In this reflection from Papa’s Path, we share the simple question that reshaped how our family approached Parkinson’s and ultimately, how we built a nonprofit around practical support. When faced with a life-changing diagnosis, our instinct was to think bigger and move faster. Instead, we learned that meaningful change begins by breaking overwhelming challenges into manageable steps. By asking “What would make today easier?” and widening our circle of support, we turned lived experience into tangible tools that now serve families nationwide. This piece explores how simplicity, attention, and shared resilience can create lasting impact — in life and in leadership.

There are moments in life that divide everything into before and after. It could be a diagnosis, a difficult project at work or a shift in identity you didn’t anticipate. When Parkinson’s entered our family’s life, it brought uncertainty, frustration, and a long list of things we could not control.

Our instinct, at first, was to think big. How do we fix this? How do we outwork it? How do we stay ahead of it? But one of the most important lessons we’ve learned at Papa’s Path is this: meaningful change rarely begins with reinvention. It begins with a better question.

For us, that question was simple: What would make today easier?

When facing those big moments, the temptation is to solve the entire problem immediately. That instinct can be paralyzing because large challenges feel impossible when viewed in totality but breaking them down into the smallest actionable step offers clarity. It sounds almost too simple but when facing something that feels overwhelming, simplicity becomes grounding. Instead of trying to solve the entirety of Parkinson’s, we began looking at the small points of friction in everyday life.

That’s how our Steady Essentials Toolboxes™ were born. These packages, filled with products that give Parkinson’s patients more autonomy over their daily tasks, were built after we broke the big issue (a Parkinson’s diagnosis) into a small step (find tools that address everyday activities). Today, our toolbox program supports individuals and families living with Parkinson’s across the U.S.

Another lesson emerged alongside that question: Who can I lean on?

For high performers like Papa, who built a storied career as a surgeon and caregiver, independence becomes part of identity. But some of the most meaningful progress occurs when you take a look around and see how you can widen your circle.

We discovered that inviting others in — caregivers, community members, advisors, friends — was not a sign of weakness. It was an act of wisdom. None of us are meant to navigate hard seasons alone. Whether in health, in leadership, or in service work, resilience grows stronger when it is shared.

The third question that shaped our thinking was quieter: Who’s out there listening?

When we began turning lived experience into something tangible, the instinct might have been to innovate boldly or disrupt dramatically. Instead, our family chose to move forward by creating practical, people-first tools and resisted the urge to overcomplicate. The solutions that followed were not complex but they were meaningful.

If there is one lesson I wish I understood earlier, it is this: progress does not always begin with bold action. It often begins with attention.

True progress is shaped by clarity, intention, and the courage to start small. Sometimes the most powerful way forward is the simplest — and that’s more than enough.

By Amy Babbush Eisenberg, Cofounder, Papa’s Path