Thankfulness

Thanksgiving has come again and with it comes time off from work, spending time with family, eating too much, and Black Friday sales. There is nothing wrong with any of these things, we all need time off to spend with the family, relax and just visit each other in a world of “I'm too busy for anything”. I understand that it is convenient to shop while you have some time off and the Thanksgiving holiday provides the perfect time. I do feel that Thanksgiving has become more of a "holiday" than a day of really being thankful. I thought about this when we got home from visiting family. A good friend of ours called and told me that his son (a student of ours that is going to be a great martial artist) had a seizure. He is 9 years old and never had a problem before. The doctors said they don't know what caused it and that it could be a one-time event. This made me realize how thankful everyone is that he is OK. Also, how thankful his parents are that he is part of their lives, and how thankful we are that he and his family are part of our lives. It may be after Thanksgiving but let’s not forget to be thankful for what we have. So, sit down, think about who you’re thankful for and then tell them. It will mean a lot to them and to you. One way that we try to show family that we are thankful for them is to help out whenever we can. During this particular holiday, we helped with the irrigation system. By your acts, your deeds or by what you say, friends and family can know that you are thankful to have them in your life.

Back on Track... Hurray!

Ok, Thanksgiving is over and we are getting back on track.  At least for the next three weeks, then it will be Christmas and all the eating that goes along with that holiday.  When visiting my parents house, it is very difficult not to over-eat.  There are always "healthy" foods but there are always too many choices and too many containers of "healthy" snacks.  Even healthy can become unhealthy when you eat too much of it.  For example, my mom loves cashews.  I do too and I can eat more than I should very easily.  We ate very well, meaning everything was fresh and we had loads of vegetables to go with everything.  The problem was, once again, the fact that there was just toooooo much food.  Yummy, Yummy FOOD!  Especially, when I cook!!!

Week 9 - Bullying and Suicide Issues

It seems that the more you look into bullying the more information you find.  There are so many resources and so many kids that need those resources.  Today in the news, I found two stories of kids (one 10 year-old girl and one 14 year-old boy) that committed suicide because of bullying.  Another story of a high school football player, who apparently died of a drug overdose because the "friends" he was with left him unresponsive instead of taking him to the emergency room.  

The Centers for Disease Control states that "For youth between the ages of 10 and 24, suicide is the third leading cause of death,"   "Each year, approximately 149,000 youth between the ages of 10 and 24 receive medical care for self-inflicted injuries at Emergency Departments across the U.S." "Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities".  They also mention that more young people survive suicide attempts than actually die.  

From the website: http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com comes the following information.

"Warning signs of suicide:

• Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
• Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
• Talking about being a burden to others
• Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
• Acting anxious, agitated or reckless
• Sleeping too little or too much
• Withdrawing or feeling isolated
• Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
• Displaying extreme mood swings
• Looking for a way to kill oneself
• The more of these signs a person shows, the greater the risk. Warning signs are associated with suicide but may not be what causes a suicide."

"If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide:

• Do not leave the person alone.
• Remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt.
• Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional."

Week 8 - Performance State

I am working on focusing my attention to the task at hand.  My goal is to learn how to relax, which learning how to relax will help clear the mind, clearing the mind helps you focus and being focused helps you be more aware of yourself.  When I am concentrating on the task at hand, it is hard for me to stay focused when something is going on around me.  When I am tense, fighting off the distraction, it is hard to continue with the task.  The world must cooperate with me in order for me to get my focus back.  In the book, The Art of Learning, by Josh Waitzkin, he calls this the Hard Zone.  Like a brittle branch on a tree, you will snap under the pressure of the distraction.  To be in the Soft Zone, you must learn to be more internally focused and to go with the flow.  You must be like the grasses in the plains and bend with the wind.  I must learn to block external distractions and be internally focused.  I must learn to pull myself back into focus when I have been distracted from the task at hand.  As the years go by, I find myself more and more easily distracted.  I guess that there is more and more going on in my life.  I can see the point of daily meditations.  Clay and I must both work to make time in our daily routines to do our daily meditations.

Follow this link, http://greatday.com/ for daily motivator for November 10, 2011 titled "Act on it".  To summarize this passage: you must act on your ideas, not just talk about it.  This is something that I talk about to other people all the time, this is something that I try to act on in my daily life.  It is hard.  I had someone the other day ask me why they weren't a master, they have always loved martial arts and always wanted to train... simple answer, you must act on it.  Triple Black Belt Academy has offered Tai Chi, Cardio, Fitness Class and Women's Self-Defense.  None of these programs have really lasted.  Whether we charge for lessons or give lessons away for free does not seem to make any difference at all.  People want to be healthy but will not take the time to eat right or show up for a free class being offered.  It is easier to talk about being healthy than to actually do what it takes to get healthy.  We have offered free months to try to entice new students to walk through our doors, that didn't work.  People, including myself, must learn to act on what it is that is important to them, to give their ideas real meaning.

Stress Relieved (momentarily)

I have been focused on the technical part of my 5th Dan test for the past month. Training every day, on techniques or forms has been alot of work and a bit stressful. I feel really good about how I did on the test which is saying something because I would be harder on myself than anyone else would be. When it was over, I felt the stress lift and I felt like I could relax and take a breath. Now, I am ready to concentrate on other aspects of my test (and get stress from somewhere else). It is time to focus and get some things together. Class was good last night, I was able to get in some good exercise, teach what I love, and do some palm striking techniques to Michelle and receiving some palm striking techniques from Michelle (ribs a little sore, but in a good "I went to martial arts class and had a blast last night", kind of way).

Week 7 - They Did It!! New Black Belts and New Rank

They did it!!

  

Master Cheroni, Nijah and Scott looked great this past Friday night in 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  

They tested in front of a board that included many high ranking officials, including Dr. He Young Kimm, 9th Dan, Founder of Han Mu Do, GrandMaster Jamie Serio, 8th Dan, Grandmaster Shin Rhee Chul, Kum Do Grandmaster, Chief Master Donald Kimm, 7th Dan, Chief Master Penny Serio, 6th Dan, Chief Master David Carr, 6th Dan, Chief Master Mateo Lopez, 6th Dan, Master Frans van Boxtel, 5th Dan, Master Bernardo Osio, 5th Dan, Master David Higgs, 5th Dan, Master Eduardo Navarro Delgado, 5th Dan.

Week 6 - Black Belt Testing

Well, the week is here.  This is the last week that Nijah and Scott will be brown belts.  They are prepared and we are confident that they will be awarded their Junior 1st Dan Black Belts this weekend.  Master Instructor Clay Cheroni should come home as Master Cheroni.  Danaher and Donovan will be his partners this time around.  They are both terrific fallers and will do a GREAT job of making Clay look good.