For more information please visit: www.drrobynsilverman.com/powerful-words/why-powerful-words/

The word of the month for February is LOYALTY.
"Loyalty" means Faithful & Committed to a Person, Place, Group or Cause

"Unless you can find some sort of loyalty, you cannot find unity and peace in your active living"
-Josiah Royce

Loyalty is very important to maintaining a standard of committment to people or life's circumstances.  It is a behavior that requires a person to be true, faithful & supportive within all types of relationships.  Children learn loyalty from their family and early friendships and extends to developing good personal relationships with peers and coworkers later in life.  Loyalty should not compromise a persons ability to determine 'right' or 'wrong' situations nor should it be used to compromise our character or belief system.  Used in the right way, loyalty develops trust and respect.


The word of the month for January is HEALTH.
"Heath" means Well being in Body, Mind & Spirit

"The one who thinks about his health only after it is compromised is likely the one who will have to think about his health a great deal"
-Dr Robyn Silverman

It is the beginning of a new year which usually means that we are more apt to review the past year and prepare for the current year to come.  With this, we usually analyze how we feel about ourselves and how we can change all aspects of ourselves for the better.  Our state of wellbeing, or health, is something we often take for granted unless we find there is something wrong with it.  Our physical, mental & spiritual health is something that we all need to become proactive advocates.  There are a number of small, simple, positive changes we all can make to live our lives in the most optimal way possible.  When we feel good about ourselves, we will automatically be more capable of facing obstacles & coping with challenges.  Finding ways to manage stress, becoming more active, choosing the right 'body fuel' & getting adequate rest are all fantastic ways to begin a brand new year.  Practicing good habits every day will set you on the right path for a successful year!
Listen to Dr Robyn's discussion on HEALTH:  www.youtube.com/watch 

The word of the month for December is ACCEPTANCE.
"Acceptance" means Respecting the differences between oneself, others & the ways people do things.

"Acceptance is such an important commodity, some have called it "the first law of personal growth"
-Peter McWilliams, Life101

Acceptance is a discipline in tolerance no matter the circumstance.  When a person displays acceptance, they have an understanding that everyone comes to the table with differences in opinion & action that may or may not agree with their own.  As a collective culture of people, we are constantly practicing acceptance of one another as we live, work & grow in our changing world.  Children need to be made aware early that it is OK to be different and that which is unique to each person should be celebrated and they will find that everyone shares a common goal.


The word of the month for November is GENEROSITY.
"Generosity" means Giving of one's time, talents or treasures without asking anything in return.

"It's amazing what you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit"
-Harry Truman

Generosity.  It is a character trait with the strongest example of purpose.  Generosity is in direct contrast to selfishness.  When we are generous, we are giving freely to others what we value when it is needed by someone else without hesitation.  The mere act of giving or being generous far outweighs the value of what is being given to the recipient.  Generosity comes in different forms, i.e.- money, our time, our skills & talents, but more valuable than any of these 'gifts' is the mere act of giving itself.  Generosity is contagious.  When we give of ourselves, others appreciate the gesture thus 'pays it forward' to the next willing recipient.  It is important to realize that we all have special talents & have the potential to affect others in a positive way by practicing generosity towards others.

Listen to Dr Robyn's discussion about GENEROSITY: www.youtube.com/watch



The word of the month for October is DILIGENCE.
"Diligence" means Carrying out a task with great care & consistent effort until it is done.

"Intentions are not destinations.  What people promise to do and what they end up doing may be two different things.  The best predictor of character are not the words of the moment, but the actions of the past"
-Mario Cortes

Diligence is a vital character trait if you wish to achieve a goal in best measure.  Choosing to work hard & carefully on a task rather than rushing through is an effort that does not go unrewarded.  The benefits of having diligence far outweigh the result by itself.  The vigilant process of any job or challenge can teach us lessons in patience, understanding, consequence and tolerance.  The discipline of martial arts is a contientious practice of diligence, whereas each careful step & learned skill brings the individual to realizing their personal physical & mental goals.
Listen to Dr Robyn's discussion about DILIGENCE: www.youtube.com/watch



The word of the month for September is SELF RELIANCE.
"Self Reliance" means I can do it myself, self trust, relying on your own judgements, powers and abilities.

