self-confidence - Minorsan

Summer Works for Weight Loss

May 16, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Summer provides an abundance of fresh & local fruits and vegetables

Summer works for weight loss due to several factors

A recent study, which was highlighted on a daily news show, indicates that 68% of the U.S. population loses more weight during the Summer months. Here are some good reasons why Summer works for weight loss:

1 – We move more in the Spring and Summer. It’s nicer out, we have more light, and there are many outdoor activities. We want to be more sedentary in fall/winter. It’s colder, darker, and the tendency is stay inside where it is warm, and we can have lights on. Contrary to the belief that we burn more fat during the Winter due to the cold temperatures, that might be true if we lived in tents. Most of us live in warm homes, and often turn the heat up. We heat our vehicles. We go into warm buildings. Very few like living/working in cold buildings. If you enjoy working out outdoors in the cold, that helps too.

2 – Fall is the season in which most people get SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). This can easily create depressive moods. When depressed, who wants to do anything, much less get your butt up and working out. We tend to eat to feel better. The is why I’m always getting y’all to come in to work out. It WILL help you feel so much better and get out of that depressive mood. Fall season also starts ‘holiday eating syndrome,’ and it’s easily subsequent weight gain. Remember, I’m talking about overindulgence of calorie-dense, nutrient-deficient foods here, not small bites here and there of your favorite foods.

3 – Hot weather suppresses our appetite. I have an anecdotal story here: when my son got married, that entire week was very very hot here in CA. Both locations, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz, were in the high 80’s and 90’s (yes, this is hot for CA…lol). I had set up a bunch of yummy (and yes, healthy, but still very yummy appetizers). They were hardly touched! I asked if the food was just not that good, and the overwhelming response was that ‘it was just too hot!’ Afternoon workouts in the hot Summer work best indoors!

4 – Many people are more conscious of their bodies in the Summer when many of us wear less clothing (men and women), and this can be a great motivator to watch our habits with food.

5 – Summer brings an abundance of fresh, in season, fruits and vegetables. Always best to eat in season, and Spring/Summer make it so much easier to get high-nutrient dense foods that are low in caloric value.

For seasonal workers (i.e. teachers who have Summer off), a perfect answer would be to take in a Tabata Bootcamp.

As always, you can contact me via this website’s Contact page or call 831-458-0900.

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
Master Instructor-Trainer
Minorsan Self-Defense & Fitness

Are You Nice or Kind?

April 20, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

The other night I was teaching one of the Self-Defense modules, and the subject of ‘nice’ and ‘kind’ came up. It’s interesting how much we know the difference, yet often fall into being ‘nice’ rather than kind.’ Are you nice or kind?

Why the Indoctrination

Our indoctrination into being ‘nice’ started when we were very young. Parents and caretakers not wanting to be seen as ‘bad parents’ often chastised us into being ‘nice’ when we did something/said something that was not socially acceptable, to or at another person. Instead of telling us what to do correctly, they simply told us to be ‘nice.’ This conditioning has led many of us to ‘give up something,’ as one individual stated in the Self-Defense class.

‘Nice people’ are always giving up something to someone else. Nice people want what I call “The 7 A’s:” Approval, Acceptance, Attention, Acknowledgement, Affection, Adoration, Agreement. They want people to LIKE them. They have a great fear of rejection, and have a hard time with confrontation. They don’t want to ‘rock the boat.’ She’s your aunt, be nice. He’s the gardener, be nice. She’s the pharmacist, be nice. He’s the doctor, be nice. He’s your playmate, be nice. He’s my friend, be nice. He’s your uncle, be nice. They also make the easiest victims to all levels of crime. Perpetrators can smell this. Being nice is an emotional challenge for sure, always giving up something to someone else.

This can be detrimental to you and your safety

Perpetrators use being ‘nice’ as a way to manipulate and deceive. They know how to act it. They want to build your trust. So they are ‘nice’ to you. They give you compliments, offer to help you, ask seemingly innocent questions (I say ‘seemingly’ because someone asking you where Bay Street is located doesn’t seem like an out-of-line question, however, with every word you speak, a perpetrator is gathering information about you. More about this another time.)

Being ‘kind’ on the other hand is a state of being in control of your power. A kind person is able to “CUE,” show Compassion, Understanding, and Empathy, without allowing others to step all over you. The moment you are uncomfortable, you check in. What are you sensing? What are you feeling? What is this person attempting?

