Mainly Void Thoughts

How many people do you think have been in a trance state, ever, in their lives? How many do you think understand they have been?

Perhaps, before answering that question, we should look at what a “trance state” really is and how you can identify it.

According to Milton H. Erickson “trance is the state in which learning and openness to change are most likely to occur.” (Quote from: My Voice Will Go With You – The Teaching Tales of Milton H. Erickson).

From the same book: “Trance, in fact, is a natural state experienced by everyone. Our most familiar experience takes place when we daydream, but other trance states can occur when we meditate, pray, or perform exercise – such as jogging, which has sometimes been called ‘meditation in motion’.”

Have you ever been in a meeting or at a lecture (for example) where the topic has been so interesting that you were so focused on the speaker that everything else around you seemed to simply blend into the background, almost disappearing? Have you ever seen a movie or a video where you had that same reaction? Listened to music and the world just vanishes as you drift off into the song? Driving home, getting there safely, but not remembering anything about the drive?

If you’re training Martial Arts, you’ll recognize similar experiences from training with a partner, sparring or if you compete, being in the ring. Eyesight focus on your opponent, while anything surrounding blends into the background, unless it can become a threat (or an aid), which can then bring that piece into your awareness. Sounds fade as well, unless they signal danger or anything else relevant.

If you can enter this state as well during a training class, you’re likely to find that you’re picking up things you never thought of, or even believed possible. In other words, your mind is more open to learning and absorbing new things.

Meditation or self-hypnosis can aid you in more easily enter such a state as well. Not to mention, it’s a great way to relax your head before you go to bed.

I find it very interesting to see people entering this state, during training or elsewhere. The only reason I have put in the context here of training is that I see this happening, both to myself and others, during training. However, it is beneficial to ones training, so it felt appropriate.

Now, have you experienced this during your training, in class, in school, at work? I would be highly surprised if you can honestly answer this question with a “No, never” …

Everything has (at least) two sides to it. A coin, a piece of paper, a vehicle, all have a front and a back (and at least one side!). Life and death are opposites, yet still interconnected, becoming one. War wouldn’t exist without peace, nor would peace exist without war. Fear wouldn’t exist without calmness and security, nor would calmness or security exist without fear.

How one wishes to perceive these things are usually in their own separate incarnations. Which is completely and utterly wrong in my mind. One side feeds the other while it is diminishing in size. These “opposite” sides can take on a life of their own in a sense, growing, shrinking as they pulsate. Though, one cannot survive without the other. Neither can exist in a vacuum. Consider the symbol of Yin and Yang. Each side is utterly dependant on the other. Without one, the other also perishes. Such is life and such is death, because what would death be without life? A vacuum? No even less, as vacuum is something that can be defined and quantified.

A door has two sides to it as well, showing two completely opposite areas on either side, opening into different parts of different spaces. As it swings, that space changes, hinting at something different than where you are. One has to walk through that opening to see what the other side holds, at the same time leaving behind what is on (what is now) the other side. Passing from life to death is exactly the same thing. Passing from Yin to Yang is yet again the same. All symbolic of a complete transition from one state (of being) to another.

New experiences in ones life can be just as dramatically changing. Sometimes it just takes something small, perhaps just a little thought. Sometimes more extreme things are needed to understand that things have changed without you being aware (not that you didn’t see them, you didn’t look for them or understand them).

In the same fold, the theory of relativity also falls. Everything is relative. Even relativity. Consider something as absolute as time. Even time is relative. How it is perceived. “What time is it?”, “How long did that take?”, “Only five minutes!”, “Felt like two hours!” and so on. There is nothing that isn’t relative to something else. There is nothing that doesn’t have two sides to it.

Love & hate. Rage & serenity. Male & female. Horizontal & vertical. Forward & backwards. Omote & ura.

Everything has two sides, at least. Some have 8. Some have infinite. You just have to find them.

This may be something most will have problems following along with, but it makes perfect sense to me anyway. It’s something I’ve been thinking a lot of recently and received a few lessons in recently. What I’m talking about here is a concept or principle if you may.

With “Letting go” I don’t mean “dropping like a hot plate”. Letting go as a principle has many uses. Most people would think of it in terms of someone close dying and they carry a grief with them, that they eventually need to let go of. This is exactly true, but you can also use the same principle in other areas.

