Letting Go

If I had to pick a theme for 2014 it would be “Let go.” It was a lesson I learned over and over again as I faced some of the most difficult times in my life. 

This year I sat in my sister’s corner as she fought bravely against her cancer and won.  I am(was) the ultimate control freak, but I knew this was beyond me.  I let go.  I prayed hard, laughed when I could, cried when no one was looking, and did my best to hold our household and family together.  What’s more, I let go of the little stuff too.  If people are mean, they’re probably just hurting.  If I don’t have enough money, it will come. It always has.  Stupid argument with my husband?  Totally not worth not cuddling over.  I wouldn’t wish this experience on anyone, but I’m truly a better person for it.  

And just when I think I have it all figured out, my devastating trip to and subsequent deportation from Japan rears its ugly head.  I wanted that fight so badly.  I felt that if I had done one of a million little things differently, I would have the story of a lifetime instead of jet-lag and a broken heart… And then, in a seemingly unrelated story, Kevin Ross (one of the best kick boxers in the sport) fought for the same promotion at the end of this year and won.  His win was reversed, by the promoter, in the locker room.  WHAT?  While I’m sorry this happened to him, it allowed me to let go.  This same promoter tried so hard to “ice” me that I didn’t get to fight.  That’s all there was to it.  I was amazed at how tightly I was still holding on, and didn’t even know it.

I live how I fight and fight how I live, and in September I learned how to let go in the cage, aaaand I let my knees go… possibly my personal highlight of the year. (Please enjoy the video below)

Now it’s time to let 2014 go and I can’t say I’m in the least bit sorry.  I’m ready to see the days get longer, my sis get healthier, and I’m ready for the lessons 2015 has for me.

Breast Cancer Awareness

Two months after my sister's diagnosis, I finally cried.  She triggered it with a facebook post expressing her deep gratitude for the time I took to shave her head.  I asked the stupidest question in the world, “Why?” Like cancer has a reason, like it’s fair for anyone to go through this. 

I thought I was aware.  I do my monthly exams.  My grandmother had a mastectomy,  I’ve seen the pretty bald ladies on posters and the cover of pamphlets, and it’s impossible to miss the pink ribbons.  I didn’t know… I can’t say that I do now, or that you will after reading this, but this is what breast cancer awareness has become for me: I see my sis fighting to go to work, through the side effects of chemo, and come home to a son that needs more than she has to give.  I see her overwhelmed by paperwork, appointments, finances, and relationships... And she still rallied to take Ollie trick-or-treating. 

I’ve always said that you will see a person’s true character when they have every excuse to be intolerable.  I have watched her every day as she puts on her game face for the whole world.  She comforts people as they cry for her.  I’ve watched her put her feelings aside and accept everyone else’s reactions to her cancer (appropriate, judgmental, thoughtless, and downright mean) with grace and dignity.  She is grateful to work when she can, and grateful to her job for understanding when she can’t.  She keeps her head up and her shoulder down.  She is going to beat this.

In life’s nastiest moments, the only thing we can control is our own outlook.  I’m sure I’m not done with the tears.  I’m sure she isn’t either.  I am also sure that we’ve been making each other laugh for 34 years now, and we’re not done with that either.

Amanda and Oliver with her "Chemo Pac" from ItAintChemo.org

The Power of Mom

I know everyone thinks their mom makes the best potato salad in the world, but mine actually does.  It’s been clinically proven. On a more important note, she raises strong, empowered, free thinking women, because she is one too.  In a world where a pretty face and thin body can skew priorities, she taught me what really matters.

She told me I was beautiful through my awkward years.  She encouraged me to participate in activities where I would be valued for my creativity, athleticism, and intellect.  She found the money for me to dance when she was a single mother of two.  She rarely missed a game, a judging competition, or an opportunity to give me a hug.  She taught me to take care of myself and to care for everyone around me (especially when no one is looking).  When I shared a new dream or goal, it was never impossible, we just needed to make a plan.

