As a karate practitioner slash junkie for twenty years now, I have seen and experienced many bumps in the wanting to better myself road. Most of the years were as a student, and now I have the pleasure of teaching so I know first hand some things that students can and should avoid to help clear their path to learning.
Poor nutrition choices
Have you ever done something you thought was healthy and realized years later how wrong you were? This happened to me. For years I was training karate four times a week and eating what I thought was a healthy diet. I was following the USDA food pyramid. Burning a zillion calories and eating carbs constantly. I began to have gastro issues and suffered from serious drops in blood sugar -aka- HANGRY.
My husband and I stumbled upon the paleo lifestyle in 2010 and it has completely turned my health around. The moment, and I mean the exact moment I gave up grains, all of my digestion issues evaporated. No more gas! No more acid reflux! I got lean without even trying!
In the Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf, he debunks the fat is evil myth and also explains the gut-brain connection. It was an eye-opening education on nutrition and I highly recommend you read it.
In the meantime try to incorporate some of these ideas into your routine.
~Cook at home and learn to love it- Plan your weekly meals, make your grocery list, cook extra when you can, and set aside healthy snacks.
~Eat or feed your kids a snack before their activity and then a small meal when they get home. I’ve seen first-hand kids with full bloated tummies whose performance is affected because they ate too heavy before class. Not to mention the embarrassing flatulence that ensues!
Energy Suckers
I consider energy suckers to be anything that makes me feel tired and uninspired. For me, it was tv. I thought tv was my relaxation time but then I started to pay attention to how I felt after watching it- low energy, bored, uninspired. Blech! Now I read in the evenings. I have been reading a ton of business and leadership books and my mind has become a fertile ground for new ideas and inspirations! What are your energy suckers? Is it a negative friend or co-worker? Social media? Netflix, Prime, YouTube or, video games? Christy Wright talks about in Business Boutique how if we give up some of our habits, it will help us to create time to do more things that breath energy into our lives. So give these suggestions a try,
~Make one small change at a time- instead of watching tv every night, read for two evenings out of the week.
~Instead of looking at your phone when you are bored have a mental list of quick energy giving activities- stretch, organize a drawer or shelf, take a short walk, read a bible passage, or jot down a few lines in your journal.
Ego driven instructors
Run as far and as fast as you can from any martial art school, dance academy, or sports league, whose coaches and instructors don’t keep their ego in check. Look for these signs of a learner-led environment.
~Positive coaching- Instructors and coaches should be praising, encouraging and paying attention to you or your children.
~Teachers that encourage trying new things- Yes, you should get a solid foundation in one type of martial arts before trying a new style, but once you do, expand your learning!
~A Sensei that is interested in the whole student- their likes, hobbies, careers, and interests outside of the dojo.
I am going to challenge you to implement one idea from this article. Make a decision right now. I have learned from experience that a teeny, seemingly insignificant switch can have a magnificent impact over time. I am so excited for you to make one change and see where it takes you! I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
-Carolyn
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