You can let go of:

as a few examples. If you wish, you can split those up into external and internal as well, up to yourself really. First three are internal and the last three are external, of course. Or are they?

As a principle, it is very powerful. All you really have to do is to “let go” of a fear you have? Yes, really. By insistently “hanging on” to it, all you do is feed it. Let it go and feel it shrink and disappear.

Letting go of someone else, well, you hang on they may not like it. If one looks at it from a Martial Arts or fighting perspective, you hang on to someone, they’ll respond by thrashing you more than likely. Same applies if you hang on to someone who wants their own space and their own freedom. Be sure that they will respond by pushing you away. If it is someone you love and cherish, you should step back a bit…

What becomes interesting here is the results of this principle, depending on how you have executed on it. You can harshly let something go, in a fight you may “let someone go” while they get a farewell punch, or you can be gentle and loving while letting go…

You “let go” of someone you love, to allow them space to breathe for themselves, if you have executed well, they’ll return. Such an exercise may even deepen the connection between you. At the same time, if the one you love is no longer going to be there, then “letting go” is of your grief, and ultimately your love, for that person. It all depends on your situation which it is.

On the other hand, in a fight situation, you really do not want them to return, do you? (Unless you really like to hit people I suppose!) Letting go of them harshly then shows them they should probably just stand up, turn around and walk away.

It’s a concept, a principle. It has many uses.

It’s a principle I recently picked up or rather, realised it existed even. By no means have I perfected or even fully understood it. However, it goes hand in hand quite well with space (see previous post) and similar concepts/principles. If you still do not understand what I am talking about here, you can really only realise what I mean by actually trying it. Just remember, every coin has two sides to it. It will become what you make it to be.

Having your own space is important. Having something just for yourself is definitely something we all should have. It doesn’t have to be something you can hold or touch. It can be anything you want it to be. Something I do cherish is to just have my own “head space”. Time dedicated just for my self and my own thoughts. I find that it is something I require to have. It’s not optional for me, I just have way too much happening around me that I feel I want to think about. Not necessarily even conscious thought.

Spending even just a few moments on quiet contemplation, or drifting away while reading a book or listening to music are moments I cherish, as they are spontaneous. Anything may pop up in the back of my head as I drift away from reality.

However, this is not the only kind of “space” I need. I also like to be completely and utterly alone at home sometimes. Might not even be at home! Could just be a walk somewhere. Especially enjoy walking into a thick forest and just listen to what is happening around me. Enjoying all the sensations one get when you’re in a deep forest all alone. It is a liberating experience. Some people love a walk along the sea, I love the trees and the wildlife that inhabits it

If you’re in a relationship, you also need “space” from the spouse, kids, etc. Seriously, getting a bit of time for yourself is great. Not only can you focus on yourself for a while, it also makes everyone realise what is so important about the others in a family or relationship. Just because your with someone doesn’t mean you have to spend every wake (or asleep!) moment with your counterpart!

Being apart also creates space for time to spend together and enjoying that time even more! Being apart can be a great way to be together!

Just because you miss someone, that doesn’t have to mean you must see them right away. Leaving it for a while means seeing the one you want to be with that little bit sweeter. It also allows you to be free on your own, on your terms.

It also means that when you are together, both does things for each other. But things they want to do for the other part. Not doing things because they are asked for, or expected, but because one wants to do something for the other. What that thing is, well, that is a different matter. It can be anything, from just going to dinner in your partners favourite restaurant, taking them out to a venue to see something together, or anything else you may want to give your partner or family member.

But taking that space is the crucial part here. It allows you to separate yourselves from each other, while at the same time building on that special thing shared between you. One might say this goes back to my topic on duality. All things are connected somehow, some way. When you get that space for yourself, you have a much better chance to figure out what exactly is connecting you to those you love and hold dear.

So, do take your space. Take some time for yourself. Enjoy it, just for you. Allow yourself that freedom. It is a freedom that is exceptional and valuable. If you haven’t done this yet, give it a try! Be without your significant other for a week and see how you get on. Did it go well? What did you learn about yourself and what did you figure out about those you cherish? Does it change anything for you? Have you found more things you value? How do you value them? What is good and what is bad? Are you getting the things out of life that you truly want? If not, what can you do about getting closer to that goal?

So many questions that only you can answer for yourself does require this space.

