Martial Arts & Crafts

A story about fashion, but not really about fashion. I share my journey of dressing my body, making certain choices about how I present myself to the world, what made me embrace and question these choices, and how I stepped into the power and freedom of being able to let go of old stories (and old selves) to step fully committed into something new. So this really isn't a story about fashion at all. It's a story about identity and how powerful the mind can be.

My website: mymartialartsncrafts.com

What story are you telling yourself that might be holding you back from your full potential?

This episode is a recording from a video I made in August 2019. The subject was getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. I think I had some good points to make back then, so I wanted to share it again on this new platform of mine. Hopefully you'll get something out of it, because I think this lesson is a great one for 2020, too, as we leave it behind to face whatever's next.

Link to original video: https://youtu.be/ZqGBpdQ5Us4

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Visit my website mymartialartsncrafts.com

What do you make for Christmas? Do you make gifts? Handmade gifts don't have to cost a lot. And they are often much more precious than the things you can buy. In this short holiday episode, I discuss one of my most memorable Christmas giving experiences and how making something special for someone can impact both the giver and the receiver in some beautiful, expansive (not expensive!) ways.

In this episode, I'll talk about some of my experience as a "white belt" creative professional. I've created a lot, just because of the need to create, and recently I've begun to sell some of my work. I'm new to this end of things, so I discuss what I've got going on, and where it might take me. I will always emphasize, however, the importance of being creative for creativity's sake. I advocate for pursuing your artistic passions because there really is no other option if you're going to live a fulfilled life. Even if you never make a dime from your art or crafts, keep doing it. And share it somehow, because art is magic.

As we move into our winter hibernation, let's ask ourselves what our purpose is here in this life. I've been sitting with this question, personally and professionally, wondering how my values support and help to define my larger purpose. Have you ever taken the time to define your purpose? How does it show up for you? Are you living your purpose, or have you wandered? No judgement, just an invitation to explore who we are and try on different values together. 

If you have a hard time with November every year, you're not alone. This year, we may be facing more severe issues in our communities than other years, but even in Novembers past, I've always experienced dark feelings that go way beyond a general malaise. In this episode, I'm exploring the root of my animosity toward the worst month of the year (when we're supposed to be the most grateful, no less, and maybe the fact that November just sucks is all the more reason to practice gratitude here). I'll also go into what I've been doing in recent Novembers to make sure I keep seeking and spreading Light with the intention of helping others do the same.

Small changes can have a HUGE impact. Let's talk about what microscopic shifts we can start making TODAY to get us where we want to be next month, next year, in five years, etc.!

You can support this podcast for just pennies a day at patreon.com/mymartialartsncrafts or anchor.fm/mymartialartsncrafts.

Having courage doesn't mean I'm not afraid. It means that I have a healthy fear of the unknown or uncomfortable and step into and through it because I know the rewards are going to be worth the risk. Join me as I explore fear and courage, tell a couple of personal stories, quote the Bible, Dune and my own vulnerable inner monologue as I stumble my way through the fear and technological learning curve of my first real podcast episode. 

Welcome to Martial Arts & Crafts. This introduction is intended to get me a little practice talking about myself and my experience, give you some background about who I am and what I'm doing here, and offer a brief overview of what kinds of topics I'll be covering beyond the obvious martial arts and arts and crafts.