Martial artists often enjoy practicing while looking in the mirror.  It helps to identify areas of improvement because they can see where technique or form does not look quite right.  I always found looking in the mirror while practicing fascinating because it never matched how I thought I looked.

Have you ever practiced and thought to yourself, “I am finally getting this!” only to watch yourself practice in the mirror and realize that your technique or skill did not look as good as you thought it should?  In some of the Kung Fu classes that I took with Sifu German Garcia in the past, I had the chance to look at myself in the mirror while practicing blocking drills.  Honestly, I felt like I was doing much better than I appeared in the mirror.  The thing is, the mirror does not hide the truth, but without the truth, there is no ability to grow and improve.

The mirror is the point of reference, a moment in time when you realize that you still need a lot of practice.  The mirror guides you.  The person you see in the mirror wants to succeed and excel. The mirror reveals it all in a new perspective.

Analyzing your skills and weaknesses is part of being a leader.  Perhaps you self-lead or you lead others.  A martial artist self-leads, while an instructor leads others.  Either way, self-assessment is crucial for moving forward in a positive direction and becoming a better student, instructor, and martial artist.

I recently began college for my master’s degree in organizational management.  I had to do a self-assessment about some of my communication weaknesses and gaps.  It required a long, in-depth look in the mirror.  It is amazing what you realize about yourself when you take the time to review where you struggle in communication and how others perceive you.

Life offers many moments of mirror-looking.  I certainly appreciate it when the reflection is perfect, but most of the time the mirror reveals an ambitious woman who grabs opportunity when she can, who sometimes succeeds and sometimes fails, but always tries.  On some days, she looks tired from all the effort, and on others she seems to shine and sparkle with enthusiasm.  This is the ebb and flow of life.

We should all stop for a moment and look in the mirror and analyze more than how our hair looks, or if the outfit we are wearing is appropriate for the situation.  We should take a look at what is really going on in our lives.  Have we taken the time to share our love, our gifts and talents and our dreams?  Have we stepped outside of our own wants and desires for a few moments to help someone else?  None of this takes a lot of time, nor does it interfere with following your goals and dreams.  In fact, you will learn a lot about yourself in this pursuit of seeing a clearer picture in the mirror.

I love martial arts, especially when my learning makes sense and I see improvement through practice.  I enjoy seeing the focus of my approach in the mirror.  It is neither good nor bad; just one view that can help me improve my weaknesses so I can find personal happiness and success.  If you want to improve in martial arts and in life, take a look in the mirror from a few feet back. Who do you see?

Martial arts parallel life in many ways, from how we treat others, to how we feel about ourselves, and our perspective on the world around us.  The best reflection in the mirror is a person who desires to make a positive and powerful change in themselves and the world around them.

xoxo

Andrea

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https://goo.gl/Yco5GF – Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone – This book is a series of reflections to read at your leisure in topics ranging from uniqueness, negativity, mindset, struggles, new beginnings, personal power, beliefs,instincts, and more. 

https://goo.gl/dGfX1q – The Martial Arts Woman – This book shares some of my personal stories about being a woman in martial arts, but more importantly has chapters from more than 25 other women martial artists that explores applying martial arts to life. Some of the stories are amazing and unbelievable. You will be inspired!