Then, when you have had your space, you can so much better share that space with those you want to share it with. Understanding so much better what you wish to gain from it, and what you are willing to sacrifice of yourself. Yes, sacrifice of yourself. Every relationship holds an amount of self-sacrifice. Most people call it “compromise”. A compromise always holds a certain amount of sacrifice, from both sides.

So, get that space for you. It is a great way to open new doors to new experiences in your life. It is also a great way to close doors that need to be closed. In your own space, you can also let go of things that hold you back, drag you down or even imprison you. Get that space and experience that freedom.

Great movie, if you still haven’t seen it. I had one or two things I got out of it. In particular a couple of lines from a poem Nelson Mandela quoted.

I am the master of my fate.
I am the captor of my soul.

A particular emphasis on “I” should be noted here. It might even be called “defiance” considering he spent 27 years in jail. Considering what he managed to achieve with the country and the people contained within its borders one shouldn’t forget all the hard feelings between blacks and whites. Managing to forgive ones captors after such a long time in captivity, I can’t start to imagine how he managed it. How do you forgive those who essentially took half your life away from you? How do you forgive someone who has beaten you with a stick, just for the colour of your skin?

Consider yourself in this situation, sitting in a cell barely big enough for you to spread your arms out. You have a blanket as your mattress on the concrete floor, a pillow and a chair. This is your home, for a very long time. Nothing you have is yours. You have no family. You have no future. What you can look forward to is a soggy meal and breaking up rocks, while your feet are in chains and the sun unrelentingly beating down on your back. Day in, day out. Week in, week out. Month in Month out. Year in, year out. Years on end. How would you cope? Would you feel that life is hopeless? I don’t think the word “possibly” even should be considered here, as I can guarantee you, that is how you will feel. Anger is pointless as it will only attract a beating, from other inmates or from the wardens.

Then read the above quote again.

There’s a lot of meaning hidden in those two sentences. Would you be able to be so benevolent to those who took everything away from you, and I truly mean everything. Even the food you eat, being allowed a drink of water, basic needs like going to the toilet. At the mercy of someone else. Someone who might beat you with a baton, just because you tried to ask for something you today take for granted.

Read the above quote again.

In the movie, the second sentence has one word changed, probably to underline Nelson Mandela was a captive for so long. In the original, it says “captain” and not “captor”.

Here’s the original text of that poem:

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Everyday, be the master of your fate, be the captain of your soul, then you can conquer any obstacle in your life.

The End of 2010 that is. It’s been some year too!

It all started in January. Myself and the missus were going to head off for a vacation in Austria, going skiing. Anticipiation has, as usual, built up and we’re itching to go! Waking up in the morning, thinking, it’s a tad chilly in here, isn’t it? Yep, 14 Celsius when we usually have no less than 18 when we wake up. Hmm, what’s up here? Hop in the clothes and walk downstairs to check if the schedule had been screwed up on the timer or what .. No, schedule is fine. We’ve got gas in the cooker (the house heating is also gas, both getting delivered through the same pipes) so that isn’t the problem. Pop on out on the balcony.. Cold.. Right, it’s -10 Celsius out .. Should have put on something more than a t-shirt! Ah well, now that I’m here anyway … Opening the door to where the boiler is and …. Yup … It has developed a sudden bout of ice-in-the-pipes and burst … Feck!

We have 2 hours left until we have to be at the airport! Luckily we found a plumber who could come out and replace our boiler, but not until the next day! Crap! Ah well, we have his number, so let’s just give him the keys to the house and pray it won’t be emptied when we get back. Thankfully, he was not just an honest fella, he was fine with waiting for payment until we got back too… All €2500 worth …

Our vacation was great though. We had a blast in the slopes and Nush was loving getting on a snowboard.

Once back I was on track to start changing my life. At the time I was working for Amazon, you know “the book people” .. Must say, I enjoyed working there, but at the same time, it was time to move on. I had at this point realized it’s not just Amazon I want to move away from, but it is the IT work as well. I was starting to get miserable to be honest. I had looked around for other things to do with my life and trying to figure out what I’d be happy doing, while it could still pay the bills. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always enjoy computers and what one can do with them, but I have realized that a hobby that I turned into a career has started to lose its lustre. You know, the very thing that makes it fun and interesting isn’t quite there any longer. Too much work and not enough play I guess is one way to sum it all up.

