“Elbows next,” my Muay Thai instructor said,
“Wait, what? Already?” I responded, almost incredulous at how fast we were progressing
“Why, you scared?”
“Ya a little bit”
“It’s okay. Me too!”
“Wait, what?”
His simple comment did make both of us chuckle and loosen up a bit. I mean, when your instructor, who started Muay Thai when he was 9 years old and is considered the best pound-for-pound fighter, with over 300+ fights and over 80% win rate, tells you he is afraid of elbow strikes too, you are almost obliged to laugh a little. He did emphasize a lot that it is very important to stay loose while practicing Muay Thai, so I am glad that he was so chill.
And then I elbowed him right in the face
Just kidding. He was holding protective pads.
But his subtle humor made the session so much more enjoyable, lax, and stress-free
The subtle things in life are sometimes the most important
If you can notice the subtleties, the nuances of life, then you are showing your carefulness.
It’s about paying attention when you need to so you can notice small differences and be meticulous.
It’s the difference between noticing your friend is slightly off today and might need some space, to noticing a friend who feels a bit down and could use your support, even if they say “I am fine.”
It’s making sure you are in the present moment so that when your instructor makes a sly comment of just four words–but perfectly timed– you are able to catch on to his subtle humor.
By the way [hypothetical wife], I did notice something different with your hair today! It looks nice.
Don’t forget the subtle.
Good Luck.
Grateful Day 49: I am grateful for how great it feels to be physically active
Magic Day 18: Okay. This one is on me. I totally could have performed some magic at the MMA gym, but I didn’t have anything on me! I packed light and was out the whole day. And although the day is technically not over, I don’t feel too keen on going out at 11PM to search for a potential audience. Besides, I am in my pajamas already.
I need to be better !!!
Blog of Jeff Wang 