It's A Whole New Ball Game

Gandhi once said, "be the change you want to see in the world." So where to begin? As I look at making improvements in my life, I’ve put things into a few broad, intersecting categories:

1. Physical Fitness

I’d like to lose 5-10 pounds, and increase my strength and overall flexibility. To lose weight, I’m trying to burn more calories by intensifying my training, adding daily calisthenics, and lengthening my karate workouts. To get more flexible, I’ve been “studying” yoga – I say “studying” because I’m not taking formal classes with an instructor (who has time for that!?!). Instead, I’ve been reading yoga books and magazines (why isn’t there a Yoga Journal equivalent for the martial arts?), and working on various postures for 10-15 minutes in the morning or before bedtime – what a difference so far! With a 6-month old, there’s no time to go pump iron in a gym, so I’m working on increasing my strength by doing clubbell drills a few times a week. And okay, I also sneak into the “quiet room” at work every other day to do arm curls with the 25 lb. Dumbbell that’s strategically placed in there.

2. Conscious Consumption

I’m watching my diet, trying to eat a little bit healthier. At this point I’m raising my awareness more than anything else… I haven’t yet gotten around to truly cutting things out of my diet completely, but I did feel a small twinge of guilt after eating a fudge brownie last night. (OK, perhaps the “twinge” was actually the sugar rush kicking in!) I’m drinking less coffee and more green tea. I’m a long loooong way from a vegetarian diet, but I’m eating more raw veggies and increasingly seeing “organic” and “free range” on my food packaging. Seeking to become more informed about the social, economic, and environmental impact of my food choices, I’m reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

I’m also paying closer attention to what I focus on: beyond my diet, “conscious consumption” for me includes being more aware of the media, my choices of entertainment, my environment, my purchases, and the quality of my thoughts. I’m reading more and reducing the amount of TV that I watch – particularly violent TV (sigh… goodbye Law and Order!) – and I’m trying to be more aware of the impact that the daily news has on my attitude, mood and overall outlook on life. Haven’t kicked my Starbucks habit yet (even tough guys need a latte now and then), but I’m working on it. The money I save will probably put Ava through college!

3. Peace Education

At the strong suggestion of my mentor and coach Tom Callos I’m learning all I can about PEACE, nonviolent communication, and conflict resolution. In my opinion, these things form other side of the martial arts coin. As a former Marine, I’ve studied the strategy and tactics of ancient and modern warfare. As a martial artist, I’ve learned a whole lot about kicks and punches and chokes. But, by comparison, I know very little about non-physical de-escalation techniques, restoring or introducing calm to tense situations, and promoting creative alternatives to violence – these are the skills that are REALLY needed in today’s society. My teachers? Thich Nhat Hanh, Morihei Ueshiba, Deepak Chopra (yes, I said Deepak Chopra), Peace Pilgrim, Louise Diamond, and others. My online resources include The Peace Company, and I’ve even been visiting the Peace Abbey in Sherborn, MA once a month on my lunch breaks to spend some time there contemplating peace.

4. Community Service

Serving my community has become very important to me. Along with my wife and my neighbors, I’ve helped to establish award-winning Crime Watches in Mission Hill and Allston, and my dojo frequently engages in service activities. I’m hoping to inspire others to contribute to their communities. My students at the dojo are engaging in community service leadership projects to earn their Brown Belts – I’m very proud of them. Check out some of the good we’ve done together. I know there’s much more that we can do!

We’re all in this together. A goal of mine is to expand my personal definition of “community” until it includes the whole planet, all of its citizens, and our environment. To me, that means developing compassion and better communcation skills, learning more about and using “green” cleaning products, choosing organic foods, picking up litter in my neighborhood, recycling, and even purchasing a more fuel efficient car!

Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m still pushing hard in the dojo, too, pursuing physical improvement, deeper understanding of and greater efficiency/proficiency in my chosen art. I still train with my sensei. I still want to kick higher, hit harder, move faster, learn new skills, defend the weak, fight for justice, defeat evil, and all that good stuff. The “warrior” in me is still very much alive. But I’m aiming to be an Artist of Life, not a cage fighter, and I’ve set the bar high for myself. Other areas I’m working on include improving my mindfulness and meditation practice, learning to express gratitude more, developing better time management and interpersonal skills, deepening family bonds, and improving all of the important relationships in my life – all while working full time to pay the bills.

No secluded, ascetic mountain meditation retreats for me, I guess. No, this is a new kind of personal development quest/non-trivial pursuit/juggling act/heroic mission. It's a whole new ball game.