Expect to Get Better and You Will Get Better

Alan granted me permission to post his reflection below on how thoughts about Parkinson’s Disease have a profound impact on his recovery.

I just took time out to listen to Howard Shifke’s’ interview again. I am re-inspired to keep going.

I don’t know if I’m getting better or not, but I don’t worry as much about a bad day or “what Parkinson’s is going to do to me.” I have been working on my thinking that I will get better since the last time that I listened to this interview. I got his point that expecting to get better is the way to get better, but it often takes a million reminders a day and starting over as many times. Yet, I think today, how nice to think it can get better. That was just the vaguest hope since taking recovery seriously a year and a half since diagnosis.