen years later, this has not changed. I choose to be happy as a state of being, and I give gratitude for my life and everything that is part of my life.
Assistance for you choosing to be happy and grateful!
Here is some help to lift your spirits. These videos will assist you in choosing to be happy and grateful. They will encourage you to do the soul, mind, and body healing of the Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery®.
Click here for assistance in choosing to be happy.
Click the video below for assistance in choosing to be grateful.
I am happy and grateful to be here with all of you on your recovery journeys and hope that you will embrace choosing to be happy and grateful in your lives and recoveries as well.
Finally, in the comments, how are you doing choosing to be happy and grateful in your life and your recovery?
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Thank you Howard for such a meaningful post. We are spiritual beings having a human experience and I believe our spirits do not have Parkinson’s and live on even when we die. When I go for my evening walks I try to be grateful for so many things I take for granted. When I see someone tending their garden I will often stop and tell them how beautiful it is. They feel wonderful their work is appreciated and I get a tingle down my spine, which I am sure is the dopamine flowing. Thank you Howard for giving hope to so many warriors!
Thank you Howard,
I am eternally grateful,
For the abundance and blessings,
That have been bestowed upon me.
Thank you
In particular today I am blessed with the opportunity of drawing upon the knowledge, wisdom and leadership that you bring Howard to this group of happy warriors.
Thank you.
As you know, my faith has been tested during these hot days and worsening symptoms. I see that I have more work to do and am committed to doing it. I am reminded of the blessings I received when I found your website by ‘happy accident’…I wasn’t looking for a cure as everyone ‘knows Parkinson’s is incurable’. We are all blessed to have found you and I am filled with hope for all of us!
Howard, the song makes me think of one that always stirs happiness in me, Katrina and The Waves “Walking on Sunshine.” I love this chorus:
“Now I’m walking on sunshine, woah-oh
I’m walking on sunshine, woah-oh
I’m walking on sunshine, woah-oh
And don’t it feel good?
Hey, alright now
And don’t it feel good?
Hey, yeah”
Who can’t smile at that!?
May we walk on sunshine every day!
I’m finally hooked on the recipe doing it every day! Little by little I know I’m getting better. Praise the Lord in heaven! Thanks, Howard.
It is, indeed, a challenge to find Gratitude and Joy in the face of worsening symptoms…
Some days it’s easier to access joy and gratitude than others…
It helps to smile for no reason…
To remember I’m closer to my full recovery than I’ve ever been before…
To ask myself: Who does it benefit if I despair now? (Parkinson’s!)
How can I express my Soul in this moment?
I can choose how I feel in This moment!
I can choose my Actions, my Thoughts, my Feelings…
Everything else is in Spirit’s hands!
Thank you, Howard, again and again, for your steadfast support and inspiration!
Thank you Howard for this inspiring post.
I’m grateful to have read it.
Your weekly posts are a godsend, and help me to keep pushing on through this challenge.
A few weeks ago I chose, after an epiphany, I chose to be happy and grateful.
My symptoms are much less since then. ;-)
I am convidence in my full recovery.
Blessings to all.
Thank you Howard for your leadership. I am grateful for all on this encouraging journey of life. I am grateful daily to wake up and smell fresh air and see sunshine. I walk twice daily and continuously giving gratitude and appreciation for this journey. I have learned and continue to appreciate the small things, walking, smiling and giving praise to the Almighty all powerful saviour. I am worthy, I deserve happiness, I receive all your blessings.
Thank you, thank you. I am overjoyed daily by love, compassion and kindness that surrounds me.
Thank you Howard for this post. I have so much love, happiness and gratitude for everything in my life! Recovery is just around the corner.
Thank you Howard for your inspirational words. Struggling worse than ever before and believe it’s my emotional state affecting me physically. I have always been the most positive, optimistic person, despite being terrorised as a child by a violent drunken father. It makes me sad to think I survived that to then find Parkinson’s taking away my spirit. Keep sending your wonderful messages Howard and I promise to keep fighting with all your followers. We WILL get better soon.
God knows what you’ve gone through and cares immensely. I pray that your emotional healing will open up complete physical healing! Yes we WILL heal! <3 from CA!
Thank you Howard for the reminders to be happy and thankful for all things and in all situations. Every morning when I wake up I say thank you for what the day brings before my feet touch the floor. Life is worth living, and there is so much to be thankful for.
Thank you Howard for such a timely message! I absolutely love the video! I have realized that there is so much I took for granted when I was well! No more! Every step I take is a blessing! This experience is teaching me to be grateful for everything in my life.
Has it been a challenging time…absolutely!
I am thankful I have others that have joined me on the journey!
We are all worth a complete recovery!
Thanks so much Howard for the impromptu dance party! It was so much fun! Great reminder that I can just do that anytime. I am forever grateful and doing great! I’m feeling the joy for sure. ❤️
Hugs!
Thank you Howard for this amazing message.
I do feel grateful every day but honestly forget to
be happy…going to work on that and watch the
“Happiness video” daily. On days when I’m able to
dance along I will be extra happy and extra grateful too!
Blessed with this wonderful group of inspiring warriors!
We are all worth it!!!
Thank you Howard again for this message and the weekly support. It helps so much.
To be honest it’s not easy to be happy when I feel worse, but because of your message, it helps a lot and makes it more possible. I have to work on it, but I know it works.
A few nuggets I received from these inspiring videos were “thanks for people I learn from”, “if you’re looking for miracles you will find them”, and “thanks for this day whatever it brings”. We don’t learn just from positive people or experiences, but often from the so called “negative” ones. So blessings come in many packages (as Howard said, that PD was a wonderful gift wrapped in awful paper!).
I’ve been trying to keep in mind that each day is my miracle , whatever paper it’s wrapped in!
I am happy and grateful to be here with all of you on your recovery journeys and hope that you will embrace choosing to be happy and grateful in your lives and recoveries as well.
Thank you Howard, as always your timing is impeccable.
This is a great reminder that happiness is a choice that each of us gets to make or not, and choosing to be happy. Of late I’ve been focused on things I don’t have instead of all the abundance of things I have that I’ve got right in front of me that I should be grateful for.
Thank you for reminding me of this and for all your love and support!
Thank you Howard
You are the first person in my life to make me aware of my many, many blessings in my life each and every day.
Now I am thankful every morning for my life and am grateful throughout the day for the many lessons and blessings in my life.
I will successfully overcome my God-given challenge of ‘healing from Parkinson’s.’ Through this experience, I will be able to help and encourage others with the same condition, inspiring complete healing in them as well. I will nurture my creativity and incorporate energetic elements to support this journey. Together with my sister Heike, we will create works of art inspired by nature and, in doing so, touch the souls of the plants. This heals my soul. This is my soul’s path. Once I have gained all the insights, I will be completely healed. I now accept the complete healing of Parkinson’s. I love and honor myself just as I am. I am beautiful. I am valuable. I am a precious being! I love and honor all living beings on this Earth. They are all precious and valuable. I am deeply grateful and truly happy. I have deep trust in my heart, because you, dear Howard, are guiding us and standing by our side. Thank you so very much for your selfless help — endless gratitude to you.