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I’ll Believe In You Too

by Melissa Livingston | September 15, 2026

About Melissa Livingston

Melissa Livingston was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020, and has been living with its ups, downs, and daily challenges for five years now.

What started as a complete surprise, has turned into a journey of constant adaptation, learning, and resilience. Through this blog and her advocacy on social media as @missmliv, she shares what life with young onset Parkinson’s really looks like — the moments that test us, the ones that lift us up, and everything in between.

Her viral hashtag #parkinsonslookslikeme has helped connect the PD community around the world and is centered on the hope that through connecting with others and sharing experiences we understand the nobody is alone in this fight as we raise awareness and work towards a cure.

I used to be the most negative person. My life was full of controversy and complications. I was so negative and was always good for a snarky comment. In fact, I was known for them.

And then… Parkinson’s. Something about this diagnosis prompted me to reverse my negative mindset. Even before the actual diagnosis I was tired of fear and doubt and self-deprecation.

So, I reprogrammed myself – faced my fears and faux pas – just packed them away. It wasn’t easy, but it was necessary for my own mental health. I’ll explain:

Your brain is a supercomputer, and it is programmed with whatever you input – if you feed it negativity and tell it “I can’t do this.” Well, then you can’t, you won’t because we believe what we tell ourselves.

It’s as simple and complicated as that. If our brain is capable of using neuroplasticity to reroute itself when there’s been damage, then it’s certain to respond when we change our internal dialogue to something more positive.

Try telling yourself “Yes I can” more often, or “This won’t last forever.” You’ll be surprised at how quickly your life will change. I did it and never regretted the effort- this simple process changed the trajectory of my life forever and I am so grateful for that.

Manifesting a better outcome doesn’t mean you’ll never feel fear or doubt- it just means that this time, none of it will be coming from you – imagine what you will accomplish when you’re not standing in your own way.

Believe in yourself – you’re strong and capable and… needed, just you, just the way you are, right now.

I’ll believe in you too.

XOXO
-Mel

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