Momma’s, Go Ahead, Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Martial Artists

I couldn't have said it better myself, so instead let my friend, martial arts guru Tom Callos say it instead.

Kids who immerse themselves in martial arts practice don’t end up being the victims of bullies in school, they’re left alone, as bullies most usually pick on kids they know aren’t going to stand up for themselves. Kids who study the martial arts also usually end up being adults —who don’t get bullied in the workplace.

Kids who practice the martial arts hang out with teens and adults who practice the martial arts —and those are most often people who value physical exercise, good nutrition, calmness under pressure, and who set goals and methodically —and with no small amount of effort, —set out to achieve them. Not a bad crowd to hang out with at all.

Kids who study the martial arts often hear power words like “respect,” “courtesy,” “focus,” “compassion,” “kindness,” and “perseverance” 10,000 times more than any TV show or any amount of computer time provides in the same amount of time. Kids in the martial arts learn to put these words into action, too, in every practice session —and as a result, they often become the foundation for a lifetime of beliefs and practices.

Kids who practice the martial arts hear adults who practice martial arts saying things like, “If a picture is worth 1000 words, then an action is worth 1000 pictures,” and “If you can’t, then you must —and if you must, then you will,” and ““The ultimate aim of the martial arts lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants,” and “anger is an acid that does more harm to the vessel it is contained in than anything it is poured over” —and these ideas, kept in the mind and put to use, can, in one’s life, end up being absolute, concrete, worth their weight in gold game-changers.

Kids who practice the martial arts can grow up to be adults who write things like this —and who, nearly every day of the year, teach, coach, mentor, encourage, and motivate young people to not only look for and be their best, physically, mentally, and emotionally, but in how to take what they learn on the mats of their dojo —and put it to work in their lives, in their communities, in the world, to their own benefit and to the benefit of others.

Go ahead momma’s, let your babies grow up to be black belts.

—Tom Callos

Good Pain and Bad Pain

My main focus in my psychology training was called behaviorism. I studied concepts in motivational psychology.   We as human beings tend to move towards pleasure and to avoid pain.

If you have ever done anything physical in life you probably have experienced both good pain and bad pain. 

Something pops, a sharp pain shoots through you or possibly you get a kick in the groin and       an "uh oh" feeling takes hold of your brain - bad pain!

But all pain is not bad.

Good pain may seem like a paradox but good pain makes you stronger like exercise at your threshold, pushing that last heavy bag round or forcing yourself to improve by making greater effort in an area that you may have to push in.  Getting out of bed the morning after a hard workout might be considered bad pain but can you imagine lying in bed all day?

We tend to avoid pain on many levels.  Dwelling on it makes worse and prolongs it.

We receive value from good pain.    If you are having it tough, convert your knowledge of  good pain and focus on the benefit/positive results.

Train hard and know the difference


MB

Which Dog Do YOU Feed?

 

It's an old Indian proverb based on "The Good Wolf and The Bad Wolf" that live inside of us, constantly battling for control of our mind and the way we think.

 

The modern version is based on the courage dog and the fear dog and which one we like to feed.  The lesson to be learned is, the dog you feed the most wins the fight.

 

Both of these dogs are present in us.  You can't stop fear dog from being part of us.  Fear is always going to be a part of us but we can weaken his strength.  Negative thoughts and expectations feed the fear dog and leads us to stinking thinking along with feeling and performing poorly. 

 

We need to lock fear dog away!

 

 

Feeding the courage dog takes special care.  Look at the positive side of things, set and achieve small goals to feel like you are making progress.  Courage dog makes you a better person through empathy, patience, understanding, kindness  and thoughtfulness. 

 

When you arrive somewhere are people happy to see you or walking on eggshells waiting to see what kind of mood you are in?  Feeding courage dog helps you avoid conflict and makes you a better friend. 

 

Don't let fear control you and take you to the dark side.

 

                                      Right now make a sign where you can see it every day.

 

"Which dog are YOU feeding"?