Article by Peter J. Normandia. Follow me on Twitter.
Normally, today’s post is about personal development through Jiu Jitsu. However, today is not just any other day. First off, it’s Groundhog’s day. Secondly, in a few short house I will be leaving my 20s behind, and passing into the next phase of life otherwise known as my 30s.
Thirty years ago today (2/2/1979), at 1:22 pm, a 22 inch, 9 pound, 2 ounce bundle of joy arrived. I was the first child in my family, and the only male child for a long, long time. To celebrate this Yinvsyang style, I felt like writing a personal post to myself about what it’s like to look back on 30 years, and what to look forward to. Read more...(494 words, 2 images, estimated 1:59 mins reading time)
I swear on my life itself, if you don’t read this post in its entirety, stumble and comment on it, I am going to find you wherever you are and we will see if you EVER dare skip through a post of mine again. You HEAR me?! Now GET TO IT!
10 years ago, that probably would have been my approach as a blogger.
I had that bad of a temper. I could not deal with people thinking they were getting over on me, or someone who thought they were better, smarter, faster, stronger, or whatever. I was ready to fight over anything, because I thought that was how I had to be.
Then, right after my freshman year of college, a strange twist of fate occurred. Read more...(1039 words, 2 images, estimated 4:09 mins reading time)
YinVsYang was created to help shed light on the internal battles we all have on a daily basis, but usually fail to vocalize with others. We wanted to open up our souls, and tell all of the things we silently tell ourselves to the rest of the world. We figured if we think like this, than it must be that other people do as well.
By understanding the way we all function inside, it will help us to better understand other people’s reactions as well. This helps us immeasurably in our daily lives. Each time you interact with people, your emotion subsides, and your understanding takes over. It leaves you calmer, with a clearer mind, and able to think from different perspectives. Instead of being mad at someone for how they are acting, you turn it around, by understanding their motives. This gives you the edge. The person who gets the most emotional is the person who is the most out of control. Read more...(929 words, 2 images, estimated 3:43 mins reading time)
This past weekend, I was in Cape May, New Jersey for the first time. What a beautiful, wonderful place pulsating with history. A little known fact about Cape May is it is the only ‘entire’ town to be declared a historic landmark in all of the USA.
Cape May is also a beautiful beach town and America’s first summer getaway. Perfectly located where the Delaware Bay feeds into the Atlantic Ocean, it is a town that benefits tremendously from its thriving sea ports. It was at one of these where my wife and I purchased tickets to take a boat out to see dolphins and other animal life. The tour took us out of the cape and through the nutrient rich waters off the southern tip of NJ, until we finally found a group of dolphins. Read more...(693 words, 1 image, estimated 2:46 mins reading time)
Sometimes we can forget what’s really important in life.
It’s meeting people like John Challis that helps put things back into perspective. His message is Courage + Believe= Life. It is a message we should all live by every day of our lives. So go ahead and watch the video, but be forewarned:
Meeting John Challis will definitely change your perspective on life.
America is a giant competitive country built on a dream. Any person has a chance to make a fortune and everyone is chasing it, especially where I live in the Northeast. While being financially sound is a necessary goal, the path to getting there may not be as clear. As a matter of fact, I believe it is hidden for good reason. But instead of chasing the dollar, what if you could make the money find you? Sounds crazy? Maybe not.
Let’s break it down to basics. You grow up, leave your nest (some earlier than others), and are forced to sink or swim. Each of us have many options and ways of making money. What happens is, we tend to focus on the short term. I need $2000 for expenses this month, therefore where can i get a job making $2000 or more. Though this seems logical, and it may very well be, but it is extremely short sighted. Read more...(745 words, 1 image, estimated 2:59 mins reading time)
Today, after training this morning, I was driving home by myself. My Jiu Jitsu school is located about a good 25 minutes away from my house. The ride is quiet, through the backroads and farmland of North Brunswick, Jamesburg, Monroe Township, and Englishtown NJ. There is not much to see except some old houses and lots of empty land.
I had the radio off and my mind was just wondering. I was trying to drive and type in some notes on my phone to remember some of the thoughts I had. This is not recommended. However, it got me thinking. Most of my blog ideas, my creative inspirations, and all sorts of ideas, come to me during my alone time. Read more...(568 words, 1 image, estimated 2:16 mins reading time)
The next lesson on how to better read people is a phrase you have probably heard a 1000 times.
Actions speak louder than words.
This is a well known phrase everyone has heard at one time or another. However, I don’t think people realize how useful it is on a daily basis. Think of it like this: If actions speak louder than words, than you should be hearing people’s ‘actions’, not listening to what ‘words’ they use. I have written before about how people use excuses to rationalize what they ‘feel’ like doing instead of what they ’should’ do. Think of a dieting person who says ‘I’ve been good all day. I deserve a snack‘. Read more...(920 words, 2 images, estimated 3:41 mins reading time)
When I went to college in the mid 90s, I had a very good friend I met in my freshman dorm. He was an Armenian young man, strong as an ox with an unmatched resolve. He was also incredibly smart at anything he put his mind to. However, the one thing I learned from him more than anything else is how to read people.
My friend had a gift for it. He seemed to know things before they happened. He was like Vito Corleone telling his Consigliore Tom exactly what every gangster would do before they did it. He opened up my mind to a whole other world of communication I had no idea existed. It consisted of reading others body language, responses, and actions. It was honestly the single most important thing I learned in my two years at the University of Maryland. It is a skill I have been developing ever since. Read more...(1197 words, 1 image, estimated 4:47 mins reading time)
Tiger Woods is one of the greatest athletes of our time. The man has pushed the boundaries of his sport all while maintaining full integrity with the whole world. He is an inspiration to us all
I came across this Nike Commercial on the net and was floored. As only a father can, Earl Woods explains how Tiger grew to be the man he is. The theme is every dedicated, living dad can make a difference, one child at a time.
