Remembering Your Inner Child

Week six of the 10 tips for living well with a chronic illness is centered around remembering your inner child.  To live as a child means to me that it is important to not forget what it was like to be spontaneous, free spirited and just have fun. 

As Ambassadors for the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s we were reminded of this during our Leadership Conference when Davis Phinney got up and did a cartwheel and then spoke on remembering his inner child as a source of treatment for his Parkinson’s.  So, how do you find that child that may be hidden but wanting to come out.  First, begin by re-connecting with your inner child.  Participating in a preferred sport, hiking, playing and coloring, or enjoying a favorite childhood treat will begin the process.  My Person with Parkinson’s and I like to stare at each other and just start laughing. 

Additionally, playing with our grandchildren.  We have begun to supply our children with families with an Alexia Echo Show so we can video call regularly with grandchildren in a real-time call so they can play with us even though we are far away.  Happiness is a key ingredient to living well, surround yourself with a village of support who will help in bringing out that child.  Even though a person with Parkinson’s may be limited in what they are able to do, the spirit of being a child is able to bring a level of happiness that will prevail even in a changed lifestyle. 

The saying money can never buy happiness is true, but happiness can be brought about by being mindful of who you are and having a can-do attitude.  Remember being a child?  Perhaps you were a child that always wanted to jump on a trampoline.  Just, do it (be safe and make sure it’s ok with your doctor) and if you’ve had DBS perhaps doing flips isn’t a good idea but be that child and live!

-Pat Donahoo