“Fall Seven Times and Stand Up Eight”

I came across two motivational quotes this morning that made me laugh out loud because of how relevant they feel to life with PSP – one in the title above, which is a famous Japanese proverb about resilience and perseverance, and one below by Gandhi:

“Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.”  –  Mahatma Gandhi

For years, I dismissed motivational quotes. I thought they were just words on glossy pages in airport bookstores. But living with PSP has changed my perspective. When there’s no medical roadmap, no treatment, and even your doctors say, “I’m sorry it has turned out this way,” yet people still look to you for cues on how to respond – attitude becomes everything.

I’m not comparing my situation to the immense challenges faced by leaders like Gandhi or Churchill – their struggles were on a scale I can’t imagine. But as a student of politics and an avid reader of history, I’ve learned something important: leadership – above all else – is often the most critical factor in effective decision-making during times of crisis. And leadership starts with attitude. Sadly, in the case of PSP, that leadership often falls to us – the patient or the caregiver – because the support team and family around us look for guidance and need galvanizing and motivating in a time when no one else can provide it.

I don’t have the physical strength I once had. But I do have will – and faith. I believe there’s a Divine plan, even if I don’t fully understand it. And I’ll use that will to fight for what matters most: my family and the future.

So, to everyone I once dismissed for quoting motivational sayings – I get it now. Sometimes, words carry the strength we need. And I return to the title:
“Fall Seven Times and Stand Up Eight.”