EMOTIONAL DISCIPLINE
“Those who can’t laugh at themselves leave the job to others.”
Hey, let’s face it! We all stick our foot in our mouth once in a while! Sometimes we say something inappropriate or foolish, or we will try pulling off a joke that goes sour. At some point, we will do something that we will look back upon with distaste. In future years, you and your friends will laugh at the blunders made, but at the present time those same blunders can be hard to deal with.
There are two common responses to such situations, either you get mad at yourself and become moody, or you can give the appropriate apology (if needed) and move on. Which of those two would you prefer to do?
It was once said that a mighty person is one who has control over his or her emotions. Now, we are all human and we all have bad days, but as teachers and students of the martial arts there are several advantages for keeping our emotions in check:
As teachers, it is a must to always put our best foot forward and set a good example. If we do not do it, then who will?
Ever work-out with a fellow student who was having a bad day? It is always much easier to work with a student in good spirits.
The ultimate form of control is self-control. He who masters himself is indeed a true master.
In self-defense, you would never want to give your opponent any advantage. If you get hit and pain is shown, your opponent would definitely have an edge. If no emotion is shown, your opponent will probably look for someone else to pick on!
Ultimately life is much more enjoyable for everyone if we do not take ourselves too seriously. As teachers, a calm relaxed attitude is always a must. And again, we all have bad days. Yet, an amazing phenomenon occurs when we quit thinking about our own situation and start concentrating on our students’ needs. Our mood always changes for the better.