Posts

The Things You Have Control Of

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  Did you have a good Thanksgiving? Mine was good. A bit of a progressive involving a few stops…, but good all the same. I hope yours was as well?! I hope you were able to enjoy and be present in your gratefulness of all the things that you have. It’s easy to pay more attention of the things you lack. The things that are wrong. The things you’d like to change. This happens so much so that we often overlook all of the things in life that we do have, all the things in Life we can control. Same, Same?! It’s the same when it comes to dealing with conflict and violence. People often gravitate toward the things they can’t do rather than the things they can. Many waste precious time and energy fixating on all of the details they have little or no control over, rather than decisively acting on those things they have more influence on… Namely themselves. Here lies the practice of your training. Knowing what to focus and act upon vs. what not to. Seems simple enough, but many miss it. Rather...

It's NOT Just Dinner!

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  You may be running around getting everything ready for your family. All that work for a relativity speaking short period of time. It’s disproportionate… Or is it?! It’s NOT Just Dinner I hope you realize that what you are preparing and when you and your family and friends sit at that table isn’t just “dinner.” Thanksgiving is so much more than simply a dinner; it's a day steeped in meaning and connection. It's about gratitude—taking a moment to reflect on what we have, the people who enrich our lives and the lessons we’ve learned. It’s a time for community and togetherness with your family & friends. It’s also a chance to reconnect with traditions, both old and new. Whether it’s cooking side by side, sharing stories, or volunteering, Thanksgiving is a reminder of the values that bind us together: generosity, resilience, and love. For us PeaceWalkers, Thanksgiving takes on an added dimension. It becomes a celebration of the role we play in safeguarding and nurturing those ...

Cornered?!

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  You Ever Feel Cornered?! If you’re a Gen Xer like me you probably played your fair share of Pacman in your day. So, you know what I mean when I say don’t get cornered like Pacman. Well, you’re all grown up now, but sometimes you may still feel like you’re getting backed in a corner. What do you do!? WHAT - DO - YOU - DO?! Well… The last thing you want is to freeze up. Rather than panicking or muscling through, you can hack the situation with smart, tactical steps. Feeling trapped is an opportunity—a challenge to test and refine your approach to any obstacle. Here’s how to move forward with strategy, efficiency, and maybe even a little style. First,  pause and assess .  Don’t rush; slow down and identify the actions that will give you maximum impact. In that stillness, unexpected solutions often appear. Next,  leverage the obstacle’s energy .  Quit forcing or pushing blindly. Redirect, pivot, and adapt. The way forward may not look like you expected—stay flexib...

Look Before Crossing the Street?

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  Embracing this PeaceWalker Lifestyle is a stretch for some folks. Some people don’t understand the balance. The balance of Life. So, they suffer the consequences. Crossing the Street When I was a kid my mom & dad taught me how to cross the street. They told me to Stop, Look & Listen. Look both ways before walking onto the street. Am I showing disrespect, distrust and ill will toward those drivers when I look both ways before crossing the street? I believe it to not only responsible but also acting in service to those drivers as well. Would those drivers try to stop from hitting that pedestrian who walked into traffic without looking? Yes, I believe most would if they were in a position to. What about those drivers who might try to intentionally hit the pedestrian? Extremely rare, but it does happen. Regardless, for everyone’s best interest, it’s reasonable and responsible to look both ways before crossing the street, so you lessen the chance of getting hit. For those who ...

Real Cross Training

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  Cross training is an important part of any training process. It doesn’t only make a difference when it comes to your sporting affairs though. Cross training at your job means someone can pick up the slack if someone calls in sick. Cross training is important in parenting too… so all of the responsibility doesn’t fall on one person. Martial arts is no exception. The entire premise of MMA is cross training. It’s called MIXED Martial Arts for a reason. So, are you cross training your Self Defense approach too?! Yes, are you cross training to protect yourself from the conflicts you are likely to run up against in your everyday Life?! WHAT?! Q: Do you mean getting a firearm?! A: No, not really. It could be I suppose, but that’s not really what I’m talking about. I’m talking more about becoming more well-rounded at dealing with conflict inside of and around you. Keep in mind most conflicts aren’t physical… They’re ethical, emotional, social and verbal. Most physical violence is a resul...

It's So Close It's Scary!

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  It’s getting closer! The anticipation grows… The dark, foreboding day when all of the ogglie boogilies come out… And we Trick or Treated. You know… Election Day! =) (Hahaha! Don’t be afraid, get out there and cast your vote confidently, like Hermione casts her spells…) Many Walk in Fear That’s why… "WE TRAIN SO WE CAN WALK IN PEACE..." ~Imi Lichtenfeld   Conflict & violence is an Event and a Process. The more you can recognize the process, the easier it is to avoid & navigate an Event! Yes, there are places and situations where crime, conflict and violence are more prevalent, but make no mistake... It can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. It can happen to you too, so you have to be prepared. Awareanoid?! Being paranoid is no way to Live. However… AWAREANOID  is a constant state of readiness. It’s North of aware and South of paranoid. =) Don’t over think it… It’s simply being curious and prepared to do something about it. If you want to be able to avoid a situ...

Do You Pose a Threat?!

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  The moment that you choose to  LEAD… is the moment that you became a  THREAT  to the  ENEMY The enemy doesn’t want you to succeed. The enemy doesn’t want you to lead. The enemy knows that if you become a better  LEADER  you will create a  BIGGER IMPACT. And because the enemy knows that, they’re going to throw everything they have at you to stop you from doing whatever you need to do to  GROW. It happens to me all the time. Whenever I put an event together the  ENEMY  wants to  SABOTAGE  my growth. That’s when I say, “Not today fella, NOT TODAY!” That way I can break the pattern and  CHOOSE TO LEAD. Choose to do my best. Choose to BE MY BEST! And what’s our biggest Enemy?! FEAR Fear of the unknown. Fear of failure. Fear of others. Fear of less. Fear of loss. Fear of never. Fear. Fear. Fear. What are you doing to deal with your biggest enemy?! Well… This  Friday, Nov. 1st , is the last day for you to take advanta...