Fear. It’s what keeps you there, in that place that is most comfortable, where no one can ever hurt you again. We’ve all experienced pain, loss, and trauma of different kinds, and the memories of those experiences stay with us in the back of our minds, rearing its ugly head whenever we have the courage to walk up to the threshold of what we desire most. We’re all afraid of something: afraid to fail, afraid to lose, afraid to get hurt again, or afraid to get beat, assaulted, or abused again.
This is a reality for far too many of us and that fear becomes our warden and we find ourselves trapped, a prisoner in our own minds and unable to move forward with the life we’ve always wanted out of fear that the past may repeat itself. I always wanted to try something adventurous, always wanted to start up a business, always wanted to fall in love again, BUT… It is that but, that but that tells us we will inevitably be hurt again, be disappointed again, fail again, and the fear of the self-fulfilling prophecy coming true is too painful to bear. We give up on our dreams out of fear and, ultimately, we give up on living an authentic life and settle for a safe, comfortable, tepid, and benign existence. We were meant to be warriors, pioneers, adventurers, and dreamers creating new worlds and experiences that benefit all humanity but have been reduced to sheep existing in a sheep pen out of fear of what lurks outside.
This is not an acceptable existence for anyone. We are not sheep but warriors with the savage blood of our warrior ancestors running thickly through our veins. We need to do nothing more than to awaken that spirit within, to allow the blood to run wild through our veins and ignite the conquering war machine that resides in all of us. It is the power of self defense that ignites that spirit and Lightning Kick’s self defense classes are all too happy to offer the spark. For something truly incredible happens within us when we learn how to operate the machinery of our own body. Something remarkable happens within when we tap into our warrior spirit and realize we no longer have to live in fear, that we can be taught the techniques and necessary mindset to protect oneself and walk confidently into any situation you may find yourself in.
I’ve had so many dreams, ambitions, and desires that went unexplored and unfulfilled out of fear of what might happen, and it was the constant and consistent reminder from Lightning Kicks’ self defense and mixed martial arts classes that I am much more powerful than I ever thought, much more capable than I ever dreamed, and much more willing and able to suffer as much pain as necessary to see my dreams through until the end. I don’t really live in fear anymore, of what might happen or what people might think. And I certainly am not afraid of being attacked or assaulted, for I know who I am, what I am capable of, and how to dismantle any obstacles that stand in my way. If you are in the greater Kalamazoo or Portage area, I would urge you to try a self defense class, BJJ or MMA class and experience the healing properties of the martial arts and awaken the warrior within. Consider joining our community and, together, we can grow our tribe of Peaceful Warriors and applaud each other along the way on our journeys of self-discovery.
About the Author
David Tanner Lauka is a member of Lightning Kicks Martial Arts Academy and author of Capturing the Ghost. He is also the founder of the Slaughterhouse Combat Team, a non-profit organization designed to equip trauma survivors to battle their fears through the martial arts. He is a childhood trauma survivor who suffers from PTSD and hopes to use his story to encourage others in their journey of healing.
