Dear Parents,

Here at the Dojo one of our slogans is “Success is an Attitude and a Habit!”

There is much more to this slogan than just seven simple words. “I LOVE MY LIFE” has to first start as an attitude but even before that it has to start in your mind. For sake of a better word, it has to be the “story” you tell yourself.

Have you even met a person who is always grumpy and complaining? About the weather. The economy. The traffic. Their job. Have you also ever met someone where no matter what is always smiling and happy about everything? What is the difference between these two people?

Much of it is the “story” they choose and repeat in their heads. It might be…….life is hard, or life is a test, or why am I always so unlucky? What is interesting is that they could as easily have the thoughts of …….. life is a party, or life is like a box of chocolates, or why am I so darn lucky?

This leads to another slogan we use often here at the dojo – “Attitude is a choice!” While most people do not believe it’s a choice, what you think is 100% under your control! Two people can have the same event or incident happen to them and have completely different reactions! Why? It is because it is not the incident or other people that causes our thinking and behavior, it how we decide to respond to it.

So now we can tie it back into “I LOVE MY LIFE” and gratitude. There is a method to our madness here at Ohana Karate. “I LOVE MY LIFE” is just a simple way for you to apply this concept with your child and yourself. Your child actually does have a choice but in this case you do not want to give them a choice. You want to intentionally form the right “story” in their mind. Here is the important keys: 1.) First it starts with the story you play in your head and then the story your child plays in theirs (I say this because normally your child’s story will follow yours!), 2.) then the final step is just turning it into a “habit”!

So how do you turn it into a habit – REPETITION! This is done by the actions you take but also by the words you use. How many times have you heard your child say “I love my life!” at the dojo. How many times have you heard your child, their younger siblings and yourself say “Try my best!” at the dojo?

I am running out of room but here are a few other concepts to chew on:

• With gratitude, your kids will be more thankful for what they have than complaining about what they do not have!

• Two things have a hard time existing when gratitude is present – fear and anger!

• Gratitude will cure what seems to ail many teens and young adults today – an excessive sense of entitlement!

So, start with the story in YOUR head: “I love my life” and “Why am I so lucky!”

Till next week…….good parenting,

Sensei

Ohana Karate – “Actually we do make Ninjas and Superheroes here………………we turn kids into Ninjas and we turn their parents into their superheroes!”