When you are in pain you want it to stop!

How long do you allow pain before you medicate it?

The way I see it, there are two kinds of pain.

One is about growth.

The other is about injury or degeneration.

My father taught me the lesson of positive pain.

When I was eleven, I started taking judo lessons.

My dad was there offering “moral support”.

“Just pull with your arms more!”

“Twist your hip and get under your opponent!”

Dad’s suggestions were not helpful during the confusion of a judo match.

I finally just got so frustrated that I blurted out, “If it’s so easy, you do it!”

It was pure frustration on my part, but my dad rose to my challenge and joined the judo club!

The first day of practice he became so exhausted after five minutes he had to stop and sit for the remainder of the hour.  He said later that his first thought was, “I’m too old for this!”

The next day seemed confirmation!

As he struggled to get out of bed he wondered about the wisdom of this decision.  He could just quit!  Nobody expected the old man to hang in there.

Dad said what kept him going were his fond memories of practicing judo as a child.  Though his sore old bones where having trouble moving across the floor, he could remember the exhilaration of tumbling and the satisfaction of throwing his practice partner to the ground.

He said it was very humbling to be tossed around like a rag doll.  As his son, it was painful to watch him struggle up off the ground, only to be thrown over and over.

My dad told me that he knew it would take time and he gave himself and his body permission to learn step by step, little by little.  His second visit to the mat lasted ten minutes.  Gradually he increased the amount of time he could stay on the mat until he could last the entire hour.

His breathing and endurance dramatically improved as well as his skills and he became the oldest competitor at the age of forty.

I remember feeling  completely embarrassment when  judo kids would ask me, “What is your old man trying to prove?”

Though dad had his own cheering section of forty-plus year old parents at the judo tournaments!

Dad was the victor in tournament matches against much younger men!  Frequently he’d win just for showing up because there was no body old enough for him to compete with!

Over the years I’ve heard kids and adults alike say, “Wow, your dad is awesome!”

Dad exercised every day, even when he had minor injuries–not because he loved exercise– but because he loved judo.

He could overlook and tolerate any pain or discomfort because judo brought so much pleasure to his life.  It drastically reduced his stress at work, improved his breathing, increased his strength and improved his health, and brought him respect and adoration from family, friends and colleagues.

When our Judo Club nominated him to be our Club President he didn’t just lead.  He brought practitioners and their families together with community spirit.

Pain can be a positive or negative learning experience depending on the observer.

My dad taught me that good pain does not require pain pills.

The pain and sore muscles of getting in shape should be worn like a badge of honor.

Good pain is just a necessary part of the journey to victory!

My father was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in his late sixties.

Even as his health deteriorated, he was usually in good spirits.  He said he had no regrets because he had lived his passion.

At his memorial service much of our Judo Club attended.  SO many club members and instructors, as well as their friends and families, told me how much they respected, loved and admired my dad.

Passions can take many forms.  For my dad it was judo.

The benefits were surprising and unexpected.  Even living with Parkinson’s was more tolerable because he understood the difference between good pain and bad pain.

It was much easier to live with the pain of Parkinson’s because he  lived and practiced his martial art.

Living your healthy passions is essential to living a fulfilling life.

If you are happy, people are drawn to you and opportunities present themselves.  I’ve seen it through my parent’s life as well as my own.

I have learned so many positive lessons from pain.

Push through your positive pain and realize the success that awaits you on the other side. 

Pain pills are a God send for bad pain, but don’t delude  yourself into thinking that all pain is bad!

Growing pains are a sign that you are growing!

Growing is a GOOD thing!

Taking good care of yourself isn’t completely pain free, but sometimes we make it harder than it needs to be.

If all pain feels bad to you, then take a look at your self care habits and see what you can do to improve it.

Emotional health is not separate from physical health.

The Life Breath Coach here on Heart Failure Solutions teaches us that “whiney feeling” is actually a symptom of dis-ease.

When you take better care of yourself you’ll feel less “Whine” and more “Wonder”!

You may know exactly what to do to improve on your self care.

Eat better.

Get more exercise.

Prioritize sleep.

“Increase Your Oxygen: Your Secret To Empower Health and Well Being” is a free downloadable ebook from The Life Breath Coach that will open your eyes to what dis-ease REALLY is.

Once Carrie, The Life Breath Coach, teaches you the difference between restorative and chronic dis-ease, you will better understand what I mean by Good Pain vs Bad Pain.

Take this time to download your free ebook and read it, because you need to prepare before you step foot on the dance floor with The Zen Dance Master!  But don’t worry the preparation is as pain free as Zen Dance is Good Pain Fun!

Click on the link below and gain access to your download and READ NOW!

Zen Dance Prep

 

Life Is a Dance

Dance With Life,

Chad Kubo

The Zen Dance Master