You Don't Need to Like Everyone

Being kind does not mean you have to like a person. It does not mean you are going to be friends forever. Or even at all. You can show kindness to someone, and still not like them. You may not agree with anything about them, you may not like their level of integrity, you may not approve of their morals and ethics, however, you still treat them with kindness because, well, they really haven’t done anything to harm/hurt/violate you. You simply don’t have the right chemistry with them.

I’ve heard of so many instances where one child does or says something ‘bad’ to another child and instead of finding out what caused the confrontation in the first place, the adult present tells the child to just ‘be nice.’ Being ‘nice’ is how that adult resolves it. This is totally disempowering to a child.

And What About You

If you find yourself always saying ‘yes’ to everyone around you, check in. What are your reasons? Are they truly valid for you? Is it that you can’t stand confrontation? (Nobody likes it, really.) Or are they reasons that ‘give away,’ so you can feel good that they are happy because you complied. In your mind this means that they will now like you. In their mind, many will be happy because they are getting what they want. They are using you. And you let them.

Kindness and compassion are truly separate and distinct from being a ‘nice guy.’ Ellen doesn’t say (at the end of her shows) “be nice to one another.” She clearly always states “be kind to one another.” There is a huge difference.

Shifting niceness into kindness is huge change. If you’d like to do some work around this, contact me through the website.

Clara E Minor
Master Trainer/Instructor
MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness
831-458-0900
minorsan.com

Why I Teach Martial Arts & Fitness

April 5, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Teaching martial arts, self-defense & fitness go beyond "passion"... There is purpose behind what I do

I often get asked what I do (by people whom I'm meeting for the first time). In March, I was at an event and had the opportunity to speak to 85 women. What a treat! A captive audience….a speaker’s dream.

The first words out of my mouth were: “I teach women how to fight.” It is the first time I had ever told anyone what I do, in those specific words. For some reason, it held a lot of power. My audience was immediately captivated by what was to follow. I had all of 3 minutes! lol…

But in those 3 minutes I explained in a nutshell exactly what I do.

“I teach people how to fight, and specifically women. I help women who have a hard time standing up for themselves and don’t feel very good about their bodies, to feel great in their bodies and live their lives in fearlessness, by cultivating their #badasscourage [thru physical movement].”

(And I did not even mention martial arts or fitness.)

I like it a lot

I like these words. They do hold a lot of power. And it is what I do (among so much more). Teaching women (and men) this particular skill goes so far beyond the actual skill, as it becomes a part of our nervous system with new muscle memory, replacing old patterns of movement and old ways of thinking. Even more important, it replaces a new way of feeling. You get emotional transformation through your own physical transformation. It is indeed powerful.

Yes, I teach men and always have. However, lately a lot of women have been drawn to my studio to learn how to fight. Maybe that is why I chose those words at that moment. Maybe it is just time for more women to learn to fight. It has been a ‘given’ for men to have the ‘permission’ to learn to fight. Women…not so much. The time is ripe. The time is now.

And if every woman and girl in the world knew how to fight, wouldn’t the world look different? Food for thought…

Our bodies are brilliant

They hold so much within. Trusting that has often been so hard for so many of us. Our bodies speak to us all the time. Often we ignore our bodies. We let our minds take over. That’s when we run into our own trouble. I keep learning from my body every day. I seem to be on a path to bigger and deeper healing…every day. Listening to my body has become top priority. (And I am still learning from the incident with my broken arm.)

Going thru my own process of ‘getting there,’ I have learned that we hold energy, thoughts, and feelings in every fiber of our bodies. Sometimes it is best to release it (for our better health and happiness). The release of energy happens in lots of different ways. Some are subtle and some are quite a bit more ‘intense.’ From experience, I know that heat can create a release of energy that we didn’t even know we were holding. This can be intense.

I have had these releases thru my martial arts training, sweat lodges, and sitz baths. The common denominator was heat. In the martial arts training, my core was continually contracting as I rolled on the mat. My body was sweating. Tears started rolling. My teacher, Mr. Tino Tuiolosega, was surprised, as I was, for nothing had happened to me, except I was practicing rolls…and sweating a lot. I’ve seen martial arts students break down in tears from something that was seemingly ‘nothing.’ This doesn’t happen to everyone. However, when it does, it is very powerful.

