Blog
Never Give Up!
If anybody in the martial arts was to tell you ‘give it up’, you should be asking yourself whether you have lost confidence or is it because they’ve lost their confidence in you? Students should know a good martial arts instructor will generally not give up on any of their students; in fact, they get more satisfaction working with students who need that extra little help or motivation.
When a young martial arts student may be thinking of throwing the towel in, parents would be doing more harm than good by readily supporting this negative attitude because the only message here is 'it is ok to quit'. Young people, today, may easily get distracted and are more likely to drop things at a moment's notice only because it is an easy option. What parent would support their child if that child was thinking of quitting school?
It is our job, as a parent, to encourage young persons to never quit something they start. Quitting the martial arts means they are quitting on building confidence, quitting on strengthening their minds and bodies, quitting building character ie they are giving up on themselves.
Martial arts training is about achieving goals and to understand life is about persistence no matter how hard things may seem to be. MARTIAL ARTS today is now part of growing up. Giving up is a poor excuse, not a valid reason.
GA
More Rubbish (part 2)
How many times have you picked up something and you didn’t know what it was or couldn’t find the directions on how to use it. So why did you buy it in the first place? Shopping is a form of therapy and coming home with something is a sense of accomplishment, empty handed is a sign of failure for many people. 
Specials! Everybody likes a bargain so they’ll buy something they don’t need because it gives them something to talk about the next time they are sitting with a friend at a coffee shop. Fuel docket savers; you want to save money, don’t spend money. Spend $10,000 on junk and you earn a free flight then you have no idea where to go.
Junk is something you bought a few months ago and you wish you had never bought it. There are better ways to spend money. To quote, John Will, ‘there are two things worth spending money on – good food and knowledge'. I agree whole heartedly with this. At least these things will not be something taking up what precious room left in the house and gathering dust, and you won’t be regretting it in 6 months time.
Good luck with Clean Australia Day.
GA
Time to Get Rid of Rubbish
I’m talking about junk, the stuff that has been accumulating in your house for years. Have a good look around and see if any of that stuff is worthwhile keeping anymore. Ask yourself these questions:
1. Did you forget you had it?
2. Has it got dust on it?
3. Did you trip over it?
4. Is it worthless?
5. Would you buy it again?
6. Do you regret you ever bought it?
7. Does anybody want it?
The answers to these questions should be able to make us realise 90% of the stuff we buy is junk! We can’t help ourselves because we have made shopping an activity or even a hobby. We shop because it makes us feel good and we buy things because we think we need 
them. They end up in a pile reducing the little precious room we may have left in our house. Of course there is ebay if you want to get rid of things and you may end up with a smile selling your rubbish not realising you sold it for a fraction of what you actually paid for it. And when you don't sell, it’s much worse when your friends don't even want them just giving them away.
My point – get to those seminars where you get value for your money. I still spend money but I don't waste them on junk. I know it's not rubbish I am paying for. When you throw rubbish out you won't even miss it.
GA