Kintsugi Company, A Non-Profit Organization
It’s a great bit of advertising, certainly a catchy phrase. Most of us who heard it growing up, and over the years saw it morph to “You’re worth it,” and finally its current iteration, “We’re worth it.” But darling, you’re worth so much more than being able to change your hair color. You’re worth protecting, and once you get that idea firmly established in your heart and mind, you’ve got a super secret self-defense tool worth treasuring – and maintaining.
The why of all this is simple. You deserve to be protected, and the best one to protect you is you. That includes learning when and how to deliver that kick. And to bring the fire fueling it from the sense of outrage and righteous indignation we help you learn in our classes.
I had no idea what to do with violence. So I hid and tried my best to keep everyone around me from getting mad at me. Co-dependency much? Oh yes. All day, every day. For years. I mean, if you’re small and weak, what else can you do? We’ll get to that. But first…
In self-defense circles, the words “situational awareness” and “zanshin” are frequently used. Both of these terms mean basically the same thing, although the transliteration of this word in Japanese, zanshin (残心), is “remaining mind.” Situational awareness means what it sounds like: being aware of your situation. This can apply to many things in life but when it comes to self-defense, situational awareness begins once you are outside of the relative safety of your home, work, or vehicle.
It’s about standing on my own two feet and roaring in the face of anyone who seeks to violate me, whether emotionally, spiritually, or physically. You don’t have the right to violate me. I won’t be a victim. I will stand for what’s right. Protecting myself — all of me — is worth it.
But isn’t that mindset the very essence of fear? And fear attracts attackers like little else. The strong prey on the weak, that’s just the way it goes. News reports are filled with victims crushed by cruel oppressors. And really, none of us was made to be a perpetual victim, in mind or body (or, in most cases, both). We were made to grow strong and to push the forces of evil back, not to get crushed by them.