Heat is expansive. Cold is contractive. Most of us know this. When we are cold we hold ourselves tighter. Our muscles contract in an effort to retain heat. In this effort, the cells are tight. Not much can pass through. With heat in the cells, they expand. Expansion allows more room for energy to travel through each cell. In that opening of the cells, therein lies the release. Release of old energy, old memories, old stuff. (Sweat lodges and sitz baths work in a similar way. Maybe more about those later.)

So, back to what I do

Learning how to fight goes so far beyond knowing how to fight. It can truly be a method of healing. In my world, there is no other more powerful confidence builder than being able to control another person who might be attempting to hurt or harm you, especially if that person is bigger than you. There is such a huge myth surrounding people who are ‘bigger than you.’

As I continued to train (with everyone who was bigger than me), I began to demystify this myth for myself. I was getting a new truth…about myself, about other people (and their ‘size’), and how feeling my own power to knock someone out made a true and lasting change in my life. Having trained in 6 other martial arts disciplines, I still did not have that for which I was looking. It wasn’t until Mr. Tino Tuiolosega walked into my life did I learn about this energy within and the power to cultivate courage.

And then there is #badasscourage

"Cultivate Your #badasscourage" was developed out of a need to find, in a nutshell, what I do. Courage is what got me through the doubts and fears. Doubts and fears don’t disappear. They become smaller and less significant, but only after you’ve gone through them. At least that was true for me. That is cultivation. The more I cultivated, the more courage I built. Having to confront my own teacher was the hardest part of any training I ever did with him. I almost lost him as my teacher (twice) because I had the courage to speak up (to the one who was teaching me to cultivate my power…lol). Nobody confronts ‘Mr. Tino.’ I had to. And it was worth the risk. He (unknowingly) taught me to deal with other people's anger. Huge big lesson. And it was great! It took courage to stand in close proximity to Mr. Tino Tuiolosega when the release of this energy happened. Whoa! And every time I got stronger.

Cultivating ‘knockout power’ provided my body, mind and spirit with an energy that I had never, ever felt, ever in my life. And it sure did feel good. Yes, I was learning to put someone’s lights out. Never in my life growing up did I ever think I would one day have the ability to knock someone out. I never thought about it because, like most people, who wants to think about this kind of stuff?

We often ignore the 'what if's.' As I began to learn this power, I was creating confidence that I had never had before in my life. Knowing that I can knock someone out makes all the difference in my world. It doesn’t make me invincible. Yes, someone else can knock my lights out too. I am as vulnerable as the next person when a situation is totally out of my control. However, when I have control to make choices, I won’t feel so frozen. I will choose to fight for what I believe or take flight for when it makes more sense to get the x@#^ out.

And I use it every day

What’s even bigger than this is that I use my training every single day. Self-defense is about making your own choices on your own watch every day. It’s about standing up for what you believe. It’s about speaking your mind, and not having to justify anything to anyone.

I still make mistakes. If I didn’t make mistakes, I wouldn’t be learning much. The difference is that now when I make choices, I know they are my own, I am operating under my own power in all aspects of my life, and I have the confidence to stand behind my choices. I stand up for what I believe to be truth. I ask for help when I need it. I release people who feel toxic to my life. I stand strong in who I am and don’t make excuses or justifications.

I can take the time I need to assess a situation and not make a move out of fear (of rejection, embarrassment, being made wrong, etc—which is entirely different from making a move in a dangerous situation). The energy that runs through my body when I feel #badasscourage cannot ever be explained. Each person has to feel it. (Like how you explain the taste of an orange to someone who has never tasted citrus.)

And besides, feeling that #badasscourage is a great way to live. And this is why I do what I do...why I teach what I teach. Whether in my martial arts classes, self-defense classes, or fitness classes, I bring it all to the table. Talk to me if you are curious how this might work for you too, beyond what you are already doing.

Clara E Minor
Master Instructor-Trainer
MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness
Santa Cruz, CA
Contact Page
831-458-0900
Yes, I will teach you to kick-butt in a most appropriate way.

Chemistry Involved in Changing Habits

March 22, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Chemistry Involved in Changing Habits Who knew that chemistry was involved in how successful we can be with changing habits. The following blog post by James Clear explains how it all works in our brains and how changing habits works (or doesn't). See if you can see your 'sticking points' after reading this article by James Clear. The good news is that you can change all those 'sticking points.' You first have to identify them. Only you can do that for you. Or you could hire me to come live with you for a bit...I would find them for you. (On second thought, let's ixnay that idea...lol.) Seriously, this article can be an eye opener.