"A secure individual knows that the  responsibility for anything concerning his life remains with himself - and he accepts that responsibility"
-Harry Browne

Self reliance should be and remains the pillar of our being independent & purposeful.  It is the self confidence and self assurance that comes with the ability to challenge ourselves to complete a task, solve a problem and/or taking appropriate risks allows us to live a meaningful life and persue goals. With a youngster, a parent may constantly need to ask themselves when they should "step in" or "step back" to allow the child to develop necessary skills to become self reliant individuals. When self reliance and its awareness is exercised and is achieved, we are better adept at standing on our own two feet, assessing situations, making choices, and ultimately empowers us as individuals when working with others.


The word of the month for August is TEAMWORK.
"Teamwork" means working together as a group to achieve a common goal.

"Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success" -Author Unknown

The ability to work together with others is critical in all aspects of our lives.  From learning play skills as a youngster to completing tasks & being able to collaborate as an adult, teamwork is essential to our ability to perform in a complex & often challenging environment with others.  When everyone is able to work together cooperatively and contribute individually to the task at hand, the results are often extraordinary & positive.  To encourage youngsters to learn this skill, it is necessary to teach children the importance of praising & supporting eachother.  As adults, we quickly learn that teamwork accentuates the strengths of all involved, shortens the time to complete tasks & allows each member of the team to contribute by voicing concerns and providing solutions to problems.  Teamwork is essential in sports and in the workplace by lifting morale.  Success is never a guarantee.  However, true success is being able to remain focused on the goal while demonstrating the acceptance of differing opinions & solutions.  Teamwork is especially important within the family dynamic.  Once this skill is learned & practiced, the benefits of partnership through teamwork is both satisfying & inspiring to all involved!
Listen to Dr Robyn's discussion about TEAMWORK: www.youtube.com/watch





The word of the month for July is PERSEVERANCE.
"Perseverance" means never giving up until you reach your goals even when faced with challenges.

"Fall seven times, stand up eight" -Japanese Proverb

Perseverance is a discipline.  It challenges us to stay focused on our goals and never quit until we achieve those results that we have worked hard towards.  This may mean that when the situation is tough and we must "climb a steeper mountain", we must reach deep within our enduring spirit to carry us through.  With encouragement & support from teachers, family & friends, we will find our perseverance.  It is important to realize that the most important gift of perseverance is not so much the end result, but the valuable lessons learned from the effort.


The word of the month for June is INTEGRITY.
"Integrity" means being true to yourself, your values and your word.

"Have the courage to say NO.  Have the courage to face the truth.  Do the right thing because it is right.  These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity" - W. Clement Stone

Integrity is built within oneself by practicing on a daily basis listening to your inner voice in all situations.  That internal voice will guide you towards being assertive and supportive of your commitments and responsibilities.  By identifying what our own 'truths' are or what is your personal belief system, you are better equipped to dealing with challenges & peer pressures- Say what you mean & mean what you say!
Listen to Dr Robyn's discussion on INTEGRITY: www.youtube.com/watch


The word of the month for May is OPTIMISM.
"Optimism" means believing that everything will work out for the best.  This positive attitude is essential in coping with every day unexpected challenges by realizing they are temporary.  Optimistic people share benefits that help them succeed in every task they undertake.  Everyone should be taught that how they react to challenging situations is controllable therefore to make optimistic attitudes a habit.  Younger children will benefit by being taught to always "look on the bright side" of their dilemmas.
Listen to Dr Robyn's discussion on OPTIMISM: www.youtube.com/watch


The word of the month for April is RESPECT.
Showing "Respect" means showing consideration, courtesy & care for someone or something.

The act of "Respect" is having regard for the inherit rights & priviledges of all things.  It is imperative that as individuals we live in a manner that treats others the way in which we would like to be treated by others as well.  A major component of the discipline of martial arts incorporates the practice of respect of the student's instructors, parents & peers as well as teaching the importance of respecting & valuing self. Respect means: "A faith in one's own self & abilities and complete trust in others"
Listen to Dr Robyn's discussion on RESPECT: www.youtube.com/watch


The word of the month for March is CONFIDENCE.
Confidence means: "A faith in one's own self & abilities and complete trust in others"

"Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong." - Peter T. McIntyre

Confidence is a built-in personal belief system in our own powers & abilities without being arrogant or boastful.  Confidence within ourselves is achieved through trial & error thus learning how to cope with our own limitations.  Having confidence in others reflects the same trust based on experiences or circumstances.  It is important to be certain enough of our own self-control, self-worth & ability to acknowledge that there will always be new lessons to learn & goals to achieve positively without fear. 
Listen to Dr Robyn's discussion on teaching CONFIDENCE to children:   www.youtube.com/watch