Be Grateful For Your Problems

I don't want to complain or whine in this entry (coach Tom hates that!), but it's been a tough week. Challenges at work, a minor crisis at home, several extra-long commutes, and a few unplanned expenses to boot. In all of the chaos and stress that this week introduced, my discipline broke down. I haven't done any physical training or stretching in the last 4 days, and my new habit of healthy eating has really taken a beating. I'm off my game, out of my routine, and feeling rather cranky about it all!

I did manage some quite time for meditation, though, and in a sudden insight, a little voice spoke to me and said, "Love your problems."

I'm learning that "what we resist, persists," so I'm trying to go with the flow and look for the lessons. And, I know darn well that there are many, many other MAJOR problems out there that I'm fortunate enough to NOT have to deal with. So I've been trying extra hard to smile, be kind, stay centered, and help others. Doing this takes my focus off of my petty little problems — even though they seem big right now. In fact, I believe my problems are life's way of encouraging me to grow.

Fall down seven times, get up eight. Right?

Tomorrow's another day, and the first day of a new month will be the perfect time for a fresh start.

It's Not About the Turkey!

I'm thankful for so many things this year, it would take far too long to list them all. Beyond family, health, home, friends, creature comforts, and all the "usual suspect" things we esteem with our gratitude around the holidays (holy days), this year I am especially grateful for my increased awareness, the superb assistance and advice I've received from both friends and perfect strangers, and the opportunity and ability to make a real difference in people's lives. I'm thankful for being inspired by the things, ideas, and people this UBBT process has exposed me to — this journey has been a real eye opener...

I believe that Thanksgiving should be about THANKS and GIVING. On this holiday, I strongly feel — and wish to express — the gratitude for all of the blessings in my life. And I'm looking to contribute more, too: Gotta give back to keep all the energy moving!

I've started to set higher goals and make some positive changes in both my attitude and my actions. There can be no return to "normal" now!

Conscious Eating, Spiritual Activation, and Saving the Planet

I recently read an article by Thich Nhat Hanh about the impact our diet can have on our environment. The article describes how producing livestock contributes to land degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, and water pollution. The message is clear: our eating habits are threatening our future.

My wife and I talked about the subject, and while we don't think we're heading toward strict vegetarianism, we both agreed that reducing our meat consumption is a good and positive action to take. We also agreed to replace more of the regular light bulbs in our house with energy-efficient ones.

I just purchased a Kleen Kanteen — a reusable, lightweight, stainless steel water bottle — to cut down on the amount of plastic I use and recycle, and to help reduce my exposure to the potentially hazardous chemicals that can leach into my drinking water from plastic containers.

This past weekend, I broke out my old Juiceman Juicer out of storage, and enjoyed some fresh, homemade juice made from organic fruit. The juicer is a real pain in the butt to clean (and it takes a LOT of fruit to make a few glasses), but the juice sure is tasty!

And I've recently discovered Peace Cereal – a nutritious, delicious, and organic cereal promoting a worthy cause. I don't want to sound like a commercial, but what a concept! And since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I thought, why not create some good karma while I'm fueling up my body?

For years now, I've been a big fan of what has been called "Mobile University," and I frequently listen to CD audio programs in my car during my commute to and from work. My most recent acquisition: a program called "Spiritual Activation" by Julia Butterfly Hill, an environmental and social activist best known for living in a redwood tree for two years to keep it from being cut down. On the CD, Ms. Hill speaks about connection, gratitude, sacred space, and developing and increasing our social awareness. I'm only 20 minutes in, and I'm hooked.

Am I becoming a granola crunching, tofu-eating, tree-hugging hippie? Just maybe... I even updated our dojo website homepage this week.

Want to know what all this has to do with karate, martial arts, and "self-defense?"

Contact me!

Got some motivation this week!