The-Chemistry-of-Building-Better-Habits

Let me know what you think.

Clara E Minor
Master Instructor-Trainer
MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness

Get Your Life ‘Fit’ this Spring

February 23, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Get Your Life Fit this Spring Yes, Spring is almost here. As each season is only 3 months, what can you determine to get accomplished, maybe finish, or start, continue, and/or achieve in 3 months time? Spring is always the best time to clean up: clean out closets, rearrange another room, clean out the garage, get rid of excess storage, get the garden fixed up, and a host of other things we think about in Spring.

Many people often think of a 'spring cleanse' for the body. We drink juices, or liquids, or take supplemental drinks, or use different products to attempt to achieve a more 'clean' inside our bodies. Some are for the liver, some for releasing heavy metals, some are intestinal, and on and on. There are many things to choose from in the marketplace. You can start this process by simply beginning to choose to purchase (and eat) foods that are more 'clean.' Yes, cleaner eating will begin the detoxifying process.

Cleanses are popular and lots of people have tried at least one. They are pretty straightforward: consume this, and not that. Do this now, and do that then. Most cleanse instructions are easy to understand. What is not as popular, are emotional cleanses. Great to get your body fit and healthy. And that is a great place to start getting your entire life fit. Once you get to a level in which you are comfortable with your body, then another step in getting your life fit would be to do some ‘emotional’ cleansing. Getting your life 'fit' is always a great transformation, and ultimately, it will bring you more happiness. How fit is your life compared to your body?

Is there something different you can do this Spring? Focus on something that you've wanted to change for a long time. What can you 'clean out?' Think of it like recycling and/or trash: what are you still not recycling, and what is truly trash? When we recycle, we let things go, to be used in a different way. When it's trash, it is simply time to dump it back into the earth. It will eventually become something entirely different on it's own, and in it's own time. It no longer has use in it's present form.

Is there something you still have not achieved that you’ve wanted to accomplish for a while? How are your fitness and lifestyle goals going for you? Are you where you want to be yet? If not, what can you do different to reboot your body, and begin getting results again? This is always a great first step to getting your life 'fit.' (If this is something you want/need, get a hold of me and let’s set an appointment time to chat about it. It could be just a small change can begin the reset process.)

An issue most people have, that can always be more 'fit,' is getting adequate sleep. If you still have not been sleeping enough because you just go to bed late, what steps can you take to remedy going to bed earlier? Here are a few things you can do to help with sleep:

Photo Courtesy of coverphoto.net

1) Write your to-do list for the day, and if you don’t get it all done, let it go. Attempting to cram everything into the day, because it is on your list, creates more stress, thereby making it harder to sleep in the first place. Going to bed earlier might not matter if you are thinking about what you did not do and can’t get to sleep because of it;

2) Turn off all electronics and let your body decompress without the extra stimulation (yes, the studies have been done on this one. Late night electronic use keeps us awake longer when we finally attempt to fall asleep;

3) If you must eat late because you were not able to get in your last meal earlier, make it smaller. Food in your stomach upon laying down is the wrong way to get it digested;

4) If you go to bed angry, upset, or frustrated because you were not able to resolve a conflict you had earlier, fix it the next day. You will have a hard time getting to sleep every night that you go to bed with conflict. Yes, it takes courage to speak up. For some of us this is easier than for others. However, for most, it is not easy…ever. Once you do this (speak to the person/s involved), you will feel so much stronger, and the stress of the situation will be gone.

If you don’t do something about your sleep, who will? This is one of those situations where ‘talking about it with your friends’ isn’t really going to resolve it. They can, however, have ideas that might lead you to find the help you need. This is part of self-care is a great way to begin getting your life more 'fit.'

Think of anything else that might be getting in the way of restful sleep. If you chronically wake up in the middle of the night and cannot go back to sleep, see a specialist. There are alternate ways of dealing with it, thus, often avoiding medications. Sometimes one simple change can make a huge difference.

In the end, nobody is more responsible than we are, for our state of well-being. Having a roomful or closetful of ‘stuff’ that you no longer use (and most probably no longer need) can create stress that you are not even aware is affecting you. It is. Not getting enough sleep is affecting you. What else is there that you need/want to change? Take one step in the direction to resolve it. Taking care of ourselves, truly, is more than what we eat and the exercise we get. Our emotional bodies are usually the most neglected. And guess where most of our issues come from…(yep, right answer).

