My Story and the origin of “Embrace What You Can Do”

9/1/2024

It has been my honor and privilege to practice general medicine as a family physician for the past 33 years. I am grateful to have gained the trust of my patients, allowing me to provide them guidance in both good health and through ailments that changed the course of their life. It was about 4 years ago that I was pushed to guide myself, with the help of doctors, family and friends, through my own life changes.

As a result of orthopedic injuries, a new diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease and natural aging, I started to become increasingly aware of some physical limitations. Activities that were once routine had slowly become difficult or out of reach. Although I was able to accept and live with these changes, I had the sense that I was “getting by” but without my usual passion for life. 

While I knew I couldn't change some limitations, I knew I could change my mindset. Determined to get back to myself, I took about 2 months and several revisions to create a plan of action: “Embrace What You Can do.”  

 “Embrace What You Can Do” is now a strategy or method I use to emphasize the positive in my life by fully engaging in all that is possible. It is an outlook focused on what I can (or might) do and enthusiastically embracing it.  It is my hope that others, at ANY stage, will be able to use “Embrace What You Can Do” to help live a meaningful, positive and rewarding life.

Sincerely,

Ken Goodman, MD