One of my first jobs was as a painter. The owner of the paint crew told me something that changed how I look at things. He said, “The most precious thing you can give anyone is your time.” I didn’t get it at first. My flippant thought was, *Well, I’m here.* Being physically in a place does not mean you …
Mushin: A New Way of Thinking
A while back, Mr. Oliver challenged us to keep our mushin in circumstances we normally lose it. I have long been of the opinion that commuting is not for me. I just don’t like driving. There are any number of ligitmate and ridiculously silly reasons… pollution, car accidents, road rage, discourtesy, the shining blindness off of silver cars, … You …
What Adults can Learn from Kids
This young lady is inspiring. Every adult here should watch this. If you are a parent, share this with your child. Kids are capable of amazing things despite their age. I encourage our Karate kids to think big when it comes to their community projects and this is why. Kids can change the world. http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/adora_svitak.html
The Last Straw…Or is it?
I was intrigued by the verbal judo assignment to identify what makes me angry and to give it a name, know it and own it. Others that know me may think differently but I think it takes a lot to get me angry. It takes more than someone cutting me off on the freeway or a cranky co-worker to impact …
Verbal Judo
Our school is integrating an exciting program called Verbal Judo into our classes. It’s a set of tactical communications lessons that goes hand-in-hand with our existing martial arts curriculum. The goal of Verbal Judo is to redirect negative behavior and reduce conflict through verbal communication. Originally,we taught this methods police officers in the area. The methods are applicable, however, to …
Karate Kids Kick the Trash out of Sacramento
On Saturday, a large group of students at our karate school proved that the martial arts are about much more than punching and kicking. Over 20 students and parents joined forces for the Sacramento Creek Week cleanup. We tackled a long stretch of dry creek bed alongside Park Village street near Freeport and 43rd. The most exciting thing about this …
Mushin and Anger Guards exercise
For the most part, the situations in life that make me need an anger guard are when dealing with other people in crowded places. First, I am particularly sensitive to people hurrying me, or even perceiving that people are hurrying me in any public situation. Using verbal judo in these instances is helpful insomuch as I can recognize the situation …
What I Learned from Girl Scouts
Yes, it’s true. I learned something from Girl Scouts last weekend. Let me explain. I was contacted by a troupe leader recently who was interested in getting her scouts into a short, one-hour self-defense class. I explained what my fee would be (a box of Girl Scout Cookies of course!) and we set a date. That day at the center, …
Bullies are in our Sacramento Schools
Bullying is a big problem in our society. If you are like me, your heart goes out to children that get bullied everyday. Many people have been following the case of Pheobe Prince, a young lady that committed suicide as a result of relentless bullying. But bullying is a problem here in Sacramento as well. This story aired recently on …
Hot buttons …
Recently Sensei Oliver asked the Little Dragons to complete a worksheet about recognizing and controlling their anger. The sheet asked them to think about what pushes their “hot buttons” and what they could do to recognize, minimize and counter the negative feelings that arise when anger sets in. My daughter listed two items: her little sister tearing her homework and …