Throwback Thursday one year ago to my trip to Moscow, Idaho to pick up my son at the University of Idaho after his last semester of classes (he graduated the following semester). While I was there, I visited my friends’ dojo and trained with them for an evening.

I met them a year and a half earlier when they hosted my friends Randy King and Rory Miller on their RandRory Seminar Tour. I arrived a day early for the seminar so I could spend some time with my son, and I asked the couple who run the dojo if I could attend classes the evening before the seminar. They said yes. We hit it off and we’ve been friends ever since.

The dojo is located in a church, and the man in the far right of this photo is the pastor. We sparred, and the first time I hit him I felt like, “Oh no! I just hit a man of God!”

He hit me back.

I was like, “OK, that’s fair.”

And then it was on! We had the best time!

I enjoy visiting other martial art schools and training with them. I like to see what other martial artists are doing, and I like to see how my stuff works with new training partners of different martial art systems than my own. My Okinawan Kenpo system has A LOT of kata, so everywhere I go I can find someone with whom I share at least one kata. “I’ll show you my Naihanchi Shodan if you’ll show me yours.”

On this evening, we did a kata exchange. We each chose our favorite, performed it, and explained why it was our favorite along with applications of the movements (bunkai). I chose Sunsu, which I was still learning at that time, but its movements really suit my body type and fighting style.

Relationships is one of my Keys for Living an Enhanced Life. I encourage my clients to cultivate new friendships that will help them grow. This doesn’t necessarily mean leaving your old friendships if those relationships still work for you. It’s like that old Girl Scout song, “Make new friends but keep the old, One is silver and the other’s gold.”

What excites you? Find a group of people who share it and join them, even if just for a day. Step outside your comfort zone and discover how new friendships can bring fresh energy to your passion.