Today while teaching a class on falling (an important martial arts skill) I had a funny exchange with one of my students; we talked about how much toddlers fall down in the process of learning to walk and be stable. Each time they fall, they get right back up again. Generally there’s no crying or interruption, except if they’re tired Read More …
“Be realistic”, “Don’t set yourself up for disappointment”, “Grow up and get a real job”. There will always be doubters when you set yourself on the road less travelled. If you succeed in stepping out of the ‘realistic’ route then you’ll cast a light on the limitations of others. This light can be painful. So the small try to keep Read More …
Ideas you have had for a long time live inside you. On a physical or spiritual level. You feel them; you don’t think them. They govern your reactions to the world on an impulsive level. When you decide you want to change a way you have operated for a long time, that change has to touch you at a fundamental Read More …
Embracing a full sense of personal responsibility is a powerful and challenging journey. Personal responsibility says both “I have a power in creating my world” and “I am responsible for what is created both good and bad”. Taking on this sense of power can be tremendously liberating and can help you realize an ability to alter every possible situation in Read More …
Sometimes extending trust feels like it requires a leap of ‘faith’ I think more rightly it should be done with a leap of intellect. To extend yourself positively (in good faith as it were) you need to live in a position of choice. You have to ‘act’ with trust. Part of extending trust to another is extending it to yourself Read More …
“Arte, Ardore, Onore” is the motto of my martial arts school Academie Duello, which simply means: skill, passion, honour. These are the three guiding principles of our school. To practice the art as authentically as possible; to pursue and feed our passions for a happier, more fulfilling life; and to honour our teachers, training partners, and opponents. Arte, Ardore, Onore Read More …
If you’re shut down by a team member or you encounter some behaviour that impedes you in being heard, being your best, or sharing the best expression of you, it behooves you to address that block within the team “When you act in this way it shuts me down”. It is worth the investment and it is in the team’s Read More …
Martial arts have been a big part of my life since I was a child. I started first with Kung Fu then Arnis/Eskrima and most largely Western Martial Arts (those I teach and practice at my school Academie Duello). I am often asked why people practice martial arts or why I practice swordplay specifically – considering it’s unlikely that I’ll Read More …
Having a good day hinges largely on how you start it. Over years I have built a start of day routine (at least for my work days) that I feel gets me off on the right foot. Here’s what I do: 1st – Alignment I follow a process in my life called Alignment where I align my personal growth toward Read More …
I have been on a kick lately of really getting on board with this idea. In the past I had cultivated a very solid set of strategies for calming my psyche in times of stress. I would feel stress, sit and process that stress, untangle it and work to resolve it before moving forward. Don’t get me wrong, these are Read More …