Word of the Month for August is: Honesty

We have all been faced at one point or another with the choice of telling the truth or telling a lie.  Even at a very young age, kids test the truth to see what they can and can’t get away with. Our Character Development program’s “word of the month” for August is HONESTY and we will be discussing with our students all month long the importance of being honest with ourselves and others.  

Merriam Webster’s Dictionary definition of HONESTY is adherence to the facts; fairness and straightforwardness of conduct.  At Bernardo Karate we believe HONESTY is a direct reflection of your character. Your Instructors in the dojo, your teachers at school and your employers at work will always highly value a person who is honest and trustworthy.  The last thing you want to do is lose credibility or damage your reputation because of lies or dishonesty. We teach our students that an honest person is someone who can be counted on. If your parents or teachers are seeking answers, you want them to be able to come to you because they know you won’t distort the facts.  You want to be known as the trustworthy, HONEST person who does not lie regardless of the situation or the consequences.  

In our Character Development program we have discussed the martial arts perspective of The Bushido or Samurai Code, which is also most widely known as “The Way of the Warrior.”  The Samurai’s followed and lived by the seven virtues of The Bushido Code. Number five of the code is Honesty (Makoto) which states, “Be true by the actions you show and by the words you speak.  A true Warrior must be honest and sincere….there can be no room for dishonesty and insincerity. A true Warrior does not fear the truth but rather lives by it.” In today’s world, we too can pursue and follow these virtues and values.  If you value HONESTY, you won’t lie or steal or cheat. You will treat people fairly and with respect. You will do the right thing even if there are negative consequences.  

If Shihan Michael Bernardo asks a student if they gave an honest effort in class, he is not looking for only a ‘yes or no’ answer.  He truly wants every student to honestly evaluate what effort they are giving in each and every class so they can grow and improve. If you can be honest about your strengths, weaknesses, capabilities and efforts, this is when true growth and confidence can soar.  Your ability to be honest with yourself and others is an important measure of your character. Being honest is hard work and it requires discipline and will power. This is what we teach at Bernardo Karate. It should be an integral part of every martial arts program.  Coming to class on a regular basis will strengthen these values and the effects will naturally spill over into all aspects of your life.  

At Bernardo Karate, we feel HONESTY should be the strongest building block of your character foundation.  We want all of our students to benefit from our programs and have successful and fulfilling lives and we believe that starts with developing honest, trustworthy and model citizens.  

We encourage our students to be honest with themselves about their thoughts, words, actions and values.  Our Students memorize our Student’s Creed: 

I will keep my thoughts positive because my thoughts become my words

I will keep my words positive because my words become my actions

I will keep my actions positive because my actions become my values

I will keep my values positive because my values become my destiny 

At Bernardo Karate, we will always strive to create an atmosphere in our dojos that encourages honesty and integrity.  These are important qualities and values we wish to develop and instill in every student that joins our programs.