Parkinson’s and Positivity: How Optimism Builds Resilience - Parkinson's Awareness Week 3

In this third episode of our Parkinson’s Awareness Month series, we’re focusing on one of the most powerful tools for living well with Parkinson’s: positivity and optimism.

Living with Parkinson’s can be incredibly challenging—but how you approach those challenges mentally and emotionally can make a major difference in your resilience, your daily quality of life, and even how you respond to treatment.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

• How optimism rewires your brain to better handle stress
• Simple mindset shifts that can help you build resilience
• Real-life strategies to stay positive—even on tough days

Whether you’re newly diagnosed or years into your journey, this episode offers actionable inspiration to help you stay mentally strong and emotionally grounded.

📬 Want more tools to live your best life with Parkinson’s?
👉 Visit LiveParkinsons.com to subscribe to the free monthly newsletter and get practical strategies delivered right to your inbox.

📘 You can also download our new Building Your Parkinson’s Care Team Resource Guide & Workbook for just $10—a small way to support the podcast while building a strong foundation for your care team.

☕ And if this podcast helps you, consider supporting us at Ko-fi.com/liveparkinsons so we can continue bringing you free content that empowers, educates, and uplifts.

🔖 #ParkinsonsAwarenessMonth #ParkinsonsAndPositivity #MentalHealthAndParkinsons #OptimismForParkinsons #LiveBetterWithParkinsons #ParkinsonsSupport #CareTeamGuide

Recommended Reading:

Always Looking Up - Michael J. Fox (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Luck Man: A Memoir - Michael J. Fox (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Spectacular: 4 Strategies for Living with Parkinson's: My Journey to Happiness - Chris Kustanbauter (Amazon Link)

Chapters

• 0:01 Introduction to Positivity Series
• 0:44 Mindset's Impact on Health
• 1:35 Building Optimism Through Gratitude
• 2:42 Reframing Thoughts and Celebrating Wins
• 3:49 Daily Practices for Positivity
• 5:18 Action Steps and Closing Thoughts

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hello and welcome back to Live Parkinson's Live an Exceptional Life. I'm your host, chris Kustenbotter, and this is week three of our Parkinson's Awareness Month series short, actionable episodes designed to help you live a more empowered, joyful and healthier life with Parkinson's. So far, we've talked about two powerful tools exercise and nutrition. If you haven't listened to those yet, be sure to check them out. Today we're focusing on our third strategy, one that's often overlooked, but absolutely life-changing optimism and positivity. Looked, but absolutely life-changing Optimism and positivity. Let's be real Getting a Parkinson's diagnosis can feel overwhelming.

Speaker 1: 0:51

It's easy to get stuck in fear, frustration or grief, and that's normal. But staying there that can hold you back from the life that you can live. Here's the truth. Your mindset can either limit you or lift you, and science backs it up. Research shows that people who maintain a positive outlook tend to have better physical health, lower stress, improved immune function and, yes, even a slower progression of chronic illness. But here's the key Optimism isn't just pretending everything's perfect. It's choosing to focus on what's possible, even when the things get hard. So how do you build that kind of mindset?

Speaker 1: 1:34

Let's break it down. First, start with gratitude. A daily gratitude practice rewires your brain. It literally shifts your focus from what's missing to what's working. So try this Every morning or evening. Write down three things you're grateful for, no matter how small it could be a warm cup of coffee, a good laugh, time spent with friends or family but gratitude is going to make you more resilient. Next, surround yourself with positivity. Who you spend time with shapes how you feel. Spend more time with people who lift you up, not draining you. I like to hang around people that are positive and try to avoid people that are negative, because they tend to bring you down. That could be a support group, a friend who listens, or even an online community like ours at liveparkinsonscom. You can also curate what you consume. Choose uplifting podcasts, books, tv shows or movies that feed your spirit instead of fear.

Speaker 1: 2:42

Next, reframe your thoughts. Instead of saying I can't do what I used to do, try I'm learning how to do things differently and yet I'm still enjoying my life. Instead of, this disease is taking everything, say I'm still here, I still have value and I still have a purpose, and I'm going to help others in the same situation as myself. It's not toxic positivity. It's choosing thoughts that give you power. Next, celebrate small wins. With Parkinson's, progress often looks like small victories Getting through your day with less fatigue, remembering to take your meds, making it to your physical therapy session. Celebrate all those things. Every step forward counts and remember you're going to have some days where it's two steps forward and three steps back, and that's okay, but just remember every forward step counts and gets you to the best life that you can have.

Speaker 1: 3:49

Now let me share something personal. When I was first diagnosed, I had a choice. I can dwell on what I'd lost or focus on what I could still do. It wasn't easy, but over time I realized I'm more than this diagnosis. I'm still a father, a husband and a friend. I can still fly fish, play guitar, help others and live with purpose. Optimism didn't cure me, but optimism did save me. It helped me realize that I could live the life that I wanted to live and still help other people as well.

Speaker 1: 4:27

Now there's a simple daily practice for positivity, and here's something you can do right now. Every morning, ask yourself what's one thing I'm looking forward to today. It might be a walk, it might be a favorite meal. Maybe you're expecting a phone call from one of your children or a friend. Let that guide your day. And every evening ask what's one thing I did well today? It could be you attended a group exercise class. It could be you smiled a lot during the day. It could be you rested well. And it could be you chose to be courageous and tried something new. These questions build emotional strength over time. So here's your week three reminder. Optimism and positivity are not luxuries. They're essential tools for living well with Parkinson's and they're available to you right now.

Speaker 1: 5:26

Next week we'll wrap up our series with another key pillar social connection and community, because we're never meant to walk this journey alone. But before you go, let's take action. Visit libparkinsonscom to subscribe to our free monthly newsletter and then download your copy of Building your Parkinson's Care Team Resource Guide and Workbook. It's a great way to help you build your care team and make sure that you're getting the best care possible. And if this podcast is helping you, consider supporting it at ko-ficom. Slash liveparkinsons. Now remember you're not just surviving. You're learning, growing and living an exceptional life with Parkinson's. Remember, keep going. You've got this. Thanks for joining me today. Stay grateful, stay hopeful and remember you're not alone and your best life is still unfolding. See you next week.