Historically, all cultures have had warriors and warriorship practices. Out of the many qualities used to define a warrior, one characteristic stands out as common and fundamental to all traditions: that of courage and bravery. In modern times, this warrior quality is still essential. Why does human bravery matter?

BRAVERY IN THE FACE OF LIFE'S CHALLENGES

So it requires human bravery. It takes human bravery to persist. It takes human bravery to achieve. It even takes human bravery to simply admit your stress to yourself in the first place and especially to face it. You know what's worse than being stressed? Not facing that stress nor choosing to adapt, that is worse. Not facing stress can take the form of distancing yourself from problems and pretending everything is fine, or numbing yourself to stress and calling it Toughness.

Stress is a given. The challenges and demands of life are a given. You can't escape those, so it's a matter of how you choose to navigate and manage the tests and trials.

Stress can indicate that it's time to step up as an everyday warrior, draw upon your courage, and take action or change course. The needed action might even be a shift in attitude or adopting a new internal approach. A common trap is feeling stress and just hoping for something to change on its own. Hoping for something is easy. No courage required. But while you're hoping for change, are you paying attention to the signs that indicate it's time for YOU to take necessary steps? Do you acknowledge that the restlessness is feedback and guidance trying to drive you towards new choices?

It takes courage to be honest with yourself and courage to subsequently take action. Human bravery, an essential Wise Warrior quality, will always be required to skillfully navigate life's stresses and conflicts.

MARTIAL ARTS FOR THE MIND AT WISE WARRIOR GYM

You train your body, now trail your mind. Martial Arts for the Mind is our ongoing functional philosophy program at Wise Warrior Gym.