She didn’t just tell me I could do anything, she lived it.  If a fence needs building, you build it.  If your kids need a horse costume for a pep rally and you live where renting isn’t an option, you put one together.  She worked full time as a teacher and cooked dinner from scratch every night.  She never complained about it being too much or being tired, not once.  She always had her garden and her book for herself, and plenty of time and energy for dancing with us in the kitchen.  She also chose a partner who is worthy of her awesomeness, which is not easy when you’re that awesome.  She married a good man that appreciates and respects her, and also knows that she can do anything.

I saw a video on facebook in which Taryn Brumfitt  asks women to describe their bodies in one word.  Sadly most women said “fat” “imperfect” “stumpy” etc… My words would be “capable” “athletic” “powerful” “beautiful”.

Thanks Mom.

Why I Don't Celebrate My Birthday

“You’re not old!” 

I know.  In fact I’m pretty proud of how awesome I am at 36.  I happen to suffer from severe depression as the weather changes from winter to spring.  My birthday falls right in the middle of all that, and I don’t feel like celebrating anything.  It’s not Vitamin D, or it would happen during the winter.  It’s common among fighters, and while I’m sure the head trauma doesn’t help, I’ve been this way since childhood… long before I ever put on the boxing gloves.  Depression is not rational.  I can’t speak for everyone, but here is my truth:

I feel like my spirit shrinks back two inches from my skin, like I’m trying to separate myself from the world and protect those I love from the sorrow I can’t stop.  My skin hurts and my body aches.  I can’t stop myself from crying at work, or at dinner, or any other number of public places, for no other reason than because I’m depressed.  When anyone asks what’s wrong I can’t say “I suffer from depression”, because that seems to trivialize the magnitude of what I’m feeling.  So I suffer alone.

I hate how I feel, and I know some things that will help, but I just can’t force myself to do it.  When I hear people say (usually after someone they know takes their own life) “If you are depressed, get help!”  I think, it must seem so simple to the rational mind, but depression is not rational.  And for the record “getting help” can leave you with a counter full of prescriptions, each to combat the side effects of the last, and numb from the neck up. 

So what are you supposed to do if you love someone who suffers from depression?  You can help in the simplest of ways…

Keep loving us.  Even in the worst moments, it’s a comfort.

Let us know it’s OK to be sad and there’s nothing wrong with a little extra sensitivity.

Hugs are good medicine, even if only a temporary reprieve.

Gently nudge us toward the things that will make us feel better.  For me that means exercise, doing something to lift someone else’s spirits, or spending time with my nephew.

Don’t feel like any of this is your responsibility, if you love us unconditionally, it’s all you can do.

PLEASE don’t list all the things for which we have to be grateful.  I know you mean well, but it really makes me feel worse.  I know I have all these blessings. I’m still sad.  I’m really F’ed up.  I judge myself.  I feel more alone because that person doesn’t understand me at all.  It’s like saying “You have no reason to feel what you feel.”

I think our society separates depression from other mental illnesses, like it’s a choice.  If someone has autism, OCD, or Tourette’s syndrome, we applaud them for their efforts to lead “normal functional lives".  We are taught to look for the beauty in their spirits.  Depression makes your spirit shrink, but it’s still there, and it’s still beautiful.

White Belt Pride

I’ve always been kind of proud of my clean, white, belt.  I guess it has something to do with my base in kickboxing, and the fact that people would introduce me as a “black belt” because that somehow held more valor than the fact that I was just a fighter.  That, in combination with a bunch of different systems, self promotions, and expensive belt tests led me to this:  My growth has never been marked with tape, a new color of belt, or any other kind of promotion.  It is mine.  I’ve discovered my personal milestones only as I’ve reached them.  My white belt represents my freedom from any specific discipline, yet I can learn from them all.  I proudly own this humble symbol of "one who has a lot to learn."

I took my first Jiu Jitsu class this week.  It was humbling to say the least.  No one expects much from a white belt with no stripes… except me…I’ve been grappling for years and I’m pretty comfortable with ground fighting.  This was very different.  Not only does the gi prevent 90% of my game from working, but took me to a level of discomfort resembling claustrophobia.  In truth, I was only going to support the new “women’s class” and because I’ve been nagging my husband to get back into his gi.  What I found was a new challenge, a new way to push myself, and a new milestone in humility.