See what you can do in the Spring to make a change that you no longer want/need. Write it down to help make it more solid. You will be more accountable to yourself when you actually see it in written form. Post it somewhere so you can see it every day. This will make a huge difference in your actually getting it accomplished. Be accountable to yourself. Create the change you want to see.

See you in class.

Clara E Minor
Master Trainer/Instructor
Minorsan Self-Defense & Fitness
(See Contact Page to send her a message)

Self-Care-Self-Love

February 1, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Caring and Loving Self

We’ve all head this over and over. Love yourself. Self-care-self-love...that could mean a lot of things, as everyone is so different, yet we are the same. I truly believe that everyone wants and needs love. It starts with our ‘self.’

Our families and our friends can bring us great joy. They can also drain us if we allow it. We have the power and the control to shape our lives. Grab the reins and guide yourself in a new direction if you know this will help you. Stay focused. Stay determined. Be courageous.

You are in the driver’s seat and you always have been, even though you sometimes let others navigate your life for you. It's ok if you don't know where you are going to have a navigator. When you know where you are going, take control. Do something for you. Here are some ideas to spark your own creativity:

1. sitting quietly

2. meditation

3. going for a walk (with friends, or alone)

4. reading

5. enjoying a glass of wine

6. massage

7. exercise (w/group or alone)

8. get a facial/pampering at spa

9. mani-pedi

10. breathe deep in a quiet place (or even in your car!)

11. go to the ocean and walk the beach

12. sit among the redwoods

13. bike ride along the cliffs, thru the trees

14. go for a jog

15. clear a space just for you in your home/yard

16. sit and watch a fun movie

17. go out with a friend (lunch, movie, walk, tea)

18. meet just to talk

19. do something to make you laugh (movie, show, audio)

20. take a full day to be alone and do what pleases you

21. say ‘no’ when you feel over-extended

22. take a class/course (anything) to help your inner game

23. choose to eat better (even do it for one day)

24. start a new project that you totally enjoy

25. call someone you haven’t talked to in a long time

26. take a long soothing bath

27. light some scented candles

28. sleep during the day

29. ask someone to be with your kids for a few hours/a day

30. start painting, or drawing, or photography

31. start a journal (this becomes your autobiography. yes, your life matters)

32. put on gentle music and let it waft thru you

33. put on loud music and dance your heart out

34. say 'no' to more requests of your time

35. go to the library and discover a new old book

36. show someone love in a small way (you will reap the rewards)

37. take a yoga class

38. do something wild

39. go to bed earlier

40. drink a healthy, nourishing liquid

41. get needed bodywork (chiro, acupuncture, etc)

42. use organic scents (diffuser w/essential oils) to change your mood

43. learn a new handiwork (build something, make something you have never made before)

44. no electronics for a day

45. schedule a counseling session (or therapy) and go!

46. get more social (go to an event, especially if you always avoid them)

47. think about something good...and smile

48. write down everything that you would love to do, then pick one and start right away

49. find new ways of doing the same thing (w/food, new route to work, new path on your walk/jog/ride, reading outside if you always read inside)

50. bake/cook something with a friend

51. go to a place of worship (find what resonates for you)

52. dream about what could be; then take action

Use your creativity to come up with other ideas (did I forget shopping?!)

For many of us, the best self-care is to truly stop, do nothing and sit in silence—breathing deep.

This allows the body to decompress. If you are constantly running around crazy, this is the best medicine. Might be time to stand up for your needs. Ask someone to support and help you. Take care of what really matters. Let the rest go.

See you in town, at an event, or in class!

To your Health and Well-Being, have a Happy Love Month!

Clara

Clara E Minor, Master Instructor/Trainer, is owner of MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness. You may contact her here. She will help you find your #badasscourage if you are ready.

What is #BadassCourage?

January 18, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Every move re-educates the muscles.

Ahhhh...Courage—

It evokes pictures of some courageous and strong people we all know, or have seen in movies—I think of Braveheart, Wonder Woman, and other SuperHeroes.

The Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr., airline pilots (who have successfully landed an ailing aircraft full of people), and others we hear about in the news, are the ‘big’ people.

They are ones who have an impact on many. They are all ‘BadassCourageous.’ There is even a local SuperHero who saved another woman from a continued sexual attack. Here she is. And she is 15 years old.