A good friend of mine just sent me a You Tube link to some outtakes and trailers for a new Japanese karate action film called, "Black Belt." Now, I know the stuff in the film is precisely choreographed, but I can't watch it and not marvel at how GOOD these guys really are. The techniques and control the artists demonstrate is AMAZING! Makes me want to go out and train right now. Exactly the motivation I needed today!

See the You Tube film here.

Got some other motivation this week: my yoga instructor told me that she thought I was making progress in improving my flexibility. Now THAT was nice to hear — such a small compliment, and yet it made a HUGE difference in my outlook. I'm really enjoying the yoga class because it provides me with a weekly opportunity to do some "inner" and "outer" work. While holding some of the balance poses, I have no choice but to stay focused on where I am and what I'm doing RIGHT NOW.

It's a nice lesson for the "balance" I'm trying to achieve in the rest of my life.

A Diet Challenge!

Halloween has come and gone. We didn't get much traffic at our house, so the candy that we bought for the neighborhood kids is still in the house. And as good as I've been with eating healthier in the last few weeks and months (more fruit, more water, less meat, less caffeine, and very little refined sugar), I'm finding it way too easy this week to dip into the sweet, chocolate leftovers!

So, I'm taking the extra bags of treats into the office to give them to my co-workers. I know they'll appreciate the snack, even though it's really a selfish act on my part to help keep me from binging. (So I suppose I can't really count this as an "Act of Kindness!")

And next year, it's granola bars for the Trick-Or-Treaters.

I hope they don't egg my house!

You Never Know Who's Listening

I read a great quote the other day. Forgive me for not remembering who said it:

"People will forget what you did. People will forget what you said. But they'll never forget how you made them feel."

You never know who's listening to your words, or watching your actions, or when the impact of what you've done will come back to you. A while back I posted a article on my blog (http://jasongould.blogspot.com/) titled "The Price of a Beer in Boston." It was about a killing that took place in a bar over a spilled beer. Well, as fate would have it, people actually READ these blogs... This week I got a comment posted on my blog from the SISTER of the victim.

I just happened to be searching through the web and came across your blog on my brothers' murder. I think that is is a great that you are teaching your students how to defend themselves against a knife. I wish that my brother had the knowledge walking in to the six house bar the night he got stabbed eight times by Bernard Piscopo. Adam was one of ten children, he has lil brothers and sisters that find it hard to sleep at night knowing that their brothers murderer is out and about..knowing that he could stike again. Adam, 26 of Revere was the type of kid who was outgoing and courageous. He was the type that would never back down from a fight! I always told him "one day you will meet your match" do I regret that YES! I regret that cause he is gone...did he meet his match? NO! He met someone who knew nothing about self defense and who's pride was easily hurt. MY brother met metal. Fighting cause you enjoy the sport is great! Fighting cause you don't like someone is not worth it. It is not worth your life and you never know whether or not you are going to meet someone who had other plans for the night. I hope that justice will be served and my brothers murderer will be behind metal bars for the rest of his life. I wish you and your students the best and just wanted to say thank you!

Sincerely
Jenelle Rich
Revere, MA

Wow.

And here's another: Last week, I received another comment, on another of my blog posts, titled, "What the World Needs Now," which was about the Virginia Tech shootings:

Good on you Sensei and good on you jen,I have a mental illness, and understand all too well the barriers and stigma people face, Some are not strong enough to realise that the illness is only a part of them and need not consume all of who they are.So often we put people in a box and leave them to fend for themselves particularly in the case of mental illness.There needs to be more talk about this subject worldwide and slowly people will begin to see the person and not the illness.

I have found Karate a tremendous tool for me in coping with my illness,when i am training I am me and no one worries about who i am where i come from or that I have an illness.Learning Kata, forms and Kumite give me great focus and I have improved enormously under the guidance of my Senseis and my fellow karateka.Please keep talking to each other, encouraging eachother, for it is together that we can break down stigma.

Signed Mad and proud of it!!

You never know who's listening to your words, or watching your actions. I'm so very blessed and grateful to be able to do what I do...