My motivation has always been intrinsic and I’ve given little thought to belts, championship or colored.  I just want to learn and grow.  I can’t let my pride in my white belt get in the way of that.

www.KatieCasimir.com

Not exactly sure what Shannon & I are doing here... But here I am, in a gi! 

Mirrors

Be careful when you look at your reflection.  There are mirrors that make you look small.  They can motivate you to become bigger, but can inspire self-loathing if you look too long.  There are mirrors that can make you look big.  They show you what is possible, but can seduce you into complacency if you look too long.  A glimpse is good, but remember it is a reflection of possibilities, not an accurate representation of who  you are… because you are awesome, not perfect, and exactly where (and who) you are supposed to be right now.  

The Culture of the Weight Cut

French Fighter: “I’m a man, I don’t need to cut weight to compete!”

American Fighter: “Be a man and get your ass in the sauna!”

Cutting weight is one of the most controversial aspects of weight class based sports.  If you’re not familiar, cutting weight is a process of rapid dehydration to put your body at its lowest possible weight, while maintaining your body mass.  This allows you to be larger than you should be, and should give you an advantage in competition.  The fact that everyone generally does the same thing means that we actually do it to negate a disadvantage.

When I tell people that I lose 10lbs in one day, they look at me like I look at parents that give their toddlers soda.  “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?  WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU DO THAT?” I guess the idea of being “healthy” is a matter of paradigm.  I know cutting weight is bad for me, as is taking head trauma, and depending on who you ask, the list doesn’t end there…

I’m not exactly sure why fighters cut weight in the U.S. while Europe and Japan tend to fight in their natural weight classes.  I suspect it stems from our wrestling culture, and body building culture which seems to be inexplicably linked to MMA.  I can only speak to the American mentality, but having a French husband has caused me to take a closer look at something I’ve always just accepted as the way things are.

I think we all start out, to some degree, thinking like the French fighter.  Dieting is not fun, and done improperly can seriously derail your training.  Dehydrating yourself is even less fun.  Then there are the tragic stories of guys dropping dead on the scale, and the ones that didn’t make it that far…  Everybody in the gym has an opinion and advice, some of it’s helpful, some of it is horribly wrong.  Most of us would prefer to avoid all of that… in the beginning.

However, at some point, our paradigms shift.  First, you become aware that if you want to be competitive, it’s part of the game.  Then, you start to look for your advantages too.  It becomes something like picking up an accent or a style of dress, the culture becomes a part of who you are.  Some commit to the process kicking and screaming, some learn to embrace it, but everyone gets there eventually.

 For me, it’s extremely spiritual, a purification before battle.  It is a test of my strength and will, unparalleled even by the fight.  It’s a time you spend with those closest to you on your journey to the cage… No one else would brave those hours in the sauna, steam room, or hotel bathroom.  It’s a time of meditation.  My focus on my breathing and relaxing keeps my mind above the discomfort of my body.  It also distracts me from the anxiety of the coming fight.  Making weight is a battle of its own.

It’s always easy to judge the strange practices of another culture, but until you have immersed yourself in that culture, there is no way for you to truly understand.  I don’t glorify the process. I don’t ignore the dangers.  I am an adult who is capable of assessing both, and making my own choices, based on my cultural paradigm.

www.KatieCasimir.com

Dear Mark Hunt

Dear Mark Hunt,

Let me begin by saying, please don’t judge Jesus by the actions of Christians.  We mean well, but we mess up a lot.  I’m sorry for any animosity you have received, that’s not God, it’s our own fear and insecurity.  God doesn’t need us to defend Him.  He is God.  That being said, I feel compelled to share my own experience, I guess I can’t help myself.

No, I’ve never seen God.  He has spoken to me, and I can tell you what He sounds like.  He sounds like undeniable truth.  Like a thought more clear than anything you can think or know for yourself.  Most of the time when I pray (and I hate to publicly admit this), it’s something like chit-chat, a nightly requirement, like the days I show up to the gym, but my hearts not in it.  It’s not that I don’t want to get better, but some days I’m just going through the motions.  But then, there are times when my mind and my heart are clear, and I know I have a direct line.  In these moments He has responded in the most amazing ways.  Maybe that’s not enough to answer your questions, but it’s what I have if you’re truly curious about His existence.

