REGAIN A SENSE OF PEACE
EVERYONE ELSE IS DOING IT!
Everyone else is doing it! This is usually not something a parent likes to hear, but at this time of year, it is a good time to encourage your children to try something new because “everyone else is doing it.” It’s one of the biggest times of year to start new things, so when you join a gym, club, team, or martial arts class, there will be lots of new people starting at the same time, making it so much easier than going it alone.
BY REDUCING YOUR STRESS AND ANXIETY
Anxiety is a big influence in our lives, and it’s never a pleasant thing to experience. Luckily, many ways of combating stress help us relax — one activity being martial arts. The physical component of martial arts might, at first, not seem like an opportunity to release stress and relax, but that is precisely what it does. MAKE A HABIT OF LETTING GO. The movement, concentration, and discipline required for martial arts help train the body and the mind. A large part of this training is self-control in the focus needed to execute each form. Being engrossed in practice and training pushes anxiety out of your mind, giving you a sense of relief you might not even be aware of experiencing. By forgetting your worries, even for a brief time, you give yourself the break you need to later think about them with a fresh mind. The more you do this, the more you build the habit of brushing away the smaller problems in life to focus on the much larger ones. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. To help maintain focus and calm, people who practice martial arts also practice their breathing. No matter if you’re in tai chi, jiujitsu, or taekwondo, breathing is key. When we do focus on our breath, it calms us and increases our concentration. Through the constant motion of inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, you’re giving your mind and body a chance to relax and a sense of peace. PRACTICE PATIENCE IN EVERYTHING. It’s easy to get frustrated when we don’t get something right the first time, and in martial arts, this can happen quite a lot. Very few people can correctly execute a new form right the first time. It takes practice and diligence to get it down. When people practice patience in martial arts, it helps them be patient in other aspects of life outside of those lessons. Stress is a burden we can all do without, and with a few martial arts lessons, you can fight back. Call Olson’s Martial Arts Academy today at 423-926-9161 to learn about the benefits of martial arts.
Remember, if you have any questions, please reach out to AMANDA@ASKMASTERMOM.COM.
SIMPLE PANCAKES FROM SCRATCH INGREDIENTS
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2 eggs
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2 cups all-purpose flour
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1 3/4 cups milk
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2 tsp baking powder
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Unsalted butter or canola oil, to grease skillet
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1/4 tsp salt
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1 tbsp sugar, optional
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat a griddle or skillet to medium-low. 2. In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients (including sugar if you like a sweeter pancake). In a separate bowl, beat eggs into milk. Gently stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ones. Mix only until flour is moistened. Clumps are fine. 3. Add some butter or oil to the skillet. If the butter foams or oil shimmers, the temperature is correct. Pour in a pancake of any size, cooking until bubbles form, about 2–4 minutes. 4. Flip and cook other side for 2–4 minutes. Serve warm.
Inspired by The New York Times
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