On a vacation stroll through the historic neighborhoods of Savannah, GA, my eyes were drawn to a pair of weathered, blue shutters. They caught my eye because they were attached to a home with hinges, not screws or nails. In short, these were real shutters. Where I grew up, shutters were merely for show, a…
Author: Ando Mierzwa
Ando Mierzwa is a martial arts teacher living in Los Angeles, CA.
Surprise Attack: The Way to Win
The original meaning of the word “surprise” is to attack or capture suddenly. So, a surprise attack is really an “attack attack” or double attack. I learned to respect the power of a double attack the hard way. When I started in Tae Kwon Do, I wasn’t a true beginner as I had already been training…
#8: Surprise: The Way to Win [Podcast]
Welcome to the eighth episode of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Surprise: The Way to Win.” The original meaning of the word surprise is to attack or capture suddenly. I’d call that a sucker punch! We discussed the “dark side” of surprise in Sucker Punched by Life. Now it’s time to talk about…
Make Peace with Violence
Bombings. School shootings. Genocide. Over and over, the headlines tell the story of violence. And with each incident, there is a wave of shock, grief, and outrage. It can be overwhelming. But it shouldn’t be. Not if you want to maximize your happiness in this world. To do that, you need to find a way…
#7: Make Peace with Violence [Podcast]
Welcome to the seventh episode of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, Make Peace with Violence. Day after day, the headlines bring us stories of violence. The grief and outrage that result can be overwhelming… but it shouldn’t be! Join Sensei Ando as he discusses how violence shapes our lives and how to keep…
The Invisible Path to Success
The path to success is not always visible. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t there. There are two types of phenomena in the universe: things you see and things you don’t see. Many of us focus on what’s visible in life because it’s easy to measure and compare. How much you weigh, how much you…
#6: The Invisible Path to Success [Podcast]
Welcome to the sixth episode of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, The Invisible Path to Success. Do you ever feel you have nothing to show for all your hard work? Do you ever feel that successful people are just born that way? And that others, no matter how hard they try, are never…