I am a survivor. Just follow me on this.

When in danger, or my perception of danger, I tuck my elbows close, the hands come up, I bend my knees to lower my center of gravity, and I stay on the balls of my feet. At this point, I am ready to fight. If a kick is needed, I can snap my leg out and catch the side of a leg with my shin, targeting the nerve bundle that runs along there. Connecting with this causes a decrease in an opponents movements, and speed. It hampers their ability to maneuver. A survivor needs to be able to maneuver.

If a more solid combination is needed, then it’s two quick strikes, an elbow, followed by an uppercut. My first punch usually goes for the end of the nose. It’s painful, and causes the eyes to water, obstructing vision. It also causes the head to rock back, setting up the second strike. The second strike usually targets the cheekbone. With the opponents vision blurred, a strike here is painful, and can cause swelling under the eye, which will hamper the opponent in the long game. It also causes the head to move away from the strike and sets the follow up of the elbow.

The elbow strike is set to target just under the eye. With the head moving from previous strikes, the elbow aimed at this target grants effective results even if it does not strike the intended target, but is merely in the area. Striking the target causes pain, swelling of the eye, or flattening the nose, which causes bleeding and swollen eyes. It also sets up the upper cut.

You get the point. I know how to fight. I am not bragging about this, quite the opposite in fact. I am rather embarrassed about it to a degree. I am embarrassed about it, because of where it comes from. Being a survivor. On the other hand though, I am glad I am a survivor. It means I can change.

People need to grow, adapt, evolve, and live, to become something more. The triggers for these bursts of personal evolution have a wide range. Triggers can be a mid-life crisis where drastic change seems the only option. The loss of someone important in your life. Children growing up and leaving home. Anything can be a trigger to you, if you hold it as something important. It can also be something very unexpected.

A survivor must adapt. A survivor must move with change, and the morphing aspect of life. A survivor must evolve. The ability to change, is directly connected to the conditions we find ourselves in, and those conditions are never set in stone. The inability to change, makes you, not a survivor, but extinct.

Many think that a survivor, set in their ways, cannot change. This is absolutely false. He must change. He is a survivor. He lives for change, no matter how difficult, whether they want to admit it or not. You may not like it, but you will change, you have to.

You as a person must understand that if you are to survive whatever challenge you face, you must decide whether you are extinct, or a survivor. Whatever battle, conflict, or personal crisis you face, you must make that decision based on the person you are, or the person you want to be.

Are you, or do you, want to be weak, timid, and spiritually, emotionally, extinct?

Do you want to be stronger, emotionally and spiritually? Then be a survivor.

If being a survivor is what you want, then I have some bad news for you. Life is going to kick your ass. It is going to suck. It is going to hurt like hell. It will be difficult. You will bleed. And look, now it just put you in the dirt again.

Here’s the survivor trick; Being a survivor means learning to adapt and fight in your own way.

Now smile. Stand back up and spit in it’s face. Tuck your elbows, bring your hands up, lower your center of gravity, giggle like a maniac, and let’s do this thing.

The things in life that are important to you, are worth fighting for. So fight. Evolve. Change. Adapt. Yes, life will kick you. Kick it back. Learn to smile when you have no reason to do so. Learn to love. Learn to enjoy things more than you did.

Welcome to the evolution of a survivor.

Be a survivor. Enjoy what you do.