I have
mentioned in class that martial arts (at least traditional martial arts like
Han Moo Kwan) are not something you do a few hours a month, but it is a
lifestyle; it is the way you live your life and grow through it.
So, what does it look like when
it is a lifestyle? Before I start
listing many examples, I will preface that as a lifestyle, it does not mean you
are perfect in all the items below all the time. Martial arts, even as a lifestyle, is a
practice, which means you continually strive to do these things and note when
you may have fallen short and work to do better next time.
Be Grounded
You are grounded and move from
your center in everything you do. You
move through / from your center as part of how you move in the world, whether
it is walking, running, sitting, standing, hiking, lifting weights, etc.
Be Focused
You remain focused on the task at
hand versus being distracted, and laser focused in situations that are critical
(examples: a critical conversation at work that could be the difference between
an employee quitting or staying; critical conversation with your child or
spouse, or driving a car where distractions can cause a collision resulting in
injury or worse).
In Control and Self-Aware
You control the situation. You are not reactive to aggressive behavior
whether it is an angry friend, co-worker, manager, customer, or aggressive
driver. You are not over sympathetic to people
who are being manipulative. You are not
reacting to someone’s behavior that you are not happy with. You are able to be in control of yourself and
not be controlled and stay calm under emotional or mental stress. You are aware of your triggers and practice
staying in control through mental exercises or actions like deep breathing.
Be Disciplined and
Demonstrate Commitment
You practice discipline in your
everyday life. You work to meet your commitments
on time. You continue to push through
one step at a time and be persistent to achieve your goals, complete projects,
learn a new skill, etc.
Be Balanced
You practice being balanced in
your everyday life. This means being
physically balanced in your other physical activities but also encompassing the
concepts to other aspects of your life.
To be physically balanced you are not overextending or pushing too hard
or trying to muscle through things, such that you are overexerted and get
injured or cannot sustain the activity.
This can apply to mental and emotional balance as well, not pushing too
hard and overextending yourself such that you cannot sustain or are easily
exhausted.
Positive Mindset
You
maintain a positive mindset in everything you do, especially in the most challenging
times. This means continuing to work on it and persevere and not just give up because it appears to be difficult
at first or you are not succeeding in the beginning. A great quote by the legendary 16th
Century samurai Miyamoto Musashi is "It may seem difficult at first, but
everything is difficult at first".
This can apply to learning a new physical skill; a new task or role at
work; meeting a challenging deadline or customer demand, etc.
Practice Continuous Learning and
Self-Improvement
You are open to learning and
continue to learn whether that is learning more about subjects you are familiar
with already or learning something totally new.
You are open to learning and do not let new things stop you from trying.
You practice self-improvement and strive
to always be /get better in everything in your life (examples: your hobbies;
communication with a spouse / partner or a manager / co-worker).
These are several examples of
what it means instilling what you learn in the dojang as part of your everyday
life and therefore becoming part of your lifestyle and who you are;
not just what you do 1-2 hours a week.
Regards,
Kelly
After asked why we practice the
reply was “To better ourselves.” ~ Mr. Ui Jung Kim, 6th Degree Black Belt,
Founder of the Han Moo Kwan Club, Sunnyvale, CA
