self -esteem - Minorsan

Thank You 2017 ~ Hello 2018

December 29, 2017 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Yes 2017 is now coming to a close

Setting up for 2018 and what exciting things it holds in store for Minorsan. If 2016 was full of drastic change (venue moving), and collaboration as a new way to build my business, 2017 was the year that we settled into our new partnerships. We have been one full year at The Tannery, and at Garfield, formerly a church, and (just recently) purchased. It will be a new community center for the Westside. This holds exciting possibilities for all of Santa Cruz.

Getting to know my new partners

While this method of doing business has its challenges, they are far outweighed by the benefits. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Christopher Drury, Pastor of Garfield Park Community Church. He is individual, unlike any other pastor I have ever known. I’ll be forever grateful that he welcomed Minorsan with open arms. Looking forward to working with the new owners of the much-needed community center.

I am also grateful and thankful that I’ve gotten to know Cat Willis, Director of Tannery World Dance & Cultural Center. The Tannery is a beautiful space, and Cat is a wonderful human being. She also welcomed Minorsan with open arms. It is a wonderful cultural space to be sharing.

This collaboration, helping these two non-profits, and they in turn, allowing Minorsan to have a space to hold our classes, has been extremely rewarding. If you read the email about my personal process in 2016, then you understand why and how this has been a most wonderful experience.

And how can I not thank the ladies of Optimal Health & Fitness, Leta Jusilla, and Michelle Bean? These two women have collaborated with me for the past 7 years. Minorsan has hosted their (formerly Santa Cruz Challenge, and now Start With Yourself) 12-week experiential program for one or two weeks each of those years. I have met so many people thru this program, have acquired new members, and have formed many lasting relationships and friendships. What else could anyone ask for in collaboration with similar business goals through social media?

Together we accomplish so much more and share in our support of each other. No one can stand alone and be truly happy. We all need some type of connection. For these connections, I am forever grateful.

Huge thank you’s to my Staff and all Minorsan Members

Without my Staff, I could not have accomplished all that I have thus far. They are the ones who allow me to even have a business, much less ‘run’ the business. There is simply no way that I could teach every single class, and still, run a business.

I am so grateful for my loyal staff of instructors and support staff for 2017: Bernadette Franzel, Connie Kreemer, Jenna Giuliani, Julie Graff, Kira Durant, Melissa Finsthwait, Patricia Matthews, Robin Ludington, Robin Holland, Samira Hartje, Sheri Moise, and our newest support staff, Odessa Cross. And thank you to Emiley Stake for all the work accomplished with our social media this past year.

However, I mostly have to thank all of the people who have come through our doors, and those who come weekly, to take classes. That is all of you. You are all the reason I have a business. I thank you for allowing me to service your health and fitness needs. I know everyone has different goals and some of you have achieved personal accomplishments in your health and fitness journey. I am forever grateful and thankful for all of you, and look forward to bringing you more value in 2018.

Providing a space for people to have fun, enjoy moving their bodies, forming friendships with each other, and at the same time finding ways to empower themselves in many different ways through our workouts, is a most rewarding experience for me.

And what will 2018 bring?

I look forward to 2018 bringing more exciting fun stuff to Minorsan, beginning with our FigherFit program, which is in conjunction with the Martial Arts program. FighterFit has already had a ‘soft’ launch. Be on the lookout for a ‘Formal’ Launch of this program. We are also collaborating with the Hyper Fight Club and Bully Defense folks to bring more value to our members and our community at large in 2018.

Also launching in 2018 is STRONG by Zumba.® For those of you not familiar with STRONG by Zumba®, read about it HERE (it is not Zumba dancing at all, but instead another HIIT-type of workout, more in line with the goals of my services). Exciting additions for 2018, for sure!

Our ‘Intro’ program, Get Fit Challenge, will continue. This has proven to be so valuable for women who have not worked out in a long time, are not comfortable in a gym, appreciate working out in a women-only environment, or who have had different challenges on their journeys to health and fitness (ultimately happiness with who they are, and how they feel in their bodies.). I thank Project Level Up for this collaboration. Once again, working together brings each of us so much more.