I’ve always enjoyed talking with people. Just having a chat, seeing how they are, you know? One thing I got to hear a lot in Amazon was that I was talking too much. Hey, it’s who I am. Having a quiet office with nobody to talk to, for me, makes the day very boring, dull and drags it out. So, talking to people was a must for anything I’d take on.

I also realized that I do take a lot of enjoyment out of helping others. I sometimes even go out of my way to help others. Sometimes even way too much out of my way. But, hey, it’s me. I like doing that, so helping others was another must to be in there. But what the heck should I do then? Didn’t really fancy looking at becoming a doctor or anything like that. I’m not one to sit in school and study. I tend to enjoy a quicker pace than most others, so sitting in school has always been way too boring for me. (I did 3 terms worth of maths in 1 term at one stage, because I was bored …)

Alternative medicine however has always seemed interesting to me. So, I started looking at what is happening in that area. You’ve got your Homeopaths, your Acupuncturists, Massage Therapists, Chiropractors and so on .. None of those felt to be something for me … But then .. I stumbled upon something …

Hypnotherapy. But, what the heck is it? You hypnotize someone and then what? Well, I decided I should look closer. It seemed very interesting, lots of different things you could help people with. The whole concept started mesmerizing me. (Funny that!)

So, I went for an introductory course. I was hooked after the first day. Amazing, absolutely amazing. So, I went and took the full course as well and I’m now RC Hyp, Dip Hyp (or in English: Registered and Certified Hypnotherapist, Diploma Hypnotherapist).

In between starting my course and finishing it, I decided I needed to move along with the rest of my life as well and resigned from Amazon. I needed some change of scenery. So I started working for an Investment Bank down in the IFSC (International Financial district in Dublin). Well, not much to say there other than I decided to not continue the whole probation period. SIG and myself went separate ways after 5 months.

Good news there is, more vacation time was had! While I had just quit from Amazon, we decided to go on another ski trip, this time to Arinsal in Andorra. Very nice spot!

Was also over in Sweden over the summer to see my dad and the kids. As always, way too short a stay.

Once I got my Diploma in Hypnotherapy I started looking around to see how I can get my own clinic up and running. Seemingly, this is quite easy here in Ireland. Setting up a clinic that is. It’s getting the clients that’s the crux of the matter. Most clients one would get is through referrals, and how do you get referrals? By treating someone. So, friends and colleagues have been in and the odd client has started popping in. It’s a slow trickle, but it’s getting there.

While the clinic is slowly spinning up I have started working at a company called National Instruments. It’s a really nice company with offices all over the world. Sure, I am still in IT, but I am now working for a company who puts their employees at the forefront. Couldn’t be happier.

First thing they asked as I started was if I could go to the US for two weeks. Of course I can! Excellent! Two weeks in Austin Texas, just as the snow had started coming down over Dublin! -10 Celsius here in Dublin while I enjoyed 24 Celsius in Texas.

I got to meet the team over there, got a much better understanding of the environment, had storage training and squeezed in as many meetings as I could.

Not to mention, I got a chance to train while I was over there as well! Brilliant! So I not only made some new friends at work, I made some new friends outside of work as well.

I’ve learn’t a lot this year. Not just by getting my Diploma, but also about myself, about Martial Arts and so many other things it’s almost scary to sit here and reminisce.

Now, there’s only a few days left of this year. So few one could just count the hours if one wanted. But why sit here and reminisce over what is ending? As with anything else in life, your perceptions will constantly guide you. Instead, look forward to the new beginnings that are about to form. Most people see the New Year as a new start. A way to kick start things. A start for that thing that you really should do. Quit smoking for example. Or perhaps you’re looking to start exercising more? Perhaps a new job is waiting for you? A New Year holds many promises for the future.

But, here’s the kicker … Why don’t you make every day just like that? I found new beginnings several times over the last year. All weren’t good, but some will stay with me for a very long time.

Here’s to new beginnings! Cheers folks!

What makes someone a hero? Going to a foreign land, gun in hand, fighting a cause determined by his superiors? What cause is worth fighting for? Who’s cause? Why should you  fight for someone else? What is so important you have to go to a foreign land?

Media is filled these days with news about “terrorists”. Someone trying to make a living is a terrorist? Someone fighting for food and their own survival is a terrorist? What truly makes a terrorist a terrorist? Because someone labels them as such or because of the actions they take? What makes a soldier different to a terrorist?

