Just Do It
October 3, 2021
by Dave Ciaccio, Board Chair
Launched in 1988, the Nike “Just Do It” campaign featured athletes talking about their accomplishments and the emotions they feel as they compete.
The tagline suggested something more than its literal meaning. It stood for something much bigger. It allowed people to interpret it as they wanted and to apply it to their own lives. For those of us with Parkinson’s, it can be very meaningful.
The other day, I found myself slowing down, almost stopping in the middle of an activity. As many know, the symptom of slow movement is called bradykinesia. I was not in a ‘freeze’ state, but near a stall. It was at that time that the words just do it entered my mind and I pushed through to finish the task with mindful effort. It felt good. Activity completed just like old times.
The more we make ourselves intentionally push through a stalled moment in time, the greater the sense of accomplishment and optimism. So, in your next slow moment imagine the Nike swoosh and ‘JUST DO IT’!