You are alive. That is a good thing. However, are you joyfully living your life to its fullest in 2026…the year of joy, or are you living Parkinson’s in sadness and grief? That is a critical question, but even more important is the answer.
Living Parkinson’s
When you are living Parkinson’s in sadness and grief, you are staring at the symptoms. Also, you are fearful that each time something appears worse on the outside, you are getting worse with the disease. Finally, the staring at symptoms and fear of what they mean causes your faith and hope to begin to dwindle. This is a recipe for disaster and does not lead to recovery.
Joyfully living your life to its fullest
The Parkinson’s Recipe for Recovery® is a recipe for success. Every day you do the Recipe is success in joyfully living your life to its fullest. Additionally, every day you do the Recipe is success, in and of itself, with your journey toward Parkinson’s recovery.
To assist me with this point, I want to share with you a post that I wrote 16 years ago entitled “Fighting Parkinson’s, having a positive attitude.” At the time I wrote that post, May 10, 2010, I still had Parkinson’s and I had been doing the Recipe every day for 7 and 1/2 months.
May 10, 2010 blog post
“I have received very nice off-line feedback regarding keeping a positive attitude and how big a part this plays in fighting Parkinson’s or any other disease. It reminded me of an article I read months ago where the author said he noticed that if he spoke to somebody with cancer, they would refer to their condition as “I’m fighting cancer.” The author said that people with Parkinson’s would respond, “I have Parkinson’s Disease.” It struck a nerve with me when he concluded that cancer sufferers are fighters and expect to prevail over their disease, and that Parkinson’s sufferers accept the fact that they have an incurable disease and do not expect to prevail, so why fight it. This should help you understand the importance to me of the title of my blog.
On this point, I am going to explain the Parkinson’s symptom of rigidity and how it impacts me. First, here is a good definition:
•Rigidity. Rigidity, or a resistance to movement, affects most parkinsonian patients. A major principle of body movement is that all muscles have an opposing muscle. Movement is possible not just because one muscle becomes more active, but because the opposing muscle relaxes. In Parkinson’s disease, rigidity comes about when, in response to signals from the brain, the delicate balance of opposing muscles is disturbed. The muscles remain constantly tensed and contracted so that the person aches or feels stiff or weak. The rigidity becomes obvious when another person tries to move the patient’s arm, which will move only in ratchet-like or short, jerky movements known as “cogwheel” rigidity.
I have rigidity in my arms, legs, and upper back into my shoulders. Last week, a friend asked me to explain my rigidity so he could get a better sense of what I am experiencing.
1. My arms — the next time you sit down to eat, pick up some food with your utensil, and while holding your utensil just above the plate or bowl, flex and tighten every muscle in your arm from your shoulder to the grip on the utensil. While maintaining this, try to get the utensil with the food to your mouth. My arms are tight like this all the time.
2. My legs — stand as straight as you can and then put a little bend in your knees. Next, flex your calves and thighs. Now, try to walk. Or do this in front of the stairs and see if you can walk up the stairs without holding on. When you add the symptom of very poor balance to the formula, you can see why leaning forward when walking and holding on when going up the stairs are commonplace among those fighting Parkinson’s. My legs are tight like this all the time.
3. My upper back — it is tight and hurts all the time. I really do not have a good example for you to emulate.
Having a positive attitude is the key to everything. My mind and body have accepted the pain, so I am not consumed by it every waking moment. Deciding every day that Fighting Parkinson’s drug free is a fight worth fighting is what keeps me going. Quite frankly, getting to spend time with Sally and the children to celebrate Mother’s Day yesterday is really what keeps me going.”
Having a positive attitude
On May 10, 2010, when I wrote that post, I had no idea I would be fully recovered on June 12, 2010. Seeing how poorly I was feeling that day makes it seem impossible that I would be fully recovered one month later. I certainly did not know.
However, by that time in my recovery, I had learned to joyfully live my life to its fullest instead of living Parkinson’s in sadness and grief. That is one of the important things that assisted me in finishing my recovery.
Take a look at the last paragraph to understand the importance of a positive attitude:
“Having a positive attitude is the key to everything. My mind and body have accepted the pain, so I am not consumed by it every waking moment. Deciding every day that Fighting Parkinson’s drug free is a fight worth fighting is what keeps me going. Quite frankly, getting to spend time with Sally and the children to celebrate Mother’s Day yesterday is really what keeps me going.”
Acceptance and restoring balance to your life
Acceptance that you will have some symptoms until you fully recover helps you keep a positive attitude. Also, you will be able to see the symptoms as nothing more than a reminder that there is more work to be accomplished on the path toward recovery. Finally, you need not give the symptoms any more importance than that.
Acceptance helped me calm my mind and open my heart and soul. I looked beyond the symptoms and accepted the pain (physical). Also, I accepted what was occurring with the symptoms and what was occurring in my life (mental). Additionally, I opened my heart and soul to reconnecting with the Divine, with people, and with myself (spiritual). I was restoring balance by joyfully living my life to its fullest.
Conclusion
1. Do the Recipe.
2. Decide every day that fighting Parkinson’s is a fight worth fighting.
3. See success, in and of itself, in doing the Recipe.
4. Know that the Recipe is what leads to success with your journey toward Parkinson’s recovery, and success in joyfully living your life to its fullest.
Put a smile on your face, do the Recipe, and joyfully live your life to its fullest!
Please post a comment below letting us know how you are doing in joyfully living your life to its fullest on the way to your full recovery.
You are worth it!!!
All my best,
Howard
Thank you Howard for another inspiring post.
