Why gratitude is good medicine for Parkinson’s

The word gratitude is a noun, but I’ve decided to also consider it a verb.

A verb describes action. I admit it’s a little awkward to say “I’m going to gratitude my life.” But when I think of gratitude as an intentional action, it packs more punch.

Indeed, for those of us with Parkinson’s disease – who face a whopper of a challenge to maintain our sunny dispositions and cheerful outlooks – gratitude can be a game changer. 

It gives the power to look forward with hope. Hope doesn’t come easily with a disease that’s a progressive downhill slide.

“With gratitude, optimism is sustainable.”
—Stephen Pollan (Michael J. Fox’s father-in-law)

‘Doing’ gratitude

So how can people put gratitude front and center in their everyday lives?

Some practice gratitude by making lists of their boons and blessings.

Such “gratitude journals” – an idea brought to us by the positive psychology movement – have become popular as research continues to show the remarkable benefits of a thankful heart. 

 Among these benefits are:

• stronger relationships
• feelings of calm
• resilience to setbacks
• inoculation against future trauma. 

Other research supports the idea that gratitude boosts the brain’s serotonin, sparking the “feel-good” circuits.

That’s good news for those of us who’ve been betrayed by our own dopamine, the happiness-inducing neurotransmitter gone AWOL in the Parkinson brain.

“Always be thankful for what you have, because you never know when it might be gone.”
—Micalea Smeltzer

A different view

The results of some of the newest research on gratitude turns things around. 

What really lights up the brain is remembering a time you received gratitude from someone else. Some examples:

• A co-worker who needed your listening ear thanks you in a text
• An audience applauds your performance 
• The person you held the door open for gives you a warm smile
• An old-school thank-you card shows up in your mailbox.

In other words, doing something nice for another and then receiving their thanks can be especially potent for feeling the positive effects of gratitude.

Making gratitude an action

 Here are a few ideas for putting gratitude to work in your life:

Try the journal approach

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”
— Willie Nelson

I’m a serial list maker, but I’ve only occasionally listed my blessings for graditudinal purposes. It felt pretty good, and I imagine doing it routinely would keep the happy brain signals growing even more.

Next time your day isn’t going so well, your symptoms are flaring up, give it a try. Write sincerely and from the heart. 

Recognize and reflect

“It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.”
—Germany Kent

Find a moment during each day to remember when you received thanks. Think about stories in your life when you showed kindness that led to someone else’s gratitude. Those narratives will lift you. Even a minute or two of remembering revs up the serotonin. 

Use nature’s gifts 

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”
—Rachel Carson

It’s a given that an outdoor setting to practice being grateful connects us with the natural world, but why is that important?

People with Parkinson’s who fear declining brain power – which includes, well, just about all of us eventually – might want to take note. 

If you’ve been in the house all day, take a five-minute walk up and down your street. If you get a work break, spend it sitting under a tree or near some flowers. Plan a weekend hike. Take the grandkids or your dog to a park. Weed the garden. Use an outdoor grill for dinner. Clean out your car. Find any reason to get outside.

A closing thought

One of my favorite quotes about gratitude comes from a famous heart surgeon and religious leader, Russell M. Nelson, who lived to be 101. It’s especially poignant for people who suffer daily from diseases like Parkinson’s.

“Does gratitude spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief, and pain? No, but it does soothe our feelings. It provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.”

This season, don’t forget to gratitude!

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Check out my the five reasons I’m thankful I have Parkinson’s here.

Check out five more reasons, which were much harder to find, here.