Happy New Year, 2026!!! As we wound down 2025, a year of self-acceptance, we closed that door to the past. Also, now it is January 1, 2026, and the sun is rising to awaken us to 2026 and the joyful possibilities that lie ahead.
For each and every one of you, this is a new year, a new breath of fresh air, and a new outlook on your life and your recovery: 2026…the year of joy!
A basic understanding of joy
Webster’s dictionary definition of joy:
1) to experience great pleasure or delight.
2) the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.
In your recovery, you need to take the basic definition and elevate the joy so that it is felt from the inside. Also, feeling joy should not be dependent on external factors. Additionally, external factors such as what is going on the world, what other people might be thinking about you, or what the Parkinson’s symptoms are doing, should not upset your internal joy.
An elevated, more spiritual understanding of joy
Spiritually, joy is a deep, enduring sense of well-being and contentment in your heart and soul. Also, it is distinct from fleeting happiness influenced by what is happening outside of you. Moreover, joy is rooted in your connection with Spirit Energy: God, The Universe, Nature, The Source, The Divine, The Higher Power.
Joy on the inside is your spiritual connection with “all that is” no matter what is your religious or spiritual practice. Additionally, it requires maintaining trust and faith in your life, even amid suffering with the Parkinson’s.
Also, joy is a Divine gift, a “fruit of The Spirit,” and a strength that provides inner peace and purpose. However, it is not dependent on worldly circumstances outside of you, but instead, joy is cultivated through faith and practice. Finally, being joyful is a choice.
2026…the year of joy!
Today is the first installment of 2026…the year of joy! Also, as we move forward in this year, I will writing blog posts to help you elevate from external (fleeting happiness) joy to deep, enduring joy in your heart and soul. Moreover, it is a process, and we will get you there.
The Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery® is a soul, mind, and body recovery protocol. Additionally, here is the one and only mathematical formula that I will ask you to memorize in doing the Recipe and working on your recovery:
JOY = DOPAMINE
(more on this in future blog posts)
Please post a comment below and let us know how ready you are to experience 2026…the year of joy!
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Thank you for the message …. I needed to hear this today, as it is the new year and new beginnings, 2025 ended with a struggle …. so roll on 2026 …. the year of joy!
Happy New Year to you and all my fellow warriors!
Happy New Year everyone! I am more than ready to start 2026 and the Year of Joy. Let’s go!!!
Thanks Howard for the post
Happy New Year, Howard!
Joy is knowing that right now, in the moment, we are perfect.
Let the New Year ring with joy, moment after moment.
Here’s to a momentous 2026!
Happy new year to you all. I’m ready to continue to train my mind body and soul to accept what is happening and to achieve lasting joy.
I’m ready for more joy. Let’s go 2026! Blessings everyone.
Happy New Year full of joy,
After getting my diagnosis on October 17th 2025, I have been finding more ways to bring more joy to my life.
I am so glad I discovered your Fighting Parkinson’s site.
Thanks Howard
Hi Stanley. Welcome to the blog. We are happy you are here as well!
Blessings,
Howard
Hi Stanley!
Welcome!
I wish all of you a wonderful 2026. The number looks harmonious—so beautifully round and soft. I’m really looking forward to it. I hope my inner world will become just as round and soft. Then joy can move in.
Dear Howard, I will share my joy with you.
This is so positive.
Light and love to you all.
Happy New Year 2026!!!
Welcoming the year of JOY = DOPAMINE!
I am worth it…we are worth it!
Thank you, Howard
I’m brand new to this blog as of today and have read the first part of ‘Fighting Parkinson’s and Winning’. I’m excited to experience the ‘joy=dopamine’ matrix. Thank you Howard, and all of you for sharing. I was diagnosed in August 2024 at the age of 68. Many Blessings
Hi Marie.
Welcome to the blog and to our recovery community! Also, thank you for purchasing and reading my book.
Blessings,
Howard
Hi Marie!
Welcome!
Hi all – happy 2026.
Here’s to the joyful days, I’ve found sometimes it’s not a full-blown JOY moment, but just a glimmer – and for me, that’s OK a glimmer is OK.
It’s going to be a good year :).
Thanks Howard.
yours
Bruce
I am SO excited for this new year and the year of my complete recovery from Parkinsons.
