Can You Be A Diamond?

A diamond doesn't start out polished and shining. It once was nothing special, but with enough pressure and time, becomes spectacular. Can you be that Diamond? Do you have what it takes to put in the time and take the pressure. If you do, expect big things and if you cannot, don't make excuses for where you are. Get out that and become that diamond!

Three types of motivation

There are three types of motivation:

Desperation

Inspiration

Purpose

A clear purpose will sustain you thru challenging times and keep you on track during tempting times.
What is your purpose? Create a clear vision of it and then visit that vision often.

Crabbing and A Life Lesson

One of my fondest childhood memories is crab fishing with my grandfather. He would often take the grand kids and our parents "Down the Shore" to catch some Jersey blue claws. On one particular crabbing trip I noticed the crab bucket did not have a top on it. I asked my grandfather why the crabs were not able to escape. My grandfather’s explanation taught me a valuable lesson.

My grandfather said, “If there was only one crab in the bucket it would certainly escape. However, when there is more than one crab in the bucket, if one tries to crawl out, the other crabs would grab hold and pull it back down so that it would share the same fate as the rest of them.”

I have learned over time this is true with people. If one person attempts to better himself, other people will attempt to drag him back down to share their fate.

Ignore the crabs if you want to be a success in life.

BULLY: Official Trailer

This year, over 5 million American kids will be bullied at school, online, on the bus, at home, through their cell phones and on the streets of their towns, making it the most common form of violence young people in this country experience. The Bully Project is the first feature documentary film to show how we've all been affected by bullying, whether we've been victims, perpetrators or stood silent witness. The world we inhabit as adults begins on the playground. The Bully Project opens on the first day of school. For the more than 5 million kids who'll be bullied this year in the United States, it's a day filled with more anxiety and foreboding than excitement. As the sun rises and school busses across the country overflow with backpacks, brass instruments and the rambunctious sounds of raging hormones, this is a ride into the unknown.

Is sitting the new smoking?

I came across an article in USA Today about the major health risks associated with sitting. And guess what... even if someone gets the recommended "30 minutes a day of moderate exercise" it is still not enough.

Here's a quick summery of the findings...

"A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) as well as findings released late last year by the American In stitute for Cancer Research are causing experts to reconsider the importance of moving throughout the day in addition to getting regular exercise."

Basically, we all have to "MOVE" throughout the day too.

"Is sitting the new smoking?" 

The article compared sitting all day to the damage caused by smoking. WOW!

The Five Steps to Being a Good Student

1 = Pay Attention
2 = Embrace Repetition
3 = Review without Regret
4 = Speed from relaxation and breathing
5 = Practice Self Discipline ( Do what you need to do)

ATTENTION PARENTS: Could this happen to your Child.

Girl attributes escape to her "stranger danger" training. Does your child have stranger awareness training? Or the physical skills, confidence and mindset to be able to act if something like this happened?

 

The Optimist Creed

This was written by Christian D Larson 100 years ago.

Reading this first thing in the morning is a great way to start your day

Promise Yourself ...
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Stats on TV Viewing Time

Wow! Can You Believe It???
Children & Adolescents Spend 22 to 28 Hours Per Week Watching TV.
That's More Than Any Other Activity (Except Sleeping)
If they keep up this pace they will have watched 7 to 10 years of TV by age 70!

Life is NOT a Spectator Sport!

Simple Strategies for Raising Extraordinary Children: “The 5 Skills of Listening!”

It’s frustrating when our children don’t seem to listen, isn’t it?

And when they don’t pay attention to what you are saying at home, you have to wonder how much they are missing at school!

In my years of teaching Martial Arts, I’ve learned a 5 step approach to teach the skill of listening. You can easily teach these 5 steps to your child.

1.) The Listening Posture: Teach your child that when it’s time to listen they must sit or stand up straight. Shoulders back, lift the chest a little. Chin high. This alone can double listening retention!

2.) Direct Eye Contact is Essential: Insist on it when you are speaking to your child. She will then be able to focus on the words being said.

3.) Repeat the Message Back to the Speaker When Possible: For example, a child might say, “So Mom, You’d like me to clean up my room and feed the cat before I play on the computer?” This lets the speaker know your child has understood.

4.) Ask Questions: Coach your children to ask respectful questions This shows that they are paying attention, and care about what the other person is saying.

5.) Look for More Information: Especially with older children, train them to ask themselves, “How does the speaker feel about what they are saying? Are they Angry? Bored? Interested? Concerned?

