That’s a question I get asked quite often. And honestly? It’s something I’ve learned through life. When something dramatic happens, I start again step by step with the things that make me happy and give me energy. Small steps, but they always move me forward.
When I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, it hit me hard. Especially as the mother of two young daughters, aged 9 and 10. At that time, I didn’t have many people to share it with, which made it even harder. Still, little by little, I began to look at what was possible. I saw people around me who stayed active, who kept doing things. And I thought: I want that too.
So I started. Carefully at first, then more and more. The responses I received gave me support and confidence. The media attention that came my way gave me an enormous boost. I was regularly called while my daughters were in the room, listening to everything. After such a phone call, I was so happy that I skipped around the room, became hyper, and drove my daughters a little crazy. Then they called my husband:
“Mom has gone crazy.”
Yes—this really happened.
But you know what? It made me incredibly happy. It gave me dopamine. And on days when I felt low, just one phone call like that could make me feel like I could handle everything again.
It also showed me how important connection is. People who make you laugh, lift you up, or simply listen to you. That does so much. That’s why I always say: go out. Meet people. Make friends with those you feel a connection with.
How do you do that? In so many ways. What do you enjoy? Go to an event or the cinema in your town or city. Those are places where people with shared interests come together. Walk up to someone and start a conversation. You never know what kind of beautiful conversation or valuable connection might come from it.
Do you find that scary? Oh—just do it. It might feel a bit awkward at first, but when people respond positively, you’ll start enjoying it more and more. I would know—I used to be very shy. And show who you are, what you stand for, and be proud of yourself!
Does everything always go well for me?
Generally, yes. I mainly deal with tremors, but fortunately I can control them quite well with pramipexole. And I notice very clearly: when I do fun things, work on my magazine, and meet people, things go better. Quite often, I even need less medication.
But sometimes things go wrong too. Last weekend I suddenly found myself stretched out on the ground in Gouda. Now, I love Gouda—but I definitely prefer staying upright 😉. Walking through the city is already fun enough. If I stumble and my knees give way—boom—nothing can stop it, and there I am. Flat on the ground.
Did I feel sorry for myself? Yes, at that moment I did, because everything hurt. But once I was home, I was mostly worried about my swollen knee. So I stayed home for a few days because walking wasn’t going well. But in the meantime, I already finished three articles for my new magazine.
That’s the beauty of working behind a computer. As long as my hands work well—and I train them all day, haha—I can always do something. My hands are my everything. They give me my dopamine moments. And thanks to them, I can also share this story with you. Because if you’re still reading, it clearly does something for you too 😊.
And that makes me curious.
What do my messages do for you? What touches you, or what do you enjoy about them? Feel free to share. It strengthens the connection—and it gives me a warm feeling in return.
What are you going to do today that gives you a little moment of light?
I’m going to see who I’ll be writing my fourth article with. That always makes me happy. And the weekend is just around the corner—lovely! But even on the weekend, I enjoy spending time in my favorite program, Canva, working on a new surprise for you: a brand-new magazine. What will be in it this time? I’ll keep that a secret for now. I love surprising people.
Creating a magazine—coming up with the idea, doing the interviews, feeling the connection, designing everything in Canva where my creativity starts flowing again… If the person I interviewed is happy, I’m already grateful. But when I then also see the readership numbers of my magazine rising, I feel pure gratitude. What a gift for all the time and energy I’ve put into it.
Thank you so much for reading my story.
I wish you a wonderful day, and until next time at Wendy’s Parkinson Journey 💛
#wendysparkinsonjourney #Parkinson #stayingpositive #positivethinking
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