The world today is constantly in an emotional tug of war and social media is a breeding ground for the wildest ones to occur. Personally, I see narcissism and depression being promoted as fashionable. To the sufferer, it only strengthens the blindness. So, here’s a question all of us need to consider. Is there an internal protocol you can develop to turn yourself around when it starts to happen? My opinion is that there is and it will only work if there is belief in it.
In my opinion, anything is trainable. Fill in the blank of this old quote, “Practice makes __________.” If you used perfect, then I’ll argue that is incorrect. If there is no such thing as perfect, then better would be, “Practice makes habit.” Since there are good habits and bad habits, then the new thought has integrity. Check out a scenario or two.
Scenario 1: Let’s say you see someone about to get run over by a car. Do you yell a warning to get to safety or do you whip out your phone and record it? The logical thing to do, if you have morality, is to warn them or push them out of the way. Its strange to know that there are people in this world who would take their phone out to record it and post it for likes and shares. The internal protocol I mentioned earlier is missing. How do you practice warning others about danger? Is there a place for that?
Scenario 2: Someone you really care about doesn’t believe anymore and wants to give up on everything. Do you let them or do you bring them back? Since we cannot babysit everyone we care about 24/7 and it will take more than a 10 minute pep talk, how is this accomplished? What can be used to serve as a beacon that stands for confidence?
Scenario 3: Now you are the one who no longer believes and wants to give up. There is a self awareness that needs to exist that scenario 2 mentions. Most people I find remove themselves from this beacon as an offering of respect because they don’t want to poison what the beacon stands for. A second way these people remove themselves is as a way to lash out at what took their confidence away when in fact, they are conceding to the notion. Is there a way to practice perseverance?
Martial arts is the answer so many of us believe in. At the tip of the iceberg, the common world only sees physicality and aggression. The internal world of martial arts reveals philosophy, discipline and human connections or relationships. There is only one practice I know of that strengthens protection skills when possibilities of danger exist as we must be ready when it is needed. Its the place of practice where the beacon of confidence stands. It always serves inspiration despite what the world broadcasts. It is the place that many of us practice perseverance through physical means. Mind, body and spirit are one so we use the physical world to practice all three. From technique, achieving the next rank, passing the beginner to advanced mental tests and conquering self doubt a little bit at a time.
In fitness, saying things like, “Ok, I’m fit now. I don’t have to do it anymore.” doesn’t make sense. It should be a life long endevour. The same goes with discipline and perseverance.
This marathon of constant and never ending improvement will have steep hills. That is for certain. Keep practice alive even when the body can no longer do what it used to. There is still the mind and spirit who maintain the essence of what the body did. Turning ourselves around, believing in others and respecting the beacon of our practice will stand the test of time.
Keep training.