Obesity has risen slightly in the USA over the last 10 years

Obesity in the USA has inched up slightly over the past decade, mainly because of weight gain among men and boys, new government statistics show.

The average body mass index (BMI) of men rose to 28.7 in 2010 up from 27.7 in 2000.

For women the average BMI remained unchanged at about 28.5.

The percentage of obese men increased to 35.5% in 2010, up from 27.5% in 2000. About 35.8% of women were obese in 2010, not a significant change from 2000. Adults are considered obese if they are roughly 30 or more pounds over a healthy weight.

About 16.9% of children and adolescents, ages 2 to 19, were obese in 2010, up 13.9% from 2000. This was mostly because of an increase in the percentage of boys who are obese.

Even though the bulge has "leveled off" isn't this crazy?

Is Your Child Addicted To Video Games?

61% of Kids Play Video Games EVERYDAY!

According to California State University the average Pre-Teen spends 3 Hours Per Day playing video games. The same study concluded that excessive video game play may lead to ADHD.

“The problems with video games is their addictive nature. They make other activities seem boring! Physical Activity, School Work and Family Time Just Can't Compete!”
- Larry Winget, Author of: Your Kids are Your Own Fault

Our Demonstration Team in Action!

Take action and make your goals a reality

Taking action on your goals is kind of like a bird learning to fly. The first step and leap of faith is or can be scary but, it is absolutely necessary for success! Don't let the fear of failure hold you back. Believe in your abilities and take that first step/leap of faith and soar to new heights!

What Can Breakfast Teach Us About Commitment?

Have you ever heard that one about the Ham & Eggs breakfast?
 

The chicken was involved - the pig was committed.

How to Get In Shape and Stay Fit With Cage Fitness

Losing weight takes a lot of time, energy, and will to get that perfect weight and figure you’ve always dreamed of. But before going to the proper step-by-step how-to’s, let us first warm our minds up on the right information about this weight loss and fitness stuff.

Health is Wealth

 Being wealthy is neither about acquiring all the riches in the world nor getting whatever you want with just a snap of the fingers. It’s more about investing something from an earlier period of your life and being able to continuously use it perfectly until you grow old. No material thing can be such an investment because one day they come, and before you know it, they go. For instance, the money you earn today may be the car you’ll be driving tomorrow. But automobiles don’t last that long either; sooner or later, their parts will get rusty until they become broken and useless in time.
The real richness in this world is being happy – being able to do what you want to do, when you want to do it. It makes no sense to achieve happiness and success if you're not healthy and fit.


Healthy People

People who are considered “healthy” are those who are physically and mentally fit. CAGE FITNESS at MVP Taekwondo Center gets you fit physically and mentally, but we'll get back to that in a sec. Physical fitness is the ability of the human body to function with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to engage in leisure activities, and to meet physical stresses. Muscular strength, endurance, stamina, and general alertness are the overt signs of being physically fit. CAGE FITNESS sharpens these qualities.


Your level of physical fitness can be influenced by regular, systematic exercise and proper nutrition. Regular is key. Our classes enable our students to develop discipline through routine and support. Moderate activity in between CAGE FITNESS classes will maintain you at a level that is usually adequate to handle ordinary stress, while right diet affects energy expenditure. Overweight, underweight, and weak individuals have low fitness levels.


On the other hand, mental fitness refers to the psychological state of well-being, characterized by continuing personal growth, a sense of purpose in life, self-acceptance, and positive relations with others. As you focus on your training, challenge yourself to break out of your comfort zone and meet new friends you “stretch your mental toughness.”

The great thing about CAGE FITNESS at MVP Taekwondo Center is you get the best of both worlds.

How we see our children = How they see themselves (Their Self-Image)

Dr. Maxwell Maltz found that the way we see ourselves directly relates to what we are capable of achieving. The beliefs we have about ourselves are a compilation of our past experiences and what others have told us since we were children.

Your child is going to believe what you tell him about himself. If you make consistent positive deposits to your child’s self-image, than your child will grow up believing he is capable of great things.

If your word deposits are negative than that is what your child will grow up believing. If the latter is the Your child will have to UN- learn the negative images that you have painted for him, whether you meant to or not.

Many times I run into parents who inform me that their son or daughter is “shy.” I particular take an interest in these children because I firmly believe that martial-arts are a great way to break them out of that shell!

I particularly remember a little girl who was just about to turn five years old. She was “tiny” and petite therefore her parents believed her stature controlled the confidence she had in herself. I’m not quit sure but I wouldn’t doubt if her parents told her things like “you’re smaller so be careful” Obviously if she was “small for her age” she would have figured that out and then asked why the other kids were bigger.