When I think of people I know, besides our Local SuperHero mentioned above, those who come to mind are the ones who:

• decided to quit their job and go back to school

• broke off a toxic relationship

• decided to move to the other side of the World

• have opened a business solo

• went overseas alone (knowing only the English language)

• decided to get up on a stage for the first time

• presented an idea to ‘experts’

• published their first book

• decided to confront someone in power

• told her/his employer why they deserved the raise

• confronted the bully in their office (or at a school)

• moved out of a house that no longer served her/his needs

• left a relationship that was toxic

• and so many more

We have all accomplished courageous things in our lives...and not always recognized them as being courageous. Just walking into a fitness facility or a martial arts studio takes courage for so many.

What about you?

What courageous acts have you created so far in your life? Absolutely no need to be a SuperHero to have Courage. We all do courageous things all the time. Most often we see them as ‘life challenges.’ And life challenges absolutely cultivate our courage. Everyone has a story. What are your stories?

The one fear I hear the most in my line of work is the fear of going out alone. What is the true fear here? It is the fear of getting hurt by an attack, and not knowing what to do, or having the resources to be safe. It is so much easier to stay home. So we limit ourselves. We limit our life experiences. We limit our freedom. We settle for limited lives.

The fear of embarrassment and rejection, often go hand in hand. For this reason we don’t introduce ourselves at an event where we might not know very many people. Some of us won’t even go to a party alone. If we do go, we might sit in ‘our spot’ the entire night.

Or we fear getting up in front of a group of people and speaking our minds. How many times have you seen an empty dance floor…only to begin filling up after one brave soul went out there to dance (that would be me…lol. And I usually don’t wait long. When a danceable song I like comes on, I’m there).

There are so many instances whereby we allow our fears to stop us from living a full, free, and happy life. It’s easier to be mediocre, normal, let others have their way, and we settle for where we are because it is in our comfort zone.

‘Confrontation is just too hard'

We can only develop courage when we charge ahead through our fears. This is the only (and I emphasize only) way to build courage.

Learning to 'follow-through' ensures you will hit with all ya got

So now think of how you would respond if your life was in danger. Is it scary just thinking about it? Our brains all ‘think’ of what we would do. You can think it over and over, and you will end up reacting with what is in your body at the moment. You will truly never know until it happens. Being prepared is absolutely one of life's 'best practices.'

From my experience in teaching self-defense and martial arts programs these past 36 years, our bodies are the ones who will respond. Not our minds.

Courage is not in our heads. Courage is in our bodies, as are all emotions. Think of sadness. Have you ever lost a loved one? Lost a love? Lost anyone in your life whom you valued? Where do you feel the pain? In your head? I don’t think so. The pain resides in our hearts. The pain is real.

If we could do it, most of us would just pull out the pain with our hands. However, because it is energy we cannot ‘pull’ it out. Most of us simply cannot physically ‘grasp’ energy. We cannot ‘will’ it away either. (If you can, show me how please…(I want to ‘lol’ here, as I don’t think anyone will come thru with the ‘how-to’ on this one.) And what is the most common method to release that pain? Tears. Tears allow healing, as they allow the emotion to release. This is not news. We all know this.

How will courage work In confrontations?

We have three choices: Fight - Flight - Freeze. Which one will work for you? In any situation—even in a conversation with a relative, or the bully at work, or school, or someone in power, which response will your body elicit?

Gonna talk about ‘freeze’ for a sec here. When we ‘freeze’ as in paralyzing fear, or someone says something to us that makes us clam-up (and we truly didn’t want to clam-up!), how do we get out of that frozen state?

Maybe the person walked away before we could say what we really wanted to say. Then we’re left depleted, discouraged, dis-enheartened, belittled, feel like we ‘lost,’ etc. And it can easily bring tears.

What could you do to get out of the ‘freeze response?’

What in your body allows you to move this frozen energy? If you guessed ‘take a deep breath’ you are correct. Is that a thought in your brain? It could start as a ‘reminder’…”oh yeah, breathe.” However, the breathing itself is a body-response. Your deep breath clears your mind, as it allows fresh blood to flow into it with the renewed oxygen flow, thus unfreezing your body. This is another gift we were given as humans. This deep breath allows you to also relax which is the cornerstone for stress-reduction.

So now let’s look at someone physically coming at you in a threatening manner. Time and again I have asked people new to ‘quick-reaction-body-knowledge’ to show me what they would do.

