In the last twenty years, my faith and my martial arts teaching and practice have built enough strength of character and determination for me that no crisis can be so devastating so at to set me back more than a step or two. When you can see the bigger picture of modern life - 6,000 to 10,000 years of literate mankind and his general experience repeating in patterns - and apply it to your own life, then you know that nearly every problem can be overcome and used as a jumping off point for genius that will eventually help others to a higher quality of life. Surviving crises makes me more aware of my training and my faith and more thankful for them both. I can use them as a witness to others for survival and spiritual information.

Examples:

Extreme weather -- I was once stranded on the highway outside by a disabled vehicle in winter weather of -75° F and walked 1/3 mile to a gas station for help and survived. To my happiness, I did not catch a cold, either. My martial arts training had included acclimitization to extreme summer and winter weather.

Physical injury -- My left ankle snapped like a chicken wing being broken as I fell across thick ice one winter and the bones were then on the outside of my leg. The only thing I did was think, "Pull yourself across the ice to the phone." At the hospital, I was told I'd regain 60% of the movement back into the angle. However, I recovered 98% of it in just a few months. My students and staff don't panic when they have injuries today, but go straight to problem-solving mode.

There are many other examples, but these are situations that my training and experience helped me endure and from which I can take lessons I can share with others.

I don't make New Year's Resolutions, because I think people should be constantly progressing - not "Type A" overachieving, but progressing.

Since we have learned that the brain continues to grow throughout life (the white matter sections continue to grow as we age) and heal continously after injuries as long as we live, I believe that other aspects of our lives can continue to improve. I don't wait for New Year's. I guess I was doing continuous improvement before Continuous Improvement became a program in business.

The Asians say:

Content where I am,

Also willing to improve.

Thus, life is like arthritis - stop moving and you'll lock up.

And I'm thankful to Hub Pages for a place to share knowledge among ourselves and the reading public!

1. Life can be too rushed in America.

Change your perception of time in order to slow it down. You can do this with relaxation exercise.

We practice multiple punches in the martial arts curricula I've written by maintaining the traditional drills that follow. The more punches you can place into a shorter time period, the longer time will seem to you. With continued practice, you can see the time between the punches and other series of moves. This transfers to life and to business. It will help you see a bigger picture and know when the time to act is at hand.

• Single punches
• Double punches (alternating right and left)
• Triple punches
• 5-times punch
• 10-times punch
• 15-times punch
• 25-times punch
• 50-times punch (for 1st dan black belt test - takes 8-10 seconds or LESS!)
• 100-times punch (for 2nd dan black belt test)

2. Pay attention to red flags of abuse and toxic people/relationships.

Don't give them a second chance. Be honest and tell people they are toxic to you and walk away. They will either get help or they won't. You can't change them; they need professional help. You're special as everyone is special, but not special in a way that you can save anybody. Don't even think it.

3. Sleep enough for your individual needs and eat healthy foods.

4. Believe in something enough to live for it and to die for it. Have a purpose. Live on purpose.

5. Exercise your entire life! If you can't stand, exercise in a chair or even lying down.

6. Have standards, but be flexible on less urgent matters.

7. Problems are doors leading to opportunities.

8. Have and exude an attitude of curiosity, willingness to learn, and looking for wonder. Accept challenges and meet them.

9. Take time to be alone every day in order to digest life, just as your body digests food.

10. Have and exude positive energy, like the sun shining down on a new plant. Shine on others.