Regarding the authors and the whereabouts of the transcripts of the Bible, I have another way to look at that.  I believe it is impossible to live without faith on some level.  We buy food that is labeled on faith.  We believe that the consequences for lying are so great that companies wouldn’t dare mislead us… We watch the news and accept that there is truth in what we hear… Even the most devout believer in the theory of evolution has to take a leap of faith.  Nonliving matter had to become the first amoeba somehow for the whole idea to work.  Last I heard they still don't have any evidence on that one.

I think believing the scriptures is something like the faith we put in everything else.  You have to interpret information, understand its context, do your own research, and find your own truth.  Just like when I clear my heart and pray, God gives answers.

I don’t know if I’ve helped at all, but I deeply respect you for asking the hard questions.  I’m happy you found the truth.

God bless,

Katie Casimir

www.KatieCasimir.com

Look Where You're Going

What is this power we hold in our eyes that allows us to jump higher, move smoother, and reach farther?  I have no explanation, but I know it to be true 100 of 100 times.  In judo your throw becomes easier if you look in the same direction that you want your opponent to fly.  The power of your punches will increase if you look at your target instead of your opponent’s defense.  If you want to sweep your opponent on the ground, you need to move more than your head in the right direction, you also have to move your eyes.

We must keep our gaze fixed on our objectives and continue in that direction, like the obstacles don’t matter, and they won’t.  Sometimes things don’t go your way and you find yourself distracted. Take a step back, refocus your gaze, and push forward again.  We can’t look at obstacles and expect to succeed.  Just like you can’t focus on your opponent in a fight.  You must respect that they are there, but the only power they have is the power you give them.

Have the courage to look, not at where you are, but where you want to go.  You will go farther.

www.KatieCasimir.com

A Fighter's Love Story

I don’t date fighters. After one terrible experience, and witnessing several others from my perch as “one of the guys” at the gym, I just determined it to be a bad idea.  Fighters love hard, they also tend to be a little self-loathing, unfaithful, irresponsible, and have tunnel vision toward their goal of success in a rough industry.  Not my definition of an ideal partner.  After a horrible argument with my fighter ex, I prayed, with the most open of hearts, and asked God for a good man.  I heard clearly “Get ready.”  I stopped looking because I knew he was coming to me.  The last place I expected to meet him was in the gym, for above mentioned reasons.

When Bendy Casimir asked why I didn’t have a boyfriend, I told him that I spend all my spare time in the gym and I don’t date fighters.  Fortunately his English wasn’t that good at the time.  All he understood was that I didn’t have a boyfriend. It took me about two weeks of interacting with him in training and in passing at the gym to realize that I was totally in love.  $#!t!!! A fighter???  But he was different, and I was different about him.  I asked him on out first date to the WEC, a promotion with which he had recently signed to fight.  I had to ask him through his friend who had better English, I wasn’t sure if it was a date, but I was hoping…  Last October we celebrated two years of marriage.

 

I don’t pretend to be an expert on the subject of marriage, but I have learned a few things.  Mostly that having a shared passion is everything.  I can’t imagine my pre-fight mood swings being well received by anyone who has never experienced them personally.  We’ve both gone through times when we wonder if it’s time to quit.  It’s truly a blessing to have someone to believe that you still have everything you need to achieve your goals, and push you to keep going.  He’s not a cheerleader, but someone who really wants what is best for me, a partner.  He studies technique like I study nutrition, we take our separate roles toward the same goal.

Couples that grow and learn together attach the positive feelings of growing and learning to their partners.  I feel so close to my husband when we finish training together.  We have no “teacher” or “student” we work together.  How could I do that with a musician without giving up my precious gym time? 

