Kick Away the Blues
Martial arts can be your greatest weapon to kick away the blues and take back control of your mental health. If we take a closer look at the world we currently live in, it’s easy to understand why more and more people are affected by mental health issues. As adults we are facing more greater financial challenges, a worldwide rental crisis and families are now finding it harder to cope. Our children have had to struggle with a pandemic, technology addiction e.g social media, academic pressures and have a harder time entering the workforce.
The kinds of pressures we are all now facing, creates a greater risk of anxiety, depression, and a slew of other related mental health issues in today’s world. In reality it sometimes doesn’t feel like we are getting any closer to a long-term solution.
One of the greatest things I realised as we faced the pandemic was just how powerful martial arts was to my mental health. Living in Melbourne we faced the world’s longest lockdown of 262 days and believe me a lot of us felt the impacts mentally. Even though I have been training in martial arts for many years now, It taught me that the key to creating power and strength in your life, is about taking your energy and focusing it on solutions instead of problems. This is the very thing I tapped into, keeping me motivated to keep training at home. And letting go of things that were out of my control. So I thought I would put together my top reasons of how training in the martial arts will help you kick away the blues.
ESCAPE THE DAILY GRIND
We all know the drill Wake up, Go to work or Go to school, Sleep and then repeat. Unfortunately a price we all have to pay. Life is chaotic and honestly it doesn’t really slow down. But often the best thing to do is to learn to take some time for yourself. It actually gives you the time to clear your mind and relax . There is nothing like knowing that this moment is for you and yours alone.
With so many day-to-day worries and things that don’t go our way. It comes as no surprise that we often end up stressed out on a regular basis. Unfortunately, when you’re stressed, your body releases higher levels of cortisol. This is a hormone that can affect your mood and potentially lead to anxiety. Also, too much cortisol could lead to depression, especially when you get so overwhelmed with the stress that you feel helpless.
Martial arts allow you to understand and develop a good relationship with power. While also helps you express emotions, self-care, setting boundaries, relaxing, and can also help with disassociation by reconnecting the body and mind with repetitive movements. Let’s kick away the blues together.
LEARN HOW TO EMBRACE YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Unfortunately due to social media the world has started to feel more judgmental and superficial. As humans we have a bad habit of comparing ourselves to everyone else and this can be extremely damaging to our personal growth. Take a moment and think “What am I good at?” and “ What can I improve on “ . You see the truth is that we all have strengths and weaknesses and our job is to simply grow and discover what is uniquely ours and then to adapt and refine it.
A good martial arts school understands we are all unique in our own way. While also realising we may be in different stages in our lives. We come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You might to fast at learning a newer technique, while others might take longer and that’s okay. The key is that there is something to grow towards. In Japanese this concept is known as “Kaizen” – the art of constant and never-ending improvement. It reminds me of the saying “It’s about embracing what makes you different and not hiding from it” .
CHANNEL ENERGY PRODUCTIVELY
We all deal with things that can leave us feeling angry, sad or even frustrated. Martial arts training gives you the benefits to release all those negative emotions and purge them from your body. Pent-up anger increases your risk of developing health problems such as depression, anxiety, heart disease and it can greatly impact your mood.
Martial arts training gives you an intense workout and you get to punch and kick all your frustration away. The intense physical workout you get, leads to the feel-good hormones being released in your brain, elevating your mood. Trust me you may enter the dojo feeling frustrated from a bad day. But you will walk out feeling like a Zen master, ready to calmly tackle any obstacles that come your way.
JOINING A COMMUNITY AND MAKING FRIENDS FOR LIFE
Let’s face it. You cannot do life alone! Yet the sad thing is many people often isolate themselves from each other…but why? I believe this comes from wanting to stay in our comfort zones and where we feel most safe. Maybe you are in a abusive relationship, bullied at school or are too wrapped up on social media. Our natural human psychology is built around protecting ourselves from all external threats. It is natural for us to hide instead of venture out into the unknown where danger might be lurking. It is important to remember that in the right Dojo. Instructors realise that in order for their practitioners to grow they have to have a level of security. But still being challenged in order to improve themselves.