When I look back to the person I was when I received the news of this diagnosis, I feel such compassion for her, and all that she has accomplished along the way. I understand now that this was and is the perfect journey for me to learn what I need and needed to learn. Joy has become so important in my life, which has brought me to my true authentic self…..and it is all a choice.
and so it is….
Happy New Year everyone!
Hi Bruce!
Glimmers are the best! Its like opening a gift just enough so you can see what it is and feel excited, but not able to see the package fully!
Happy New Year 2026, the year full of joy!
Sounds like a great year is coming for all of us.
Thank you Howard 🙏
Happy new year , this year may bring more JOY = DOPAMINE to all my fellow warriors.
Happy New Year
I’m ready to experience joy=dopamine in 2026
Thank you Howard
Joy = dopamine, well, I can’t argue with that. I’m ready for more dopamine in my life. I’m all in— bring on the joy in 2026! #Temporary #Courageous #Overcomer
Happy New Year to everyone!
What a great way to start 2026! Let’s open the Dopamine valve by finding and sharing joy.
Thank you Howard!
The idea of focusing on joy brings me a glimmer of joy, and then the glimmer turns into a stronger feeling of pleasure… Thank you for being our guide to going there, Howard! I look forward to the year of joy, 2026. My brain cells are alive and my dopamine reservoir is full. I am grateful to be doing the recipe, and my recovery is happening. I am worth it. We are all worth it! I like to think of you all as being connected beams of light, as we work together to our full recoveries.
Joy abounds! It is a choice, what a relief!
Let this be a year of joyful dopamine flow for each and every one of us!
Thank you, Howard,
and a Happy, Joyful New Year to All!
JOY = DOPAMINE!!! Thank you, Howard! Cheers to 2026 and good health for all of us!!!
JOY = DOPAMINE! Wish you all good health in 2026!! Hoping to have a few more breakthrough in this year of joy !!!
If joy is defined as: “the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires“, then it’s clear why I’m not very joyful. Thank-you for this, Howard. I am working on this!
Thank you Howard! I love the Joy=Dopamine. I’m almost a year in to coaching. I’m hopeful that this year will have some breakthroughs. Having a gratitude and worthiness mindset will be very helpful. Feeling a part of a community that cares is wonderful!
Yes I am ready and already experience joy in my meditations. This is holding me positive in my journey called Parkinson’s. I am grateful. It has woken me up even more but there are still days when symptoms get worse and I find it hard.
Hi Everyone
A new year means a new start, filled with gratitude bringing us to joy.
Happy New Year fellow warriors!
Joy=Dopamine definitely. Compliments to you awesome people. I have had a really fantastic festive season & experienced very joyful moments. In my travel I continued doing my recipe exercises of which I found tremendous amount of energy generated. I am 100% if not 150% certain of my full recovery. It was very heart warming when friends & family were overjoyed with my recovery to the extent that I am close to fully healed.
Howard thank you for your continued love & support. My 2026 is year of full recovery, year of blessings, love, health & prosperity.
I LOVE YOU ALL FAMILY
Fantastic to know that you are close to full recovery and surpassed many obstacle! Happy for you. Go warriors! Let us have more full recoveries in year of joy !!
I practice joy regularly additionally to my morning recipe routine. Sometimes it is easy to get towards that feeling and sometimes it takes more time. But staying connected and practicing to get in touch with oneself in the „now“ finally ends in feeling a very satisfying mood of joy.
By the way, I practice the recipe for 8 weeks and reduced my meds by 50%, so far. I still fight against tremors but still confident in further reduction of meds in the next months and final healing completely in 2026.
Thanks to Howard and and the community here,
Happy new year to all of you.
I welcome dopamine into my life! Joy is a choice. So grateful for Howard and all of you!!!
A great way to start a new year and to truly be joyful. 2026 is the year of JOY!
I remind myself that finding joy is not “out there” rather it’s “in here”, meaning it’s inside me.
Thank you Howard and your messaging is always so timely for me.
Much appreciated and grateful.
Let’s f…ing go!!!
Hello all! Happy New Year! Sending you joy and a lot of love for 2026.
I’ve got JOY JOY JOY JOY down in my heart! JOY = DOPAMINE