Keeping Your Word

So this July is my 5th Degree Black Belt test. I reflect on a lot from these past four years. It was definitely an interesting four years. I think I had some very REAL experiences that were pretty heavy. Some were invigorating, some heart breaking, some lessons that will last a lifetime, some insightful, some with great enthusiasm, some with great regret. I also reflect on my training of where I am now, and where have I been. Of course, where do I want to go as well.

I always taught what I call the GPS method. All human beings have this tremendous power to think, and the act of thinking is questions. I am a master questioner LOL. When you turn you GPS on, it has to figure out where you are at this very moment. So the first question we must as for any assessment of ourselves is "Where am I now?" Then we plug in the address we want to go to. So the next question is "Where do I want to go?" Once we plug in all our info, the GPS then calculated the route to getting there. SO the final question is "How do I get there?" I ask these questions all the time. Small scale things to large scale things.

When we belt test, we are to write short term goals and long term goals before testing. I have been doing that since I was 12 years old. And EVERY goal I set I had a plan and I followed it. What came with age, especially with the bigger things was not being so hell bent on the HOW and just keep in mind the WHAT. To make the habit of beginning with the end in mind is SOOO important. One thing I can say about myself is that I have always accomplished every single thing I set out to do. Many of my goals people have thought I was crazy, irrational, or just plain hopeless romantic. But I always said, I don't know how, I just know I will. TMAFC was a big one of those things.

 I think of the goals I set out for myself these past four years. It's a little heart breaking than some people will not be around for them like I thought they would. There are some who are even still around but have no involvement in the magic that is right now. But I am also blessed with a grandeur new generation that make everything exciting. In a matter of one year TMAFC has grown tremendously. I've added the programs I wanted, the classes I wanted, physically changed the facility I wanted, made the curriculum changes I wanted, etc.

But I think what holds even greater value for me is that I learned what I wanted. I always kept up with my training despite what was going on in life. I maintained my schedule as best I could, with a plan and purpose (I never worked out to work out). I kept my word to work with all my mentors each and every month. I remember wanting this greater and higher understanding of my forms and it's applications which I currently set a huge project on. I remember I wanted to learn the HaganaH system and now I get to work with it's founder. I wanted to progress in my Kung Fu training, and I have with Sifu. I wanted to learn the Tang Soo Do forms, although not mastered, I have learned all to my level. I wanted to learn a bit of Muay Thai, I did.

If I am not growing, then my students cannot grow. If my students cannot grow, then what the hell am I doing? And there is ALWAYS something else. Always something new. Even the old stuff, there's something new to learn. Sifu once told me if you're not learning from your art every day, that's a problem. Sigung stressed tradition is important but so is innovation. I am constantly evolving and upgrading what I do. My mentors are all privy to this concept when we work together too.

To keep your word in the things you say you'll do is part of personal integrity. It erodes from your self-esteem when you don't, and energetically keeps us connected and stuck with this weight we don't even realize it's there. If there is a time delay, you need to do one of three things: 1) finish what you start and do what you say, 2) renegotiate and change and adjust to finding an ends to the means, or 3) agree to not complete whatever it is. The last one is important because until that decision is made, and it is an area of completion, the broken agreements latch on to us like you would not believe. You're kidding yourself if you say otherwise.

But also if we keep our word to our own selves, we can keep our word to other people. One of the four great spiritual agreements is make your word IMPECCABLE. Words DO have power more than people realize and I can write a whole other blog on just that (another time). But it energetically brings great karmic power into your life to keeping your word as well. You cannot be self-sacrificing either! Keeping your word to yourself is just as important as keeping your word to others. The Chinese call it honor.

So as I approach my 5th Degree test this July, I think about where I was A LOT, what has happened in these past 4 years. It was A LOT. I think of where I am now and I am very proud, and almost amazed not only at what I had done but what I know and can do. Where do I want to go, I have a lot of goals, for my training, for my business, for my teaching, for my life. Do I have plans to getting there? Hell yes. Do I know exactly how it will work out? Not at all. All I DO know, is that I WILL! (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO