As I continue to chip away and make progress on the technical issues around creating on-line tai chi classes, that have been taking much of my attention, life continues on and other things both good and not so good continue to happen around me. I was just talking with someone I care about who was in a bad mood because of dealing with someone else in a bad mood. She was trying her best to keep from passing it on, and she succeeded.
As my own life moves along, I find it helps to adopt a responsive and deliberate state of mind. If something I like happens, I dwell on it. If something I don’t particularly like happens, I look for what’s good about it. If I can’t find anything good, I deal with what I think I have to and move on to something better ASAP.
Tai chi being a defensive martial art means you don’t look for trouble, you look for how to avoid it so you can keep on doing what you want to do. In a life or death situation it’s to keep on living, and for most of us on a daily basis, it’s simply to avoid conflict. This attitude leaves us happier and healthier… in more ways than one. It’s not always easy to do, but it sure pays off.
Whether you believe you get more of what you focus on or not, focusing on the good stuff just feels better. When we feel better emotionally, our bodies feel better too. It’s a vicious upward cycle that leaves us feeling better and better.
What do I mean by this? Remember, tai chi is not just a martial art; it’s also a healthy exercise. 
> When you exercise you feel better physically and when you feel better physically you tend to feel better emotionally. So don’t just adopt the tai chi mindset, practice tai chi regularly too.
When you feel better overall, it’s easier to maintain a positive outlook. I leave you with this quote from a former General in the US Army, Creighton W. Abrams, Jr. This quote definitely sums up what it means to live with a positive attitude.
“They’ve got us surrounded again, the poor bastards. “
Your thoughts?
John
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Zenpony (3 comments)
681 days ago
Practice the “Ward Off/Grasp Birds Tail” stance. Condense your dan tian and sternum, expand your mingmen/back.Remember to expand the outer/yang side of the arms. This allows you to be a smaller target for negative energy, while rounding into a flexible ball of protective energy. Soft focus the eyes and mind. Stand your ground calmly, no matter what is swirling around you. If it all becomes too much, roll back, regroup, squeeze into the press, like wringing dirty water from a sponge. Still too much? Roll back again, out of the way. Let the Earth power up your legs and lift you forward and upward toward Heaven energy. Have fun. You can only control yourself, not others around you.
John Crewdson (479 comments)
680 days ago
Well said Zenpony. I like it.
John
David (38 comments)
680 days ago
The rest of the quote is “we can attack them in any direction.” My first assignment on active duty was under one of General Abrams’ son. Then Ltc J Abrams loved to say when you are given lemons you make lemon aid. We were expect to find a way to make things happen even when things went bad. In tai chi terms we had to redirect or lead trouble to where we needed it to go.
David
John Crewdson (479 comments)
677 days ago
Thanks David. That pretty cool. I like the idea of “leading trouble”. It’s a good way to look at it… and act on it.
John