We all have a purpose, we all have a reason, we each have a season. And no one can do it alone. We need each other for every aspect of our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for your connection to Minorsan and all that you have to offer with your special ‘you.’

On a personal note

I have thoroughly enjoyed being with my family more this past year, and look forward to more trips to be with them in 2018. I will continue to make it a priority to be with friends outside of my working environment, and attend more parties! I will also continue with activities that enrich my spirit, my soul, my mind and my body. It can be no other way. And I will always continue to cultivate my own #badasscourage.

Here’s to saying goodbye to 2017 and a huge hello to 2018! May we all benefit in huge ways this coming year.

With all my love and care (and cheers!)~

Happy New Year!

Clara E Minor

Minorsan Has Moved!

October 4, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Minorsan has Moved and Morning Classes are at The Tannery

Monday – Friday morning classes are being held at The Tannery!

Classes start October 3, 2016.

We are very excited about this collaboration with The Tannery. It is such a great space to just be, and a great space to move. See our online Schedule to see the class times/room. Please bear with us as we work through all the details of the Schedule. Some slots may change.

Our biggest change is for Wednesday morning: Zumba is at 11:30 am, and BodyPump is at 12:30 pm. (Now Wed & Fri Zumba both at 11:30 am!).

And we are very excited to begin evening and Sat/Sun morning classes on October 25, at Garfield Park Community Church! This is another great collaboration within our community. Another great venue to hang out, and to move our bodies! The Church and its entire campus has been revamped, renovated, and is now a beautiful space.

In the meantime, we are offering Tabata workouts (30 mins each) to all members of Minorsan, at 6:00 pm on the Garfield Park Church Lawn. The first was October 3, and it was a hit! Even if you have never taken a Tabata class, you are welcome to join us. Bring a friend and check it out together. It’s always more fun with 2, or 3, or 4 or 5! Bring as many friends as you would like. Anyone new to Minorsan can take one free! Anyone can do a 30-minute class…

We will update when we are open at Garfield Park Church for all classes.

Lessons from the Wharf to Wharf

July 26, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

This past weekend I ran the Wharf to Wharf with a bunch of fun crazy ladies (and one gent, the Beekeeper) who were all promoting Hive & Hum, a new business on River Street, focusing on the importance of our winged friends…especially our BEES. (It is a beautiful store with lots of goodies for everyone!). Every single one of them has been to MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness. Crazy-fun crew. (Yes, I am promoting Hive & Hum, as I believe in their vision. OK…done. Just go there and check it out.)

So today, two days later, I am still feeling the ‘run.’ Have to laugh at this one, as many people do not truly ‘run.’ Many jog/walk and could care less what time we get to the finish line. (That is the best part of this local Santa Cruz event.) And either way, our bodies still feel it. I know it would be ‘smart’ to do many practice runs before this ‘race.’ I’ve ran it twice before this year. Each time, my muscles talk to me. It’s in a loving way, but they do talk loudly to me. I ignore them. I’ve had this lesson now three times. And I choose to say…’meh.’ No big deal. Muscles heal rather quickly. Mine will be good by tomorrow. Really, in the greater scheme of things, no biggie. (Throw this in with ‘first world whining.’)

I run now once per year. This is it. The Wharf to Wharf. I don’t even ‘practice’ for it. I just get out there and jog it. This year I walked a bit too cuz I was with so many other people, and we were all attempting to stay together. Everyone in the group of ‘bees’ did just that. We stopped and danced at many of the bands along the way. We stopped to take photos or video. Pure fun.

Turns out, lots of MINORSAN members also participated in this race. We were randomly dispersed throughout in small groups. Most are not ‘runners’ either. I used to run (years ago before I had any purely fitness workouts at my Studio.) I also went to local ‘gyms.’ Had to get in those weights and the cardio (besides doing my martial arts workouts, which are more anaerobic and work the muscles in an entirely different way). That’s when I used to run. All along West Cliff, in fact. These days, time is even more limited and I have to pick and choose my workouts. So running is a back burner thing. Random. Still, I love this little race called the Wharf to Wharf, from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk/Wharf to the Capitola Wharf in our little slice of paradise located in California. One of my favorite local events.

