Just like that, our world changed overnight.  The Pandemic of 2020 and COVID has brought on fear, uncertainty, pain, and hardship in our lives.  Never have we experienced the depth of hardship and difficult times as we see today.  We may wonder if our lives will ever be the same.    

But all is not lost.  How we handle this adversity depends on your attitude and how you look at things.  The Japanese have a term for this – GANBARU or Gambatte.  Ganbaru, along with its many variations, is a word dearly loved by the Japanese community. Its essence revolves around the concept of never giving up no matter how hard the challenges may be. Almost any scenario that is short of being perfect is faced head on by the Japanese community with a “ganbatte”spirit. Although the expression may be commonly said and used, it serves as an effective form of encouragement, especially in times of great hardship. The expression reminds each individual that the true obstacle lies in how he trusts his own abilities.  Ki Concept® has a term to live by for the times – Know Ki, Know Peace®. 

Know Ki, Know Peace® is our teaching motto that inspires and motivates all people to seek out their true inner strength to find ki, calm and peace, and reclaim the positive during hard times and adversity.  How you think about life’s challenges affects how you cope with tough times.  Adopt the motto Know Ki, Know Peace® as a reminder to stay mentally strong and forward thinking.  Think of these things as you are dealing with an adverse world:

1.  You have what it takes to get through this difficult time – you’ve made it through this far in life, you possess the skills and tools to survive.  Believe!
2. What really matters is that you live according to your values – your values may be unpopular and people may disagree or not like you, but you can’t please everyone.  Be brave and live by your values.        
3. Remember, do your best and be happy.  Love yourself and know that you gave it your all to handle situations that come your way. 
4. None of this will matter five years from now – the problems and major worries you face today are most likely temporary, and it won’t last forever. 
5. You control how you feel, think and behave with every life situation.  Empower yourself and adopt positivity, and reinforce the motto Know Ki, Know Peace® in your life to create positive changes in your life and gain control!
6. You are stronger than you think – adversity reveals the inner Ki you have inside!  Explore and adopt the Ki Concept® in your life!

You’ve been knocked down before and you can get up again.  All the times you were down and stood up and persevered through the hard times – you may not have realized how you did it, but it was your KI at work.  But you didn’t give up – your ganbaru spirit came alive.  Your ki rose from within to summon strength and fortitude to deal with those problems.  You might have been uncomfortable when your problem first came on, and you may have wanted to stay inside your comfort zone where you felt “safe”. 

Getting through hard times requires finding the motivation and find the way forward.  If you make these simple words your personal motto – Know Ki, Know Peace®, a world of unimaginable calm and renewed purpose will fill your life.  It’s a wonderful thing to know your life is moving forward in a positive, purposeful way!  As we say every day at Ki Concept LLC, Know Ki, Know Peace®!