I even let them know what I am going to do (how I will ‘attack’ them). Now bear in mind, I make sure that everyone is safe in this exercise—no one is getting punched out or knocked to the floor).

Time and time again, they freeze, or move in a way that would allow me to continue to overpower them or re-attack (if I was a ‘bad’ person). Even though in their heads they may have thought of what they will do, their response is quite short of what they were thinking.

Sometimes I tell them exactly how they will be confronted, then show them exactly what to do, and they still do something different. Why is this? Because that is what is in the body. That is the memory of the body—the knowledge and intelligence of the body. The body’s brilliance.

The muscles can only move with the knowledge the body contains.

Our entire lifetimes we are inputting information (emotion) into our bodies. When therapists can elicit something that was ‘deeply buried’ inside of someone, where was it buried? Our brains are only thoughts. The energy of that past experience is buried in our bodies. It comes out most readily with our tears.

So then, how do we change the response of the muscles to move in the most efficient way to be safe?

It starts with the input the nervous system receives. When physical confrontations happens, the messages are sent through the eyes into the brain’s nervous system and then into the body. In order to change how the muscles react, we must re-educate them.

This does not happen in one hour or even one day or one week. It takes hours and hours of time, depending on the severity of the response (or non-response) to re-educate the muscles.

When the muscles have this new knowledge in them, it creates a response in the brain that gives us the confidence needed to move through fear and challenges with courage. When our bodies know that we can knock out a perpetrator, the confidence rises, we become more relaxed, and we have now created what I call #BadassCourage:

• the ability to stand your ground

• centered and balanced

• speak your truth, regardless of what other people think or say about you, and regardless of the possible consequences

• find your own freedom

You fight to defend yourself, and come out on top (it may all be verbal). You are not fighting for mediocrity. Who wants to 'kind of-sort of' feel good? You are fighting within to ‘win the battle.’ You might end up with a few ‘battle scars.’ And those are good, because you fought the fight. You did it. You defended yourself. I see these as ‘Badges of Badass.’

You will find your voice when you develop your #BadassCourage. Start by collecting your own Badges of Badass.

Finding your voice allows you to make the choices that work for you (and those you love). It allows you to stand up for yourself. It allows you to speak up. Be bold. Be creative. Achieve your own freedom. And that is where you will find your happy place. It will allow you to live the life you want.

Contact me if you are interested in finding out more about your own BadassCourage (complimentary consultation), and how your life can totally change in a positive, powerful way.

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
Master Instructor/Trainer
MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness

#badasscourage
#fight4YOURlife
#badgesofbadass
#selfdefense
#martialarts
#womenspower
#womensmartial arts

Self-Care Self-Love Day!

January 18, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

OK...this is predominantly a Ladies event! Heidi Moakler of Ruby Ribbon will be showcasing her "BraFreeForever" line of clothing that will change the way you choose your clothes! February 5, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm we are having a Special Event that will highlight Ruby Ribbon, doTerra essential oils by Katherine Hughes, and GoosesGoodies Toffee by Marci Prolo!

This is a great way to celebrate your love for you! See how wonderful you too can feel in this clothing that is phenomenal and so kind to our bodies. Feel the smoothness and silkiness of the material and how it makes you feel wearing it. After trying one on, you will probably want to purchase several. Different styles-different colors-you choose what works for you.

cami_rubyribbon

Essential oils help us get through so many different 'states' in our bodies, minds and souls. Find out what would benefit you immediately. And you can purchase the wonderful little handmade cloth bags made by Katherine, to store your oils. These also make great gifts for family and friends (and, of course, you!).

Marci has been running GoosesGoodies for several years. Her toffee is a family favorite that she has built into a business. Come taste the goodies and purchase a bag or two.

We'll provide something to drink. And someone will win a Gift Basket filled with all types of goodies.

It takes courage to make a change. This one should be easy. Help to activate your #badasscourage by taking one small step to make a difference for yourself (or your special person). What a great way to celebrate First Friday too and our Love Month!

See you there.

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor

Helping you cultivate your #badasscourage ...

Tabata 2-yr Anniversary Celebration Week!

