Range of Motion
One of my favorite things to teach in martial arts is joint attacks. In its purest form, a joint attack is nothing more than exceeding the range of motion of the specific joint. Executing an attack on the wrist joint is just a matter of placing the hand in a specific position that exceeds the normal range. Keep pushing the range of motion and the joint will over-rotate and separate. The joint succumbs to the pressure of exceeding the range of motion. In my 27 years of martial arts, I consider wrist attacks to be the most painful of all the joint attacks. In my opinion, the concept of range of motion applies to another part of our life, our boundaries.
It is downright painful to exceed the range of motion of our boundaries. You know it as the uncomfortable feeling around certain people and downright emotional distress around others. You feel yourself sinking or get the knots in your stomach; you get anxious around certain people, or stress when being around them. Those are your internal boundaries pushing back to let you know you are pressing the range of motion. Keep going and the pain gets worse. There is a very effective counter to boundary attacks. Just say no. Really, saying no to the situation keeps your boundary in place and you free from the pain. In its purest form, that is what a boundary is, knowing when to say yes and when to say no.
So, how is the range of motion on your boundaries? Do you feel uneasy more than calm? Do certain people and events take you to a less than favorable emotional place? Keep your range of motion in place and say NO! They are your boundaries.
Rodney - Home...Home...On the Range...of Motion
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