John Baumann’s Inspiring “Nifty Nine” Daily Action Steps: Creating Your Own Personalized Plan to Live Life to the Fullest With (or without) Parkinson’s Disease M. Scott Peck starts out his monumental work, The Road Less Travelled, with three powerful words, “Life is difficult.” Difficult does not translate to bad, it just means that sometimes in life things do not come easy. Dealing with Parkinson’s is difficult. That sure is an understatement if I ever heard one. I describe myself as an inspiring, insightful, informative and oft-times humorous speaker who just so happens to have had Parkinson's for over a decade. In my life BP (before Parkinson's), I was an attorney, officer of a listed public corporation, and avid athlete. In my life WP (with Parkinson's), I am an inspirational speaker, author of several books, faculty member of the University of Louisville, guest commentator on CNN Headline News, Chair Emeritus of the Kentucky Make-A-Wish Foundation Board of Directors, and, most importantly, Bernadette's husband. I present here a novel and all-inclusive approach to living life to the fullest whether or not you have Parkinson's disease in the form of nine daily action steps.

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2. Orlando's first Moving Day!
National Parkinson
Foundation's Awareness
event presented by Florida
Hospital!
THANKS for
having us
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4. MYSTERIOUS WAYS
How to actually Embrace
your Parkinson’s disease
and, for that
matter, any other lifechanging adversity.
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5. IDENTITY
YOU ARE NOT
PARKINSONS
Retreat – Jimmy V
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6. WHO?
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8. LIFE BEFORE PARKINSONS
I FEEL YOUR PAIN
WE ALL HAD ONE
Doctors, lawyers, executives,
accountants, politicians, actors, athletes,
even a Pope,
….every job you can imagine.
I love being an Attorney
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9. LIFE CHANGING ADVERSITY
Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease
Your spouse/parent/child getting PD
You or family the victim of a crime
Loss of a job/ Demotion
Death of a Loved One
Other ILLNESS, DISEASE OR INJURY
BECOMING A CAREGIVER
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11. INTRODUCING
What I like to call
The Nifty Nine
Action Plan to
Embrace Adversity
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12. HOW TO LIVE LIFE TO
THE FULLEST
YOU NEED A PLAN:
THE NIFTY NINE
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13. FIRST: RESEARCH
• New procedures
• New medications
• What works for others
• What has not worked
• The best doctor
• The emotional stages
SHOUT OUT
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14. THE EMOTIONAL
ROLLERCOASTER OF
PARKINSON’S
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16. SHOCK
White light
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18. DENIAL
DISBELIEF
autopsy
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20. ANGER
ISOLATION
FEAR
eyes
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22. SADNESS
HOPELESSNESS
DEPRESSION
Black hole
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24. WAKE UP CALL
TIME TO
“GET OVER IT”
Barn door – for the best
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25. If you don’t
stop, I CAN’T
HELP YOU
Art of Transformation – Downloadable Book
JohnDecideSuccess@gmail.com
Pick a Day and
Commit to it in Concrete
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26. SECOND: EAT HEALTHY
FOOD
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VEGATABLES: Especially Green
ORGANIC
NON-ANIMAL PROTIEN
FRUIT and unsweetened juice
PURIFIED WATER
GLUTEN-FREE
FIND A FARMERS MARKET
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27. HEALTHY FOOD continued
DON’T PUT UNHEALTHY
THINGS IN YOUR BODY
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Sugar (especially Drinks/ Soda)
Artificial Sugar (especially diet Drinks)
Processed Foods/ GMOs
Fried Food
Animal Protien
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28. THIRD: EXERCISE
EXERCISE
• Beyond Your Comfort Zone
• Every Day (almost)
• Sweat, Stretch, Strengthen
Davis Phinney Victory Summit
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29. FOURTH: WILL
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Find YOUR Inner Strength
You have the POWER within you
Give yourself NO CHOICE
DRIVE, DESIRE, DETERMINATION
Intestinal Fortitude
Weird kids
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30. FIFTH: MENTAL HEALTH
• Stay mentally active
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euchre - crossword
Do part-time what you used to do full-time
Write a book of what you have learned in life
Get more rest
Spend more time with family
Reduce stress – just say “no” –
DON’T Over-commit
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34. SIXTH: YOUR TRIBE
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IDENTIFY YOUR SUPPORT SYSTEM
YOUR TRIBE/ VILLAGE
Family and other Caregivers
Health Care Professionals
Parkinson’s Associations
Exercise Partners
Financial Planners
Attorneys (if necessary)
Employment – Benefits – SS Disability
WHO ELSE???
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36. SEVENTH: ATTITUDE
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Positive Attitude
rock – cheer – worst thing
Inspiration is Everywhere
Tori story – 30 for 30
Impossible is a Temporary thing
moon - math
Remove your Blinders
Overboard
Continually Question
Awareness
See Beyond what is Apparent
The mind is a powerful force
placebo
Simplify your life
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38. EIGHTH: SILVER LINING
• Use our new found “abilities”
stare - poker
• Help others - new perspective on life
• Develop lasting friendships in the PD community
• Humbling Experience:
Become more loving, kind and compassionate
(I was an A…………)
• Express appreciation to our icare partner
love you
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39. NINTH: PURPOSE
• WHAT is YOUR PURPOSE?
• WHY were you put on this earth?
• Do the answer to these questions have something
to do with Parkinson’s?
Maybe. Maybe not. Find yours.
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Faith in yourself, Faith in others,
Faith in your higher power, and
Faith that your life has PURPOSE
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40. The ultimate result of
enacting this plan is:
I am healthier
now, over ten years into
my PD, in body, mind and
spirit,
than I ever was before I
started exhibiting the
symptoms of PD.
- John Baumann
Parkinson’s Proud since 2002
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41. iCARE Partners Experience
DISBELIEF – DENIAL
ISOLATION – SADNESS
AWKWARDNESS - ANGER
FEAR – DEPRESSION
SHOCK
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42. Quality of Life
WE have the POWER to have the
HIGHEST QUALITY OF LIFE that
we can POSSIBLY HAVE.
TAP INTO THAT POWER.
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44. Life ain’t always beautiful
Sometimes it's just plain hard
Life can knock you down,
it can break your heart….
But the struggles make you stronger
And the changes make you wise
No, life ain’t always beautiful
But it's a beautiful ride
What a beautiful ride.
- songwriter Gary Allan
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45. Michael J. Fox Quote
“For everything this disease has
taken, something of greater
value has been given sometimes just a marker that
points me in a new direction
that I might not otherwise have
traveled.”
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46. Michael J. Fox Quote
“So, sure, it may be one step forward
and two steps back, but, after a
time with Parkinson’s,
I’ve learned that what is important is
making that one step count, …..
always ….”
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47. ALWAYS REMEMBER
"Too often we underestimate
the power of a touch, a smile,
a kind word, a listening ear,
an honest compliment,
or the smallest act of caring,
all of which have the potential
to turn a life around."
- Leo Buscaglia
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48. FOR THE BEST
My mother is still not convinced
• BUT look at where I am TODAY
office
• And look at how healthy I am TODAY
• And now YOU are blessed to know what to do.
Someone certainly does work in
“MYSTERIOUS WAYS”
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49. THANK YOU SO MUCH
We will be available to
talk, answer questions and sign
any books (Decide
Success, Courageous Stories of
Inspiration and Roadmap to
Success) for the rest of the event.
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