Martial Arts creates a great culture that builds strong relationships. You need good people around you that know what it’s like to feel weak, striving for their own strength. All while knowing that you are building each other up in confidence and not tearing each other apart. We all need a place that feels safe and welcoming, while simultaneously pushing you out of your own comfort zone. This is the ultimate goal here is to learn how to kick away the blues forever.
Learning with proper training how to deal with difficult challenges and also how to overcome them. After you have overcome challenges, you begin to have confidence in your ability. This is the true way to develop good self-esteem. Humans need to experience struggle in order to gain strength, but we need each other to help show us the ropes.
WHY DOES EXERCISE IMPROVE OUR MINDSET ?
Often, people who exercise regularly do it simply because it makes them feel good. Exercise can boost your mood, concentration and alertness. Also it can even help give you a positive outlook on life. So what could be a greater benefit to kick the blues, than by taking up martial arts.
The link between exercise and mental health has been well documented. Inactivity can be both a cause and a consequence of mental illness, for example. But there are lots of ways that exercise can benefit your mental health, such as:
- The levels of chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, stress hormones and endorphins, change when you exercise.
- Regular exercise can help you sleep better.
- Exercise can improve your sense of control, coping ability and self-esteem. People who exercise regularly often report how good achieving a goal makes them feel.
- Exercise can distract you from negative thoughts and provide opportunities to try new experiences.
- It offers an opportunity to socialise and get social support if you exercise with others.
- Exercise increases your energy levels.
- Physical activity can be an outlet for your frustrations.
- Exercise can reduce skeletal muscle tension, which helps you feel more relaxed.
BUILDING CONFIDENCE
Remember black belts are not born, they are made by years of training and dedication. Everyone starts as a white belt and will lack confidence in the beginning. But as you slowly progress through the belt ranks. Most students eventually build endurance, your execution of techniques will improve and confidence continues to grow.
Suddenly, the same white belt who struggled with their training becomes noticeably more skilled than any new students walking through the door for the first time.
Soon, you realise you now know how to defend yourself, and you know you have what it takes to take your training to another level. This kind of feeling gives you the ultimate boost in confidence. Knowing that you can achieve anything you put your mind to.
TAKE CONTROL BY TAKING ACTION
One of the most frustrating feelings in the world is when you feel like you are going nowhere. If you feel a lack of control in your life is making you feel like your head is spinning. Martial arts helps teach you to take action. “Living” is a verb which means to do it right, you have to take action.
When we are dealing with mental issues often times we enter into a vicious cycle of self-doubt, self-loathing, and pessimism. We hate ourselves for being depressed, which causes us to be depressed. In martial arts you learn that it is better to take action. Whether you fight or run away to safety, either one is better than getting caught in a dangerous situation and frozen in fear.
BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION
Have you ever heard of the tale about 2 men, one built his house on sand and the other built his on stone. When the storm came and winds and the waters rushed, the house built on sand was destroyed because its foundation was weak. Whereas the house built on stone remained because its foundation was unshakable. I believe this is some of the truest wisdom not only in martial arts, but also for life.
When we build our mindset and lives on principles, you realise that you are able to handle the most difficult challenges. Whereas if you build it based only on opinions you will struggle to overcome life challenges. Because you don’t believe in yourself.
Martial arts has the power to build a warrior mindset. The ability to never give up and power through. In sparring if your opponent beating you, it forces you take responsibility and fight back. Or do nothing and continue to be defeated. Training helps to bring the principles you have learnt, to every aspect of your life. This way not only will your fighting be solid, but your entire life will have the tools to be successful, even when facing a storm.
FINALLY THOUGHTS ON KICK AWAY THE BLUES
Talk to any martial artist, and you’ll soon discover that the training has toughened them up – both physically and mentally. This is because, just like life, training also comes with obstacles and challenges to overcome. So, it all comes down to how you choose to handle the situation.
If you’re someone who tends to focus on the negative aspects of things. Martial arts could be the very thing you need to turn your weakness into a strength. Once you get stronger and start to see the glass as half full rather than half empty. You will no longer have doubt in your mind and start to look at your life in a bigger picture – even outside the dojo.
I really hope this article makes you feel more inspired, but now it’s up to you to take that next step to kick away the blues. It might not be easy, but here at Women Aware Defence we believe that you’ve got the power to unleash your inner warrior! So, why not give martial arts a chance to improve your life ?
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360859220300966