We all know how entering the new year goes. You make a list of New Year’s Resolutions and do well at implementing them for about the first month or so, then the motivation and desire to fulfill those resolutions gets lost by the end of the year. Here at ATA Martial Arts, we challenge you to make 2020 the year of fulfilled New Year’s Resolutions. If you need help figuring out resolutions, we suggest following along with the Life Skill Cycle over the next 12 months. To help you out, here is a refresher on all six life skills and their meanings…
Discipline (January-February)
Is to obey what is right.
It means to practice good habits. And what are good habits? Simply put, they are behaviors that make us better human beings. Discipline begins with obedience. When we are children we must obey our parents, teachers and mentors, since they are the ones who are responsible to show us the right path.
Belief (March-April)
Is “Yes I can!”
It is the ability to see the invisible and look beyond the obvious. Belief is our inner power used with our core values towards the fulfillment of our goals. Absolutely everything we do in our lives, in fact, is based on our beliefs. Every action we take, every decision we make, and every single thing we do stems from what we believe. If we believe this, we do that; if we believe something else, we do something different.
Communication (May-June)
Is the link between the world and me.
It is so important that the success of a society depends on how well it communicates. The word communication comes from the word “common”, which means “equal”. This means that in order to communicate with each other, we must find common ground. To ensure this, our communication must be seen, heard and felt.
Respect (July-August)
Is not what you know, it’s what you do.
Respecting ourselves means doing things that are good for us. For example, like taking care of our bodies both mentally and physically, educating ourselves and finding mentors to help us improve our lives. Self-respect also means thinking positively, making the right choices, and caring for our possessions and our personal appearance. When we show self-respect, others learn that they must also treat us with respect.
Self-Esteem (September-October)
Is the joy of being myself.
It describes how we see and value ourselves. When we feel good about ourselves – independent of the circumstances that surround us – we show self-esteem. We can build our self-esteem by making a choice to see everything in our lives positively. This way, in time, we develop a positive attitude towards life.
Honesty (November-December)
Is the first step to an abundant life.
To be honest is to obey our conscience. It means to have the courage to confront the consequences of our actions no matter what price we may have to pay. It is to take responsibility for our actions and to be accountable.
