As we enter February, our word of the month is honesty. You might be wondering why honesty or what does it have to do with martial arts training. I would like you to look at it from this angle….martial arts teaches their students to be honest with themselves. For example, if one of our students fail an assessment when being tested for a belt promotion, it is vital they are honest with themselves about the reason why; once they have identified areas and skills that need working on, they can start to improve.
Honesty is not just about telling the truth. It’s about being real with yourself and others about who you are, what you want in life, and what you need to live your most genuine life. Honest children are more confident in themselves, happier in general, and more open to learning new things. Honest adults are more trustworthy, have better overall relationships, and often enjoy lower stress in daily living.
The martial arts not only teaches honesty, but confronts you with it. As Lao Tsu once said, “Be honest with those who are honest, and also be honest with those who are not honest. Thus honesty is attained.”