I think we’ve all made rules with good reason, and broken them for better reasons.  God brought me my split apart in the last package I expected.  It was the only package that was going to work.

www.KatieCasimir.com

Why I Love MMA

I could go on and on about the reasons I love martial arts, in fact I’m sure I have.  However, after training and competing in multiple disciplines, I’ve come to one undeniable conclusion.  Mixed martial arts is on a whole other level of awesome. Here are a couple reasons why:

Tuff-N-Uff August 2010

First, we love the finish. If you pull guard in MMA, you need to do something with it, quickly.  Lay-and-pray (taking top position on the ground and holding your opponent) takes a lot of skill.  However, if you win like that, no one is impressed.  Strategy is important, but if you don’t finish the fight, you’d better look like you were trying.  “Martial Art” is the art of Mars, the Roman god of war.  In war there are no points or advantages, only damage, surrender, victory and defeat.  The whole picture is taken into account, not one spectacular move (unless that spectacular move creates surrender or defeat).

Second, MMA changes rules to ensure the safety of competitors, not to preserve (prevent evolution of) the sport.  There’s no eye gouging, groin shots, biting, etc.  While in other disciplines (some of my favorite, mind you) you can’t touch the legs to get a take down.  Fewer rules allow for creativity and growth, for both the individual fighter and the art.

Also, while we have our own sense of superiority (see above), we greatly value other disciplines.  Traditionally our favorites include jiu jitsu, wrestling, boxing, and muay thai, but we will learn from samboists and judokas.  Got a slick taekwondo kick?  We’ll learn that too. Kung fu, sanshou, kyokushin, if you’ve got skills, we’ve got respect.  There’s no “We do it like this...” because everyone does everything just a little different.  It’s way more likely that an MMA practitioner will say “A karate guy showed me this awesome footwork,” or “In boxing we do this, but if you move your arm here instead you’re safe from the knee.” 

 It’s far from perfect, and can look quite barbaric to the untrained eye, but we are athletes, artists, warriors, and entertainers.  I love that I can learn from everyone, compete in everything, and take what works for me.

www.KatieCasimir.com

Change

If I ruled the world it would be significantly more fantastic, but unfortunately, I don’t.  Well, maybe not so unfortunate.  That would be a huge responsibility, and wouldn’t leave me much time for training, and spending time with my family, which would probably turn me into a miserable dictator, but I digress.

But I noticed the other day that even a small drop in a bucket makes a splash that is just a little bigger.  When I make a change for the better, so does everything around me.  I’ve wondered if it’s just my perception, but something like a clean house is measurable.

So here is my thought for the week:  The only thing you can always change is you.  We get into trouble when we try to change other people, the weather (yes, I’ve tried, but that’s another story), or circumstances, like traffic.  You can change your behavior, you can change your focus, and you can change your outlook.  Gandhi is this: “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do.” And as usual I agree with him.

Complaining is easy, change is hard.  Choose to make the changes that will make your life better, and you will make the world a better place.  Which is what we would do if we ruled the world anyway, right?

www.KatieCasimir.com

Why Aren't There More Women?

A couple weeks ago my husband was invited to a grappling class at a different gym.  I thought about bringing my gear to see if I could get some work in too, but  I decided to enjoy the rare pleasure of just watching my husband train.  When I saw the average skill level, I realized I had made the right choice.  It was the first and only time I have ever seen a group of guys training and thought “I don’t belong there… yet.”

On the next mat there was a “regular member” class going on.  I couldn’t help but notice the women that were participating.  The four of them were working in pairs.  I could see that they were beginners and kind of girly, but they were trying hard to learn the technique.  It made me smile, but it got me thinking… Why four women in the regular class, but zero in the elite class?  Why are cardio kickboxing classes packed with women, yet I struggle to find reasonable training partners?  It’s the same story in every gym.  Even when there’s “a lot” of girls we’re still only about 20%.  It makes me wonder if the small percentage of women in government, and leadership in general is something they bring on themselves, something they have chosen not to peruse.

I separate myself here because I thrive in the proverbial man’s world.  I always have.  When I was in the 4^th grade I was the girl playing soccer with the 5^th and 6^th grade boys.  They played rough and I loved it.  It made me feel powerful to compete with the boys and earn their respect, even if I wasn’t as good.  The girls were off playing “unicorns” or something. 

