How self-efficacy helps one man navigate life with Parkinson’s disease
For athlete and author Steve Yellen, embracing challenges is empowering
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Connecticut-based Steve Yellen was a weekend athlete before he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease seven years ago. He first noticed a tremor in his left hand. Then he saw a neurologist, who confirmed the diagnosis.
Instead of succumbing to apathy, Yellen decided to do everything in his power to fight back. “I’ve always enjoyed problem-solving. My background is in engineering. I like understanding problems,” he told me during a recent phone call.
Yellen began learning about the potential of exercise while investigating his new life with Parkinson’s disease. Before long, he began creating short-term goals to give him a sense of autonomy over the disease.
“I started signing up for events for motivation. I’ve done 11 Spartan races, six triathlons, and raced up the Empire State Building three times in the last three years,” he said. Embracing new challenges made him feel empowered and capable in the face of Parkinson’s disease.
About a year after racing up the Empire State Building, Yellen realized that such events allowed him to leverage self-efficacy. “It’s basically a person’s belief that they can take hold of their situation. One of the ways you can enhance it is by [setting] short-term goals. When you achieve it, it’s like throwing a log on the fire,” he said.
Empowering others
It wasn’t long before Yellen realized he wanted to share the empowerment he’d found through his own physical challenges with others. “I started getting more involved with advocacy and research,” he said.
A friend suggested that Yellen write a book about his experience. At first, he said no. But then he started jotting down ideas on a piece of paper. On Jan. 1, 2025, he committed to the project. By the end of December, he had the first paperback copy in his hands.
Now available on Amazon, “Living Parkinson’s” details the seven strategies that Yellen has used to navigate life with Parkinson’s disease.
“It’s your attitude, education, your support (friends, family, doctors), exercise, wellness, participating in research, and advocacy,” he explained. “[The book] is based on the research and science I learned. It’s a guide that anyone can use to build their own road map, no matter when their journey began. It doesn’t tell you anything specific to do. It provides direction and offers some suggestions.”
While he recognizes that everyone’s journey is different, Yellen believes that self-empowerment has given him a sense of autonomy in an otherwise unpredictable situation.
“I included 35 actions of what you can do today,” he said. “I’d rather not have Parkinson’s. But the fact that I have it gives me a purpose to help as many people as possible to improve their journey.”
Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.
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