I start every day thanking God for my numerous blessings and I am grateful for each and every one of them. Doing this starts my day with positivity and it helps to push the negative thoughts away. There is so much joy and happiness around us if we just open our hearts to it!
Howard, I so appreciate your blog to motivate all of us! This one hit hard for me. I really am trying to not focus on my symptoms because it just makes me want to cry. After reading your blog, I realize I have to change my feelings about them. I am going to focus on not noticing them and keep moving forward with the recipe! God Bless everyone, we will recover!! Prayers!!
Howard, I know the acceptance for which we should strive is acceptance that we can heal ourselves. For me, at least, I have resistance there.
I have the power to heal myself. I have the power to heal myself. I have the power to heal myself.
I will find joy in that acceptance.
Inspiring!!
I never let any type of negativity creep into my thoughts, no matter where it comes from. In fact, when a negative thought, word or deed attempts to penetrate my orbit I use it as a springboard to bounce above the lower self. It’s easy once you get the knack of it. Have fun!
Thanks for sharing your earlier experience Howard.
Finding joy in the small things puts a smile on my face and in my heart every day. Waking up to another day…I am alive, is a good thing!!!
I do the Recipe.
I’ve decided the every day fighting Parkinson’s’s is a fight worth fighting.
I see success, in and of itself, in doing the Recipe .
I know that the Recipe is what leads to success with my journey towards Parkinson’s recovery, and success in joyfully living my life to the fullest!!!
BELIEVE!!! We are worth it!
Thank you Howard and Happy Mother’s Day to Sally
Thank you Sandra! Best wishes for a special Mother’s Day to you!
Acceptance and restoring balance to my life: a) substitute teaching in music b) accepting a Thursday only Home School Band position that begins in September! c) making appointments with family and friends: ie. coffee, breakfast or lunch! d) connecting with Jesus, my wife Teri and reading the Bible together most mornings! Thank you Howard for reminding us be “Joyful” and “Positive “ in all of our circumstances! Love and prayers to all of you who are “Fighting the Good Fight” towards Full Recovery from our Parkinson’s Symptoms!
I am blessed that music flows in me and through me. And doubly blessed that the music that comes through me uplifts listeners even more than when I used to have “better” technique.
I see the recipe as the path to success in winning the battle against Parkinson. I have faith that my recovery is happening every day. I am grateful for the love and support all around me. Even though I don’t know when, what date or what day, I know I will have a full recovery.
Thank you all for your posts, they are all inspirational!
What an amazing post, and to know in just one month, you were free from PD! So inspiring to read the very words you wrote. The truths you share with us light up our lives! Thank you, Howard!
This is a great message, Howard!
You sum it up well by sayiing, “Put a smile on your face, do the Recipe, and joyfully live your life to its fullest!” This is the formula to fight Pakinson’s.
Dear Howard,
This is such a relief. The thought that the next month promises healing, even though I’m deeply affected in the here and now, makes me feel like I’m growing wings. I feel lighter and more relaxed. It could pass quickly, and that calms me. The joy is returning. I truly believe in that.
I enjoy my life through art and painting. Watercolor is my meditation. Next week, my twin sister and I are preparing our very first exhibition together. I’m so excited and happy. Everything has come true, and my ideas are growing into the sky — one endless firework of inspiration.
The month of healing may come.
Infinite thanks to the divine guidance and to you, Howard.
Warm greetings to all of you — give it your all. I truly hope you make it.
That’s really beautiful Anett! I wish you much success with your upcoming exhibition!! You are amazing!
Hello Joan, you are amazing too. All of you are amazing. Thank you so much for your kind words. They make me very happy. I will keep you updated. Have a wonderful new week of healing.
I find it difficult being grateful in a Parkinson’s body. However by being grateful when I do even simple things like using my eyes, ears or tastebuds, really helps. I am sure that by being grateful and concentrating on all the things I have been blessed with will prove to be an effective route to joy and my recovery.
Thank you Howard and to our group.
Thank you, Howard!
I am grateful… and if negative thoughts arise, I’m learning to smile, remember I’m not perfect, and let them go…
I count my blessings, give gratitude to the Divine, and have faith in my full recovery even though I don’t know when it will arrive, but arrive it will!
Blessings to you, Howard, and to all of you Recovery Warriors on our way to full recovery! We are ALL worth it!
I am grateful for many things, but one of the most joyful factors is that my body is still strong and healthy, (and I am 73 years old).
When we finish our recovery from Parkinson’s, not only will we have 100% physical abilities return, (discounting some muscle loss), but also, we will have no symptoms.
May that happen soon for all of us.
Thank you everyone, for Howard’s post and all the replies. It’s so important in fighting Parkinson’s to have a ‘can do’ attitude, but so easy to fall into a ‘can’t do’ attitude. So good to read of making plans, a teaching post in September, an exhibition. I am planning my first holiday since 2019. I’m excited and looking forward to seeing the sea again. I will be adding watercolour sketches to my holiday sketchbook. This will be joyful. I just have to trust myself and my carer/personal assistant! We can do it. I am grateful.
I agree that having a positive attitude is key to everything. I used to wake up in the morning worried and now most mornings I am able to start with a grateful heart! What a blessing that is!
We continue to do the recipe. We will recover. We are worth it!
I’m so happy for you. It’s going to be absolutely wonderful. Watercolor painting is so meditative. I love it too.
Wonderful post! Ignoring symptoms, counting and remembering small wins, and delightfully doing recipe—that’s the path to recovery. I am worth it!