Whether the challenge is not eating that cookie, continuing that workout plan, or cutting out pornography, we all struggle to do what we say we want to do. If you’re reading this, you likely have things in your life you don’t like, behaviors you want to abandon, and you have made plans to stop doing those things. It should be that simple, right?

Don’t we all wish that were the case. Unfortunately, even the best, most meticulously planned out strategies often fail because of the nature of this fight.

When we choose to do something contrary to our natural but sometimes damaging instincts, we fight a multi headed monster that regrows 2 heads for every one you chop off. We need to become incredibly skilled and smart in our strategies and weapons if we are to continue to keep the monster at bay. Instead of continuing to attack areas that regrow again and again, we need to strike at the heart of the matter- our identity.

Remembering Our True Identity

In the heat of battle, it's easy to lose your head and forget what matters most to you. Without meaningful daily rituals and routines to keep us in clarity and remembrance, we who find ourselves in this fallen world will turn against our greatest teammates, move into isolation, and become deceived into thinking misery to be our true identity.

It isn't!

The truth is - freedom and joy are your birthright! Fight for it!!

Though you may have struggled with these failings for some time, YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE! As children of God, you and I have an inherent divine value and longing to do good. Despite the mistakes we make and the hits we take again and again, our core identity and destinies do not change. You can be the ultimate champion!

Now, A Martial Arts Story

Every second Tuesday of the month, the karate dojo I attend does weapons instruction. You can work on your proficiency with the bo, nunchaku, sai, sword, and more, but usually one chooses a single weapon to focus on for a long time. When I started last year, I chose the kamas.

Unfortunately, I missed almost every weapons class after that first one and had to learn almost solely from YouTube videos and my own experimentation. I stabbed and slashed wildly through the air, twirling the homemade weapons in my stiff wrists.

After finally making it to another weapons class and working with one of the black belts, I learned that I had been using them fundamentally wrong the whole time. The sensei taught me the hooking capabilities of the kamas, how they are intended to parry and grab weapons and limbs. What’s more, they move in a dual fashion- one blocking/hooking while the other attacks.

Just better understanding the actual intent of the weapon transformed my use of it and opened up a whole new world of opportunities.

A Challenge For This Week

As we discussed, we have all made plans in the past. A common mistake people often make is to try one thing until it fails, and then try something else. Or, we will often try way too many things at once and then just quit when none of them work. You can learn dozens and dozens, even hundreds of different techniques for self-mastery, and none of them will be truly effective if you never truly master any of them.

With that being said, here is one thing to try all out for at least one week. I challenge you this week to practice the skill of repeated affirmation:

Affirmations: A Weapon To Rebuild Identity

Affirmations. What a powerful tool. All of the struggles we have mentioned previously have in common an attack on identity. “I’m just a loser.” “I’m just fat.” “I’m just an addict.” “I’m just a pervert.” “I’m just an angry/anxious/depressed person.” In order to crush the hydra at the heart, we need to identify these discouraging, distorted ways of viewing ourselves and the world and replace them with the truth, repeated as often and consistently as possible. Here’s a speed round, some steps you can follow:

Step 1: Notice The Pain

What pain often precedes the behavior you wish to stop? Some of the common negative feelings are bored, lazy, anxious, angry, sad, stressed, and tired (BLAST).

Step 2: Identify Lies/Damaging Beliefs

What lie fuels these feelings? This oftentimes comes in an attack on identity- on you or someone else.

Step 3: Reconstruct The Truth

Write and rewrite several statements of ideal identity for yourself. Simplify it down to one condensed, powerful affirmation of truth.

Step 4: Apply It

Once you have put together a powerful statement of identity that you can get behind 110%, write it on a sticky note, put it on your mirror or somewhere where you will see it consistently, and recite it 5 times every morning and evening.

Now that you have picked out the damaging patterns of belief you often fall for and crafted a solid statement of hope and truth, you can anticipate the challenges of the days to come and prepare for them with faith and joyful anticipation!

Conclusion

We believe so much crap about ourselves. Dig deep. Start with the negative thoughts and feelings you experience. Trace it back to the logic that fuels it. I promise, if you go back far enough, you will always find some kind of lie or distortion behind the behaviors you wish to cease.

Remember the truth, you are powerful! Recovery and prosperity are inevitable when you know who you are and become more that person day by day!

Get out there and fight!!

Simon