What got me thinking about this, is that so many locals participate in this this ‘race’ every year, and this year it sold out in 45 minutes! 16,000 people. That is phenomenal. You’d think we were purchasing tickets to see the most beloved person on the planet. Even more impressing was that all abilities were out there participating in this event. And so many local bands and performers were out there supporting the runners/walkers/joggers. The bands help make it so much more fun!

What struck me the most this year, was that there were people who’s bodies didn’t run, and instead, afforded them the ‘walk.’ They walked the entire time. And it was with effort. And they did it. One was in our very group. I also saw a gentleman who was ‘running’ his 44th Wharf to Wharf!!! Yes, he has participated every single year of this event! This time he was walking, and had the aid of two people with him, and he was doing it! There were no excuses. None. He was proudly displaying a sign stating that this was his 44th run of this little race. Simply amazing. Shows how powerful the human spirit can be when we want to achieve.

Yes, I get the lessons about the muscles (which I choose to ignore). However, this lesson from these people who have no excuses, are a bit less able than most of the others ‘running,’ and still get out there and do it, is such a huge inspiration. And a lesson to anyone who uses excuses for anything. At some time or other, we have all come up with excuses. Easy to do. Harder to do is to set excuses aside, thank those excuses for showing up, and then move on ahead, way past those excuses. Why thank them? Because they allow us to pass them up. When we pass up our excuses, we get stronger in mind and spirit. We find more power within. And that is what we are programmed to do. Find ways to accomplishment. Passing up our excuses is the first step to achieving.

This is by far one of the best local events ever. And I will continue to ‘run’ it every year (if I’m in town). And I will probably continue to ignore the lesson my muscles give me every time. After all, I could use that as an excuse. Besides…I’m not THAT sore. Thanks to my other workouts. (Check the rest of my site for what we do.)

So I leave you with your excuses. Me with mine. We can all choose what to do with them. Here’s to happy choosing!

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
Master Trainer-Instructor
MINORSAN Self-Defense & Fitness
831.458.0900
contact@minorsan.com
1320 Mission Street, SC CA 95060

How Addicted to Sugar are You?

July 14, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

My addiction goes back a long way…

At 2 months of age I was fed canned milk diluted with water. The milk was sweetened. That was the ‘formula’ at the time, if babies could not breastfeed, for whatever reason. I was so addicted as a kid, I would take the flower decorations on birthday cakes from others kids’ cake (who didn’t want it), and eat them all! They were made with food coloring and hardened sugar.

At the Santa Clara County Fair I would eat an entire cotton candy (ok, maybe not the whole thing, but most of it), a red candied apple, and a strawberry shortcake (yes, I was stuffed, wanted to hurl, and sometimes did when I got home…lol). I visited the dentist a lot.

And to this day, it is still easy for me to crave ‘sweet,’ so I do the best I can to avoid it. Mostly I can, and do, avoid it. I choose to find alternatives to refined white sugar. There are a lot of alternatives on the market these days.

Most packed foods contain some form of sugar

If they are sweetened, then you are guaranteed there is some form of sweetener added to almost everything.In fact, sugar has been added to most packaged foods for decades. (See the link below to find the list of different names which are used in ingredient lists.) It is truly one of the hardest addictions to stop. Sugar is more pervasive than any drug or substance out there, as it is available literally everywhere.

You don’t see ads on television selling heroin, cocaine or cigarettes (anymore), or any other illicit drugs for that matter. Even though prescription drugs are a huge epidemic, again, they are not added to most of the packaged foods on grocery shelves.

And, yes, even ‘natural foods stores’ carry packaged goods that can easily contain some form of sugar. Most sweetened goods in these stores do contain sugar in one form or another.