On this time of the year, I am always thinking of those less fortunate than myself. Those without a big ham on their table. Those without heating. Those without a roof over their heads or even shelter. Those are the people to fight for. The rights of those people as well as the rights of myself. My rights as a human being are worth no more than a home less person. Worth no less.

So, what really makes a hero? Is a hero someone that stands guard over the vast opium fields in Afghanistan, because some government told them to? Is a hero someone that hands out food to the homeless? Which do you think is the bigger hero of the two?

Is a hero someone that convinces this lonely, tired, desperate person not to take their own life this Christmas? Is it someone that helps an elderly person across the street? Is a hero someone that aims a weapon at a religious gathering and fires rockets across borders, killing indiscriminately?

Typing this out, it seems obvious who are the real heroes. Watching the news bites however, I do not see heroes. I see soldiers carrying out orders from people who do not care who dies, as long as their objectives are carried out.

Where is your battle field? Who and what are you fighting for?

Personally, I find that guarding an opium field is just wrong. Burn the thing down instead!

A 5 year old, fighting cancer is much more heroic. Pick your battles in life and pick them well, they are what defines you and what you stand for. Let’s make a better world. Help your neighbour dig their car from under the snow. Spend an hour handing out food in a shelter. This is Christmas! Opium fields have never helped anyone but those making money out of them. Look after your family instead and your much more the hero. Help someone get home to see their family.

Being a hero starts every day you wake up. Every time you can make someones day better, you’re a hero. Every time you can help someone pack their grocery bags, you’re a hero.

To me, a fire fighter is a hero. An ambulance driver. A nurse. Those are heroes.

People guarding opium fields are just guards. People fighting over the opium fields are just thieves and thugs. People firing rockets into weddings, over borders, into civilian population, these are not heroes.

The police and rescue services who tried saving lives at a disaster are heroes. If you’ve ever helped anyone to get to a hospital or get medical attention, you’re a hero.

In other words, looking after your fellow man makes you a hero. Standing up for what is right makes you a hero. Disobeying an order to fire at innocents while you are wearing a uniform makes you a hero.

Be a hero this Christmas. It is not that hard. You just have to do something with love towards someone you love, or someone you have just met. You don’t even need to know their name. You just have to show compassion, and isn’t that what Christmas really is about?

Christmas isn’t really about getting lots of presents. It’s about becoming a hero to someone. Someone who needs you.

One thing that people usually forget is that everything you have learnt and will learn in life can be applied not just to the subject matter in which is was learnt, but in any other subject matter you encounter in life. You can learn something about cars and use that same principle in lots of other areas too, if you just listen to the lesson and grasp the principle behind it.

As you probably know, I train in a Martial Art. How can principles learnt while fighting someone be applied to anything else in life? It’s quite simple really. All you really need is a little bit of imagination. I will here touch on three completely different subject areas, but I will take one principle and apply it appropriately to each area. Let’s pick a lesson from Martial Arts, then apply some imagination and then I’ll let you use your own imagination as we take that same lesson into something every human thinks about, sex.

Yes, you read that right! I’m sure you’re now thinking that this will end up being some sado-masocisthic blog post, right? Not at all. Quite on the contrary actually! The subject areas could really be anything, but this may show you some contrasts and commonalities and how your own imagination can transform your life.

When you start training in a Martial Art, you’ll be shown basics and you’ll likely be told that the basics are the most important techniques you’ll learn. Practice your basics and higher level techniques will then also become better. I can tell, your imagination is already skipping forward. So, hang in there and we’ll get to that in a moment.

So, let’s use our imagination a bit and consider the above fact. If you really think of it, the above statement holds true in anything you want to get better in. It could be some topic at work, some sport you train or compete in, even cooking. Take each component in whatever subject matter you wish and you will see that if you can get the basics right and improve your skills the end result will also be so much better, right?

Take this into the context of being with your partner then. Remember your first kiss? It was probably shit if you think of it objectively. But through the years, hopefully, you get more chances to practice that technique and eventually your skills in kissing someone improves. Should you stop trying to get better? Nah, why should you? That’s no fun right?

Next thing that your Martial Arts instructor will probably tell you a lot is to slow it down. This is so you can more easily see, feel and understand what the technique itself has to teach you. You’ll find openings in yourself where you are vulnerable, openings in your opponent where you can strike, weird or interesting angles that changes what opportunities you have or not have. It’ll show you at what points you’re doing something right, but more importantly where you are doing something wrong.

