Inside Parkinson's

Happy New Year! This is the time of year we reflect on our lives and evaluate our goals and intentions for the year. I set an intention to focus on the joyous events and people in my life. I devoted an entire journal for this purpose: the Happiness Journal. Writing the happy times down on paper has helped me realize that I have a happy life, and then I feel grateful for the people who spark joy in my life.

One of my nephews has a great understanding of finding joy in life, because he sparks joy wherever he goes. Jumping off a mountain or cliff sparks joy for him. I love his sense of adventure. Not that I want to jump off mountains, but the sense of adventure is admirable.v At a young age, he realized that happiness comes from doing the things you love.

My goal is to notice and record the events, people, and things, which spark joy in my life. Since I began the Happiness Journal, I have discovered many things in my life that bring me joy. Things like playing board games with family and friends, watching a play, or the ballet, give me great joy. Parkinson’s does get me down, and can easily become my focus. However, I find that focusing on the joy in life, instead of Parkinson’s, brings happiness. The act of writing it down is phenomenal! I feel grateful when I read and write in my Happiness Journal. I reflect on the joyous things and become aware that my life is not all about Parkinson’s. 

My life is full of wonderful experiences with people I love. I feel blessed to have a family that loves me and friends who care for me deeply. These are the things to focus on. Sure, Parkinson’s is difficult, and believe me, I have some down days. However, I did not have to look far to find happiness. Try writing down your happy times and see if that brings you joy.

May the year 2022, bring you peace, happiness, and joy!