So, in the world of #yopd im sure you can imagine there is quite a lot of chat regarding how to keep positive, be hopeful, just keep on keeping on frankly. Those of us blessed with this condition have a long way to go with it (well, we hope we do) and so we need to find strategies to help us do that without open8g the medicine cabinet again.
To that end, I have just finished reading a fascinating article about the research carried out by Alia Crum into the impact that #placeboeffect and #mindset can have on human physiology. Her research shows that a positive approach can bring physical improvement.
The idea obviously resonates within the #parkinsons community. From a personal perspective I know that my mindset has a profound effect on how I manage pain, mobility challenges and the trials and tribulations of chronic disease. I find it much easier to maintain a healthy view if I can understand the reasons for my mental pathways….why do I react in a certain way in any given situation. So, combining this emotional intelligence with a can-do mindset could be a winner.
But it’s hard to be Pollyanna all the time. Even the head cheerleader has to put her pompous down every now and then. So how to keep going? What hacks are out there to stop the creep of hopelessness. Here are a few of mine….what can you add to this list?
Look up - very simple but the most effective. I look up at the sky and I take in the view. Wherever I am. In the morning at home I lie in bed, curtains open, and look at the clouds as they scud by. There are rooftops and a tree to gaze at too. Every day is a new start and ready for me to go out there and get the most out of it. The sunrise brings hope to me. That seems to feed into improved physical abilities.
Move - we know the massive benefits that come from exercise when managing PD. I am not a poster child for this at all. I struggle to actually do the exercise as my life is somewhat chaotic but my intentions are good and i will keep chipping away. The point to make here is that any movement is better than none and if I stretch or even just walk around the block, I feel mentally and physically better.
Try something new. Anything. This is a favourite strategy. I am not a starter/finisher. I start and then move on. If some activity draws me in I will try to link it to my existing projects and circles of relationships, my network. This is to make it more sustainable for me and also to leverage any common goals, ideas or techniques. So for example, I went cold water swimming and loved it. Now. I want to do some art based on the sensations and impact a session can have on me. Both activities Impove my mindset.
Write it down - my writing helps me deal with the onslaught of ideas, feelings and worries that stream through my brain all day every day. I can list out things to do today. I can crystallize my ponderings. I can share, discuss and reflect on them. I can refer back to them. I can export toxic gripes and worries from my head onto paper, reducing their potency. My blog has been like another capsule in my pill box.
And that’s it for now. I have to get out of bed and start the day. But I can choose my mindset to match this post. It’s cloudy and overcast here and I have some hard jobs to do today. So I will try to see each challenge as a Good Thing a la Martha Stewart. How about you?