Never the less, the little girl was very hesitant to take classes. When she finally did a couple of lessons she did very well.

One evening her parents walked into the school appearing frustrated with her. They had her martial arts uniform in hand and began to explain that she did not want to take martial arts classes any more.

I very gently and with a lot of concern got down on one knee. I said in a warm loving caring tone: “Do you just not want to do martial arts class today or do you not want to do it ever again?” At this point she informed me that it was just today!

Her father became very angry and told her to “make up her mind!” It seemed to me as though this little girl was feeling a little bit of anxiety because it was just her third visit. We wanted to give her enough time for free until she felt comfortable. Usually this takes no longer than one to four classes - in most cases one.

The lesson I gather from this story is simple. The little girl was just living up to the shy label that her parents had given her in the months and years prior. She had actually stretched her self-image in the previous two visits, but like a rubber band snapping back was her parents’ conviction that she was shy. Do not label your kids unless you are one hundred percent sure the label will be one that you want them to live up to!

In my career working with parents I’ve seen parents whose message to their child’s self-image was positive and those whose messages were negative. Many parents make the mistake of labeling their children as shy, UN-coordinated, UN-disciplined, or quitters! Knowing what you now know I’m positive that you will be careful of the label you give your child.

What A Crumpled Piece of Paper Can Teach Kids About Bullying

A teacher in New York was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform. She had the children take a piece of paper and told them to crumple it up, stamp on it and really mess it up but do not rip it. 

Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty is was. She then told them to tell it they’re sorry. Now even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind. And that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it.

That is what happens when a child bully’s another child, they may say they’re sorry but the scars are there forever. The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.

Winners are Determined to Win Big!

Champions in life set big goals for themselves.

Winners set their sights on large scale achievement. It juices them and motivates them to take massive action in pursuit of a worthy goal or objective. It becomes their primary target in life and has a very positive influence on all aspects of their life.

Highly successful people have developed something called a dogged determination and an endless energy for achievement.

In sports, in business and in the Martial Arts, there are countless stories of Champions overcoming the odds and obstacles that get in their way. Why? Because they were determined to successes no matter what obstacles interfere.

The bigger the goal...the bigger the obstacles. Mostly truly worthwhile achievements are usually very difficult to accomplish. In the big scheme of life, tougher goals tend to toughen us up.

Sometimes real life can be tough. It's been said that the tougher that we are on ourselves, the easier life will be on us. Many people love training for Black Belt and beyond, they understand that it is meant to be a challenging goal.

It brings challenges of skill, will and desire. It brings out the best in all of us and make us better in every way. We become stronger and stronger...mentally, physically, and emotionally.

A person with a strong will...a determined to win attitude...will go much farther in life than someone that is quick to give in to obstacles and setbacks.

The next time you encounter an obstacle and are tempted to give up on your goal, think like a winner...

Winners are determined to Win big in life!

Success Imprints

“Self-Confidence arises from ‘success imprints’ that were acquired early in life through some kind of positive life-experience. It comes from within and is imprinted their through past successes…. Those fortunate people who were told by some important role model or mentor that they were bright, hard workers, or destined for success had a message imprinted onto their psyche, and most of the time have lived to fulfill that prophesy…. Anyone who has successfully achieved something that was thought to be difficult or impossible has experienced a success imprint.”

These words come from Dr. Gene Landrum’s book 8 Keys to Greatness. In this excellent book Dr. Landrum studied the lives of men and women who rose to the top of their fields. Men and women like: Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Catherine the great, Frank Lloyd Write, Oprah Windfrey, and Michael Jordan. The book linked many common traits to each one of these great people, but one paragraph stood out for me.

Do you see the significance of this paragraph? To me it means; Kids who experience success early in life can build on that success. How great is that! What a great thing to not only understand as a parent, but also implement… Personally, I want my son to experience as much success as possible as early as possible so that it will be “imprinted” on his mind. This tells me I should pay close attention to the things I do and especially the things I say.

Tell your children you believe in them and remember that telling is not enough - we must show. Think about that nice mom who didn’t even realize she was sabotaging her son self-esteem by hesitating so much on the decision of taking martial arts. She was worried he “might quit.” What she was saying is “I don't believe in you!”

Set goals for your children and help them work toward them, just don’t accomplish the goal for them. If they get off course, re-adjust. And keep in mind that failure imprints our left from being a quitter. We want success imprints not failure imprints.