Good Morning
Just letting everyone know about our Child Safety Seminar that we are hosting on Saturday June 4th from 2pm to 3pm here at Cobourg Tae Kwon Do. We will cover a bunch of safety tips for children as well as some self defense techniques to help keep them safe during the summer when they are out and about playing with their friends. This is a free community event. So let all your friends and family know about this free event.
Master Jonathan Field
Good Morning
I read this story yesterday and I thought I would share it with all of you today.
There was a dog who would be tied up to a pull on a twelve foot chain in his yard when he was outside. He was a happy little guy who loved to play. Every time some other dogs would come by he would run towards them to meet them. However when he reached the end of his chain it would hold him back from going any further. This would happen time after time after time. The owner of the dog felt sad and sorry for his little friend so one day he took the chain off the pole in which it was attached too. The chain was still on the collar of the dog though. So the next time some other dogs came by the dog took off running towards them. When he reached the length which the chain would normally stop him the dog should stopped on his own. He has been trained to stop at that distance. Even though the chain was now not restricting him it was still holding him back. This made the owner of the little dog sad as well. He wanted his little buddy to be happy and go explore and play with the other dogs.
The chain holding the dog back is a metaphor for what is holding you back in life. Is there really something holding you back or is it you that holds you back from accomplishing big things?
Master Jonathan Field
I came across this picture yesterday and it speaks volume.
Everyone has the power to make someone else happy. Some do it by entering the room, while some do it by leaving.
Be the kind of person that makes people happy to see you. Be the person that people want to read your social media posts. Be the person that inspires others. Be the person that everyone enjoys being around.
Don’t be that person that everyone is happy when they finally leave the room. Why be the person that pollutes everyones’ social media newsfeed with negativity? Why be the person that makes everyone else uncomfortable to be around? Why be the person that spreads negativity where negativity doesn’t belong?
Be the kind of person that you would enjoy being around. Be the person that lifts people up. Be the person that cares. Be the person who is loyal. Be the person that thinks before they act.
Basically be a good person that you would want your son or daughter to grow up to be like. Basically be a decent human being to everyone. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Master Jonathan Field
Good Morning
Well so far the training for my 6th degree black belt is going well. Starting out slowly and will build up the intensity as time goes on. This way I don’t burn myself out early and I can peak at the right moment. Proper training is really a fine tuned science that you have to learn very carefully. Going through three 40 hour black belt gradings I have learned what works and what does not work. What beats your body up and what doesn’t. I know what it’s like to be at the breaking point then push beyond it to new limits.
I feel really good right now because preparing for my next grading gives me a new set of goals and a focus to work towards. Having focus and goals is important when one wants to work on mastery of anything they do.
Also we will be closed on Monday May 23rd for Victoria Day. No regular classes. However we will be doing the annual team building day for the 2016 Black Belt Candidates. This is an opportunity for the candidates to work on their testing requirements together as well as learn to be leaders.
Master Jonathan Field
Good Morning
Well the journey begins for me to earn my 6th degree black belt. Well actually it started after I earned my 5th degree black belt or more specifically it actually started when I first earned my white beret. But this part of my journey to earn my 6th degree started yesterday. The day after I met up with my Master to go over all the testing requirements. Lots of physical requirements to complete as well as lots of mental and personal requirements to work through as well.
I started yesterday on the easy side and I will build myself up from there one day at a time. One step at a time. If you look after the small steps, the journey of a 1,000 miles doesn’t seem so huge. I will tell you though that when looking at all that has to be accomplish before my grading in May 2017, it is a lot! It’s a huge challenge but I am up for the task. I know I can do it because I will focus on completing each step and each day one at a time. The genius lies in the process and not in the end destination. My journey to 6th degree is not about obtaining the new belt or rank but the transformation I go through in the process of the journey.
I am not alone in this journey as there will be six other students that will be going through their own journeys to obtain the ranks that they will be testing for. Although many may come along for the journey, the journey is still yours alone to take. As well as each of their journeys is their’s alone as well. There may be times when each other needs a little help or guidance but they alone has to go through it. They have to be disciplined enough to push through when the motivation to do so seems not to be there from day to day, moment to moment.
I look forward to this new journey, this new part of my life over the next year. It will not be easy. It will be challenging me and forcing myself to step out of my comfort zone but that is okay. Being outside the comfort zone and striving for Mastery is where the true genius lies.
Master Jonathan Field