SHAOLIN INSTITUTE
DRAGON TALES
Greetings From The Master: MARCH DRAGON TALES PDF
Dear Tong Xue Men (which means “Students” in Mandarin Chinese),
I want to thank you for being a part of our Chinese New Year’s Festival. So many of you did as I
asked of you – inviting a friend, preparing a dish to share with our guests, and having fun – that
you helped make our celebration very special for all. I am very proud to have you as part of my
family and my team.
I want to tell you an ancient Shifu secret – the reason “teamwork” is always successful is because
many people come together, each with their own special talents and gifts, and each with their
own way of looking at problems and finding solutions to them. When we use the gifts each
person brings to the team all those talents compliment one another creating something better,
bigger, stronger, and more beautiful than it would have been without them. Magnificence is a
team product and it is also inside of you.
Another Shifu secret – people who find their true path in life are the happiest and most successful
of all. Find your gifts, perfect your strengths and master your talents. As you do this, you will find
your way and you will never fail.
Peace,
Shifu
YOU ARE SPECIAL!
You are unique! There is only one YOU. You were born with special gifts, strengths, and talents
unlike anyone else. We live in a competitive world; one that teaches us all to measure our value
or “self-worth” by comparing ourselves to others. Have you ever wished you were like someone
else? When we think this way we often focus on our weaknesses, on the things we aren’t or the
qualities we don’t have. In time that way of thinking becomes habit and we put all our energy into
trying to measure up, into making ourselves something or someone we were never meant to be.
But Shaolin Masters, like Shifu, know a secret. That secret is this; if you focus on your strengths,
valuing, honoring, and perfecting the gifts and talents you were born with, you will not only be
happier and more fulfilled, but very often your sense of pride in who you are will make you
unbeatable.
You will feel, know, and understand where you fit in the universe. If you always use your
strengths and talents for good, you will make the world a better place. That is what
Shifu wants you to do; follow your own path, dream your own dreams, always use your gifts and
talents for good, and shine your light on the world.
YouareuniqueYouareuniqueYouareuniqueYouareUnique
YouareuniqueYouareuniqueYouareUnique
YOU ARE AWESOME!
Let’s Have Some Fun!
Shifu wants you to find your special talents. Look at the thingsyou love to do. Why do you love
to do them? What do you do best? What can you do better than most other people? If you
are not sure, don’t worry; ask your parent(s), your grandparents, your brothers, sisters, teachers,
and your good friends. Do this exercise and, like all things you do, take your time, do it well. It
will help you find your true path in life, which is the most important lesson you will ever learn.
Write down three things that you LOVE to do.
• Write down the reasons you LOVE to do them. Your reasons can be simple like;
“because they are fun” or “because I am good at them”.
• Under each thing you LOVE to do and the reasons you LOVE to do them, write down
how each thing you LOVE to do makes you feel while you are doing it.
• Write down three things you think you do best.
• Under each thing you think you do best write down the skills and talents that are a part
of doing them best? For example: if you think you are good at Kung Fu, skills like
balance, coordination, and grace might be on your list of talents.
• Ask at least two people you love and trust to tell you what they think your gifts and
talents are. Write them down under the heading: How Others See MeThink about what
they say and whether or not you agree with them. If you do, write them down under the
heading: MY GIFTS
TIME TO DREAM!
• If you could make up a life-long job/career TODAY that uses one or all of the things
you LOVE to do and the skills and talents you think you have, what would your dream
job be? Write it down
• Think about and write down how you could use those things under the heading My
Gifts to make you the very best at your dream job?
MOST IMPORTANT!
• WRITE / TYPE YOUR NAME AND THE DATE YOU FINISHED THE EXERCISE ON
YOUR PAPER / COMPUTER DOCUMENT (print it).
• ASK PERMISSION TO HANG IT SOMEWHERE IN YOUR BEDROOM WHERE YOU
CAN SEE IT EVERY DAY.
• WHEN YOUR DREAM GROWS OR CHANGES, WATER IT AGAIN BY REPEATING
THIS EXERCISE.
• NEVER THROW THESE DREAMS AWAY. KEEP THEM IN A SCRAPBOOK OR A
DIARY AND READ THEM AS YOU GROW AND DISCOVER YOUR TRUE PATH.
SHAOLIN INSTITUTE’S
WORDS OF THE MONTH
March 4th – CHARACTER: The combination of qualities that makes us different from one
another. “By constant self-DISCIPLINE (a February word) and self-control you can develop
greatness of character.” Greenville Kleiser
March 11th – HONOR: Honesty, fairness or INTEGRITY (a February word) in one’s beliefs
and actions. “Honor isn’t about making the right choices, it’s about dealing with the
consequences.” Midori Koto
March 18th – GRATITUDE: A feeling of thankfulness for the favors, friendship or actions of
others. “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving
it.” William Arthur Ward
March 25th – SINCERITY: Honesty of mind or intent; the opposite of being “false”;
genuineness. “Sincerity and truth are the basis of virtue.” Confucius
MARCH BIRTHDAY ANNOUNCEMENTS
In celebration of your special day, Shifu invites you to bring a friend to class during your
birthday week. Just get a “Buddy Pass” from Sarah or Shamain and have your friend’s
parents sign it before they come to class.
THEN HAVE FUN CELEBRATING YOU!
Cassie Sterling 3/8
Keshav Pandiri 3/14
Walker George 3/19
Micheya Cox 3/27
Joshua Song 3/28
Cody Xian 3/28
Kaiya Williams 3/30
Danny Gamez 3/31
