I trained in martial arts on and off for 12 years before testing for brown belt while pregnant with my third child and quitting right after he was born. That was 9 years ago. Now I am back thanks to my son starting his training, and I am determined to stick it out till I earn my black belt and beyond. One of the first things the new white belts learn in our system, as well as something we continue to practice in class, is how to fall. In other words, it is expected that you will fall when you are attacked, when you are sparring, even in daily life if you trip over a curb. So we all learn technique to fall in a way that we do not injure ourselves.
But why am I writing about martial arts in a blog about coaching and development? I find that in my coaching practice, a lot of my work deals with helping people overcome their fears. The fears I encounter come in many forms-fear of embarrassment, fear of failure, or fear of hurting someone’s feelings. And as I was doing my falling practice in class the other day, it occurred to me that we all need some “falling practice” for life, so that we gain the confidence we need to pursue our goals, express ourselves, and live with no regrets. Just as falling practice in karate helps give me the courage to spar men twice my size, I believe learning how to fall, or how to fail, while maintaining your overall belief in yourself, is incredibly important for living a full life.
What can you do for “falling practice”? Here are some suggestions:
- Write out your reactions or fears regarding a situation you are not sure how to handle, but feel you need to take action on.
- Write down a list of fabulous things about you, things you do not want to change.
- Take yourself through what would happen if you succeed, what would happen if you do not succeed, and what would happen if you did not try.
I hope this is helpful for you as you continue life’s journey.