What I didn't expect to learn in martial arts

When I first started Martial Arts (at age 25), I never thought it would change my life.  I never had any desire to do martial arts and always thought of it as 'learning to fight' which did not appeal to me at all.  A few years after college, I saw a sign for a kick boxing class and decided it was time to lose the 'freshman 15' that was hanging on for dear life to my tush.  I began taking classes and quickly fell in love with Martial Arts.  Not only did I lose the weight (and learned how to kick some ass) but I learned so much about life.  I learned that life is easier when things are simplified.  I also learned that when my life seems out of control, I really need to look at what I'm doing on a daily basis. Am I eating healthy? Am I exercising? Am I surrounding myself with people that motivate me? If we don't fill our gas tanks up with gas in our cars, our cars won't run.  That makes perfect sense, right?  So why are we so surprised when we can't think clearly or feel depressed after putting crap in our bodies, not exercising, or spending too much time with people who aren't 'filling our bucket'?  It doesn't add up.

Martial arts really helped me step back and take responsibility for what's happening in my life. I learned the importance of structure and discipline in so many aspects of my life but more importantly... self discipline.  As Americans, we often want an easy solution to our problems and we'll even spend a fortune for someone to take care of our problems for us.  Don't get me wrong, sometimes we need help and need to make big changes in our lives but it's important that we first look at our daily habits and make sure that the fundamentals aren't what's holding us back.

Theodore Roosevelt said, "With self discipline most anything is possible." and it all begins with baby steps. Sometimes it's as easy as switching a cup of coffee with a tall glass of water in the morning or taking a little walk instead of going on Facebook.  I find church and inspirational podcasts like The 5AM Miracle to be a great way fill my tank when I need some motivation.  Using self discipline will really help you to create a healthier, happier, and more successful life.

If you're looking for a great martial arts program for yourself or your children, I highly recommend Mr. Stuart's Martial Arts in West Chester, PA.  You can learn more by visiting his website Mr. Stuarts Martial Arts.

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