In fact, it is hard to get any type of sweet packaged goods (cookies, pastries, pies, cakes, etc) that do not have any type of refined sugar. I often end up making my own. I’m very conscious of what I eat and avoid sugar most days. (I still eat it sometimes!) Very often fresh fruit will suffice.

And, no, it’s not easy to go from full out sugar addiction to eating just fruit to satisfy. It takes time, consistency, persistence, desire, and the willingness to check out different forms of sweet. And I know I am not alone in this.

We eat sugar because, mostly, we crave it. How can you change what your body craves? Keep in mind (if you didn’t already know), you crave what you eat the most…always. Check out what you buy when you grocery shop…every time. Most people buy the same things, almost the same brands, over and over and over.

If this is you, and you want to change your eating habits, but don’t know where to start or what alternatives you have, you can learn all about foods, and how to safely and most effectively make changes.

Members learn about this in Tabata Bootcamp. It really is the only program where we delve into nutritional guidelines, and educate people about their food choices. This is one of the essentials in our Tabata Bootcamp team meetings. These weekly team meetings are an integral part of each Bootcamp. You can find out much more about Tabata Bootcamp at the next Intro-Teaser Day. Click here to read more and sign up. For the list of sugars, here is the list:

Here is the list of the names of sugar

Contact me if you you want more info on Tabata Bootcamp.

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
Master Trainer-Instructor
Minorsan Self-Defense & Fitness
831-458-0900

Sugar’s Hidden Names

July 14, 2016 by Clara E Minor Leave a Comment

Sugar comes with many names

These are not the only names, btw...

Here is a list of the many names that are used for 'sugars' in packaged foods. Read your labels carefully. It hides in a lot of ways. If you are wanting to get healthier, this is one huge big first step. Just begin reading your labels and educate yourself about the hidden sugars in foods. You don't know what you don't know. Get educated. Take your own lead. Make your own changes. On your own time.

Here is a list of most of the names of sugars:

All natural evaporated cane juice
Barley malt
Beet molasses
Beet sugar
Beet syrup
Brown sugar
Buttered syrup
Cane crystals
Cane juice
Cane juice crystals
Cane juice powder
Cane sugar
Caramel
Confectioner’s sugar
Corn sugar (HFCS)
Corn syrup (HFCS)
Corn syrup solids (HFCS)
Corn sweetener (HFCS)
Crystal dextrose
Crystalline fructose
Crystallized organic cane juice
Dark brown sugar
Dehydrated sugar cane juice
Dextrin
Dextran
Dextrose
D-fructose
Diastatic malt
Diatase
Disaccharide
Dried evaporated cane juice
Evaporated organic cane juice
Fructose (HFCS)
Fructose crystals (HFCS)
Fructose sweetener (HFCS)
Fruit juice concentrate
Glucose
Golden sugar
Granulated fructose
Granulated sugar
Granulated sugar cane juice
Inulin (HFCS)
Invert sugar
Invert syrup
Lactose
Light brown sugar
Malt
Malted corn and barley syrup
Maltitol
Maltitol syrup
Maltodextrin
Malt syrup
Mannitol
Organic sugar
Organic Cane Juice
Organic Cane Juice Crystals
Organic Cane Syrup
Organic Cane Juice Concentrate
Powdered sugar
Pure cane syrup
Raw Sugar
Rice maltodextrin
Rock sugar
Saccharose
Simple syrup
Sorbitol
Sorbitol syrup
Sucrose
Sugar
Sugar beet syrup
Sugar beet crystals
Sugar cane juice
Sugar cane natural
Sweet sorghum syrup
Table sugar
Trisaccharides
Turbinado sugar
Unrefined sugar
White crystal sugar
White sugar
Xylose

If you want to eliminate sugar from your daily foods (or at least lessen how much you eat), be sure you read your labels. If you'd like some options on how to cook/bake with different sweeteners, contact me.

Sincerely,

Clara E Minor
Master Trainer-Instructor
Minorsan Self-Defense & Fitness
831-458-0900

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

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

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.