This is my experience: Men don’t exclude women, women exclude themselves.  I’m not saying sexism and “boys club” politics don’t exist, I’m saying it’s only half the problem.  I have found that after you push through the initial resistance, men embrace you as the bad ass chick that you are.  They respect you for breaking down barriers, for your hard work, and yes, for your valuable contributions.  Sometimes egos flare, but they flare up against each other too.  It's not personal. 

I think that our society as a whole has embraced the value of female involvement. I’ve been sought out for several jobs as a kickboxing instructor, just because they “need a woman.” The UFC has finally seen the financial benefits of promoting women (thanks to a lot of bad ass chicks who wouldn't go away).   I recently read an article about what companies wanting to hire more women need to do. Yale is even doing studies on how you make this happen. (It turns out you need to have women to get women, preferably in numbers of three or more.)  Doors are opening.

Because I don’t feel this need for other women in my environment, I have a hard time understanding it.  Are women afraid of losing their feminine identity?  Are they afraid of making a mistake and looking weak?  Maybe they just have other objectives for themselves.  Or maybe it’s the Marianne Williamson quote “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

I know that not every woman wants to be a fighter, a CEO, a hockey player, or a war correspondent.  But if you do, don’t let safety in numbers hold you back, ‘cause I need training partners.

Having two other women in training is like Christmas.  Especially when they're as awesome as Karina and Michelle

www.KatieCasimir.com

On Our Fear of Risk

There are certain fights that are burned into my mind.  They are fights that demonstrate an unquestionable truth about humanity.  When Georges St Pierre fought BJ Penn (the first time) I saw two technical warriors, bringing out each other’s best. When Scott Smith and Pete Sell stepped into the cage, it was a display of heart and determination.  In that fight a man defied his physical state to throw one last punch for the finish.   I am currently haunted by a fight that is only a few weeks old, Tarec Saffiedine vs Hyun Gyu Lim.

If you didn’t see it, here's what I saw.  Saffiedine systematically shut down Lim’s offense with wicked leg kicks.  It was a beautifully executed strategy.  What I find so gripping is that Lim was content in the situation until it was too late.  He fought back in the 4^th round, showing he had the tools to win, but his leg was unable to sustain the damage.  He knew he was getting beat, and rather than taking a risk to upset Seffiedine’s structure, he chose to survive the fight.

It reminds me of the story of the Whaleship Essex.  The crew found themselves in three whaleboats, with very limited supplies, watching their ship sink.  It was 1820, so their choices were limited.  They could travel to a nearby island that was rumored to be inhabited by cannibals, or they could head to a destination that was known to be safe.   This trip would take longer than their rations would last, but their fear of cannibalism caused them to choose it anyway.  A few near dead survivors were found two months later by a passing ship, they were never going to make it.  It is in human nature to prefer a slow march to death (or defeat) than to take a risk that might turn out badly.

We settle for lonely relationships because the crumbs of affection we get are better than being alone.  We continue to work unsatisfying jobs that keep us in debt, because we don’t know what else we can do.  We allow our governments to slowly take our freedom in the name of security, because it’s not that bad…yet.  I’m not necessarily saying go quit your job or leave your partner or start a revolution.  I’m saying we need the wisdom to recognize when we are being systematically defeated, and the courage to make whatever change we can.  We need to find intelligent, strategic ways to upset the structure of whatever is defeating us.  Take a risk, create a little chaos, and be prepared to take advantage of it.  We're all gonna die anyway, why not go down swinging?

I want to leave you with one more fight.  Anderson Silva vs Ryo Chonan.  Fights like this make my spirit sing and show that one calculated risk can change everything.

www.KatieCasimir.com

My Breakdown of Motivation

I suffered a massive void in motivation for my last fight, and I’ve decided to investigate.  After extensive research, with the help of Wikipedia, turns out that there are a lot of studies that explain why we make certain choices.  Eating is motivation to most, as is love, stability etc.  However there doesn’t seem to be an explanation as to why I would prefer to look at the same facebook news feed ten times than go do my cardio.  Or why, even when I started a workout with my husband, I would also start an argument that was sure to end it.  I did all this knowing I would not be my best and I was fighting a dangerous opponent.

