A favorite Zen story of mine, that I like to share with my karate students is called “Muddy Road”. It goes something like this: Two monks, Tanzan and Ekido were once traveling together down a muddy road while walking on a 20 mile journey to their temple. The road was muddy due to an earlier […]
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In my karate school, we have a Code of Ethic that says, ” I will give so much time to the improvement of myself that I will have no time to criticize others”. It is easy to criticize and point out the faults of another person, and sometimes a challenge to see the good in […]
As you move towards a new year, remember the lessons that you’ve learned this year, and the positive changes you will make moving forward. There may come a time when you will need to walk away from all the senseless drama, spiteful criticisms, misguided opinions, and people who create it, and surround yourself with positive […]
Benjamin Franklin said, “The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.” Do you tend to consistently pursue happiness or do you find yourself at times focusing on what you don’t have or lack? Our minds are naturally drawn to focus on lack and what we don’t currently […]
No one ever dies from a snake bite. It’s the venom that continues to pour through your system after the bite that ends up destroying you. Choosing to hold on to resentment is like allowing venom to run through your body. I believe there are no justified resentments, regardless of what you’ve been through. Someone […]
We’ve all heard the expression that Christmas is not just about giving and receiving gifts, it’s about the spirit of Christmas, which brings about love, kindness, and generosity, among many other emotions and positive actions. But regardless, each year, many individuals continue to overextend themselves financially, as they charge up those credit cards, feeling compelled […]
I was watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas this weekend, and was reminded of a very valuable life lesson. Even though the Grinch comes down from his mountaintop home and sneaks into town to swipe everything holiday-related from the citizens of Whoville, he finds the next morning that his ill meaning acts did not deprive […]
There may be times when you may experience difficult times in your life, and things may not go as planned. When facing some of life’s challenges, always keep in mind that the future can be better, and you have the power to make it so. Know that life offers us a second chance each day, […]
Your chances of success in anything you choose to do is measured by your belief in yourself. It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not. Where you are from, or circumstances from your past, cannot hold you back unless you choose to allow them to, and many people […]
With each new day, we are given the opportunity to be a blessing to others. When you go out of your way to be a blessing to others, you open the doors to receive more blessings yourself. Sometimes when you may be feeling a bit down, showing kindness towards another or just doing a random […]