Using your imagination next, let’s consider something that a lot of people do. At a certain age you can start driving a car. You’ll be driving in lots of different road conditions and weather conditions. On a dry road it is very easy to keep high speeds and still be in control. Driving fast is not necessarily a mark on you being a good driver. As adverse weather rolls in controlling the car safely becomes harder as it may lose traction a lot sooner and easier. Roads that has water on them are not as safe as a dry road. Roads with icy spots are yet again not as safe as a wet road. Roads with thick ice and a bit of snow on top is less safe again. The key then to drive safely is not to be driving fast, but to drive at a speed where you can safely control your vehicle. Look at Ireland recently. Slow down and you’ll much sooner notice when the road becomes unsafe or when the car is starting to lose traction. If you slow down, you can then control the car and take yourself out of a potentially lethal situation. Driving fast will more than likely get you injured or killed.

Now, if we take this into the realm of sex, I’m sure you can already see direct correlations here. Lads, how many times have you had a woman tell you to slow it down and not just jump in there? Again, slowing things down will make it much easier for you to figure out what makes your partner tick, sigh, squirm and enjoy what you’re doing.

Everyone that starts in a Martial Art will at some stage be told to relax. In the dojo you will find someone that is very rigid and really goes at it with lots of force and strength. Also known as “being martial”. Doing this will probably hold you back eventually and eventually you’ll not progress and get any better at what you do. Your techniques may look good, but you may find yourself getting beaten when ending up sparring or worst case on the streets in a real fight.

Let’s consider a punch, aimed at your belly. Your natural reaction is to tense up as you receive the punch and more than likely you’ll get winded. All because you’re tensing up, you lock up your entire body. Once the air rushes out of your lungs, that fight is over. If you instead relax your abdomen a bit you can absorb a lot of the force and thereby not get winded. As you haven’t locked up your body you can also move out of the way to a much safer position, leading to you staying in the fight or surviving a potentially lethal situation.

Again, taking this into the context of sex, what can you learn here? Well, if you tense up you’re also losing control of your body in this situation as well! It becomes harder to breathe for example. If you relax, you could enjoy the moment for longer and thereby have more stamina and definitely a much nicer experience.

Another thing that is said to us in the dojo is that soke never does the same technique twice. Soke is the japanese word for Grand Master. He is the person who decides what direction the Martial Art is taking and so on. He is therefore a very important person in any Martial Art. But why doesn’t he do the same technique twice? Well, no two situations are the same. Not even if you practice the same technique over and over again. Each time a strike or kick is making its way towards you, there will always be slight differences. Learning to use those differences to ones advantage is a key factor. If you end up on the street in a fight and you expect your opponent to behave in some specific pattern, you’ll end up on the ground bleeding. No person reacts exactly the same as any other person. Not even if the same thing happens twice in a row as they have learnt something from the first time it happened to them.

Let’s consider something that Einstein once said: “The height of insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different outcome.” He mean this in the context of science and expecting different test results from the same tests. Science is very absolute in this regard, but so is expectations, which is a very relative term. In order for you to get a different test result, you have to change the test in some way. Could be simply slightly different mix of ingredients or perhaps adding or removing some component. What is important to understand here is that the second time you do the same thing, the result is already known and can be expected to be just what it was the first time. You should expect this, because others will expect this as well. Something needs to change for it to be different.

Again, this also holds true when it comes to sex. Keep on doing the same thing over and over again become boring. Really boring. Eventually you may even have a schedule when you’ll have sex. Does this sound like fun? Does this sound like something you’ll want to have for the rest of your life? Nah, not only change what you do, but when, how and where. You’ll have lots more fun that way, right?

So, to those of you training in Martial Arts, what other lessons and principles can you apply to your daily life that you learn in the dojo? What lessons from your every day life can you apply to Martial Arts?

Those of you not training Martial Arts, what lessons have you learnt at work that you can use at home?

To all of you, remember this, your imagination is the most powerful force you have at your disposal. You can imagine anything you want and if you work towards that imagined goal, eventually you’ll get there, and as I showed above, there might be some fun along the way too!

Never forget, everything you have learnt so far you can use any way you see fit. All you need to do is being open to new ideas. Both your own and others.

Hopefully this learnt you something, but more importantly I hope this may open new doors in your life and shine a light on that something you want to have improved and given you some ideas on what you can do to get it resolved.