I had to look deeper.  I had a lot of emotional lows in the two months leading up to that fight.  I lost my grandma, my ailing car finally died on me, I got a pretty serious injury at work, my claim got denied, and that’s just the worst of it.  This shouldn't have made any difference, in that I usually take motivation from life’s curveballs.  The gym is my outlet for this kind of stuff, and having a fight is just fuel for the fire.  My commitment to my goal, to my opponent, and my training partners was enough to force me into the gym, but I didn't want to be there.  Fear of a bad fight wasn’t even motivation.

In conclusion, I, Katie Casimir, world’s greatest amateur psychologist, don’t have any idea what happened or how to prevent it.  I have discovered some interesting thoughts though.

First, if motivation was easy, then success would come down to things beyond our control.  Things like cultural standards of beauty, natural talent, size, and charisma.  There would be no room at the top for the guy who had the odds stacked against him and just never gave up.

Second, at some point, for some reason, we will all have periods in our life when it seems impossible to get off the couch.  What saved me was my amazing husband (and coach), who loves me enough to make a training/fight plan around where I was emotionally… even if he didn’t understand it.  The plan almost worked and I came away with a feeling of success even if I didn’t win.  I have an amazing network of support in my family and friends and a promise to an eight-year-old little girl that I plan on keeping.

My 1st round kneebar that I didn't quite finish

So maybe motivation is this simple: Have goals, and good reasons for them.  Keep close the people who believe in you and your goals.  Keep everyone else at a safe distance.  Be ready to work hard.  When you don’t feel like it and life gets ugly, lower your shoulder and keep working.  This will be your success regardless of the outcome. 

 Motivation is more than a feeling.  It's a deeper desire to push through whatever is in between you and your objective... even if it's you.

www.KatieCasimir.com

How to Slay a Giant

David has long been one of my favorite characters in the Bible.  Not so much for taking on Goliath, but for being human and having flaws.  But he loved God and God loved him, and he achieved greatness.  I recently heard a new version of an old story, and I’m that much more inspired by him.

It appears that in his epic battle with Goliath, he brought a gun to a knife fight.  Apparently his humble sling could be used to knock birds out of the sky and have lethal force at up to 200 yards.  No surprise he could hit a giant between the eyes at a much shorter distance.  If you want the full details feel free to watch the video below, if you want my practical application read on.

This is why I’m so impressed: David spent years perfecting his skill with the sling out of complete practicality.  He was defending his flock.  He wasn’t practicing for war and giants, he was doing his job.  When he saw an opportunity to defend is countrymen with the same skill, he had the courage and audacity to step up.   The soldiers were weighed down by the traditions of war and were afraid, I’m sure, not only of death, but of what a loss would mean to everyone in Israel. David became a legend and a king by looking at a situation with a set of fresh eyes.

In our humble lives we hold potential for greatness, and our greatness can be manifested under the right circumstances.

First we must develop our skills.  I’m sure David practiced with his sling before the wolves showed up.  Then he took out some wolves, THEN he took out a giant.  Only you can know if you are continuing to improve in your day to day life or if you’re just coasting on what has always worked well enough.

Second, look at the world with the eyes of a child every chance you get.  The way things have always been done may seem to be the best, but a child is never weighed down by experience.  They only see problems and solutions, some good some not so much, but they are uninhibited to try.

Third, don’t be afraid of the giant, they’re not always as invincible as they seem (see video).  We must have confidence in our preparation, and the audacity to use what we know.

Last, have the wisdom to recognize your opportunity.  If Goliath had only attacked David’s flock, he would have walked away with a cool story for his friends.  Doing what he did on that massive stage propelled him to legend status, and people forgot all the details that made him human.

Just a few thoughts to start out the New Year:  Work hard. Work Smart. Don’t over (or under) estimate anyone. And when you see your chance DO IT BIG!

www.KatieCasimir.com