December 6, 2015 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Here is all the info on our Tabata 2-yr Anniversary Celebration Week. Someone will WIN a Tabata Bootcamp at 50% off! Someone will WIN a #badasscourage tank. It could be you. You’ll also have the three opportunities in one week to check out these 30-minute workouts for FREE. We’ll answer all your questions, and you can also pre-purchase a Bootcamp for use in 2016, at 2015 prices before they expire on December 31, 2015. Remember these workouts are progressive, so they are doable for almost everyone. Refreshments will be served, as well as providing free Holiday goodie recipes.

For your specific questions, call us at 831-458-0900, or contact us here.

Sincerely,

Clara & The Crew

of Team MINORSAN

Adventures of a Broken Arm

November 25, 2015 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

On the town on a Friday night networking, partying, dancing, eating great food (served by our very own Hedy Nochimson of Plate & Bottle), and generally having a great time at the Little Black Dress event, a fundraiser put on by Monica Karst of the Santa Cruz Socialites. Awesome event with great friends and colleagues.

Little Black Dress Antics…with Monica Karst (Santa Cruz Socialites), Leta Jusilla and Michelle Bean (both of Optimal Health and Fitness).

I left a bit early (it ended at 10:00, and I left by 9:20 pm), as I had to teach classes in the morning starting at 8:00 am. As is my usual pace (fast, and it’s great for repelling the bad guys), I walked down the driveway, and was just ready to turn left (my intuition told me to get out my small flashlight, however, my head thought it knew better and told me “Nawww, there are lots of street lights. Don’t need the flashlight,” feeling a bit like Smeagle. Not 10 seconds later, my left boot caught the embankment as I was turning, and sent my body sailing across the sidewalk and into the tire of a parked SUV. Both arms were thrown back. I did not have time to break and roll. My right arm hit the tire, and my knees acted somewhat as breaks on the concrete, as I propelled forward. In that moment I felt the right arm protruded wayyyy back, and there was a slight numbing sensation. I knew I had effed up. My brain labored that I would need surgery, and months, maybe years, of therapy. And have pain forever…I just knew it.

Got onto my hands, untouched in this fiasco, and stood up with a bit of knee pain, but still able to walk. I slowly pulled on my arm forward, and of course it was in tremendous pain, not unlike childbirth. It was bent at the elbow by design from the incident. Grabbed my purse (btw, forgot my camera somewhere there on the concrete…so if anybody turned in a Nikon, let me know…lol…yes, it got thrown too), and I walked a few hundred feet. I had to sit down. Got back up, walked a bit more, then realized I was not going to be able to drive (yeah, I was still focused on getting to my car).

Got on my phone and called a couple people who were still at the event. Of course they did not hear their phones, as they were still dancing to great music by DJ Sparkle who played the most fantastic music! (That part of the event was the most fun!) I called a couple more people, and Marica Buenafe came to my rescue. She was at Dominican ER with me until 3:15 am!!! She has more info on the comings and goings in Emergency that night…lol.

The tear my boot took…

Even though I was in pain (after 2 meds, a single shot to the (other) arm, then a double shot to same arm), I was able to quickly fall asleep, as I was by now, exhausted. My arm had a clean break (Great testimonial for the effects of BodyPump training!).

Ready to get wheeled out of ER…with a barf bag…

So here I sit, on the mend, ‘eating crow’ because I did not listen to my own intuition, and I teach this! I teach it in my martial arts classes, my self-defense classes, and I even throw it into fitness workouts! Lesson two: slow down fool…

This is a few days after…

I’m sure I’ll see lessons 3, and 4, and 5…who know how much will come out of this. So far, I am enjoying the fact that I have an awesome staff! My Crew of 19 are fabulous, capable, reliable, fantastic, totally awesome, and so #badass! They get the job done, thank you verr much! Kudos to Marcia Buenafe and Robin Ludington for their exceptional help, and to Analicia Cube, Cassandra Coraggio, Brent Rohrs, and ALL my subs and help: Sophie Calhoun, Connie Kreemer, Anika Wong (for stepping in to teach BodyPump while on vacation here!), Melissa Finsthwait, Samira Hartje, Dixie Mills, Denice Kowalski, and Bernadette Franzel. And thanks to everyone on my entire Crew: Kira Durant, Amanda Clark, Carolyn Wormhoudt, Jenna Giuliani, Jillian Chesley, Katie Landau, Alma Arquiza, and Lorna Russo. They keep the studio humming!

And btw, that night at Little Black Dress made it totally worth it!

Much Love,

Clara E Minor

Cultivating #badasscourage, and encouraging you to #fight4YOURlife!