#16 Affirmations Part 2: Emotions, Reason, and Conscience

This week we continue our discussion of Bruce Lee’s Affirmations with three more concepts: Emotions, Reason, and Conscience. Even though we are discussing each affirmation individually, Bruce Lee used all 7 together to help achieve wellbeing.

4th Affirmation: Emotions “Realizing that my emotions are both positive and negative, I will form daily habits which will encourage the development of the positive emotions and aid me in converting the negative emotions into some form of useful action.”

5th Affirmation: Reason “Recognizing that my positive and negative emotions may be dangerous if they are not guided to desirable ends, I will submit all my desires, aims, and purposes to my faculty of reason, and I will be guided by it in giving expression to these.”

6th Affirmation: Conscience “Recognizing that my emotions often err in their over-enthusiasm, and my faculty of reason often is without the warmth of feeling that is necessary to enable me to combine justice with mercy in my judgments, I will encourage my conscience to guide me as to what is right and wrong, but I will never set aside the verdict it renders, no matter what may be the cost of carrying them out.”

Take Action: Continue to develop your own affirmations, or you can use Bruce Lee’s, and write them down and carry them around for you to reference daily.

We’d love to hear about your affirmations, please reach out via hello@brucelee.com or via social media @BruceLee.

#AAHA

(Awesome Asians and Hapas)

Our #AAHA shout-out goes out to Ali Wong, badass actress, comedian, and writer. She graduated from UCLA in Asian American studies, but then decided at 23 to try stand-up for the first time. Since then she’s acted on several TV shows including "Inside Amy Schumer," "Black Box," and "Are you there, Chelsea?" and became a TV comedy writer best known for the series "Fresh Off the Boat." Ali Wong has continued with stand-up comedy and she’s incredible in her most recent comedy special on Netflix called “Baby Cobra.” If you haven’t seen it already, check it out! We couldn’t stop laughing. You keep being you Ali, and stay awesome!

#BruceLeeMoment

This week we have an email from Robyn R. in Connecticut.

Hi Shannon and Sharon, The Bruce Lee podcast is wonderful. I’m so happy to have discovered it and that you’re both doing such a good thing, thank you.

My #BruceLeeMoment is a bit of a quiet one. When my son was very young, he developed a like for Bruce Lee. I cannot recall how or what got his attention to Bruce Lee, but it seems to have kept him serene and wise throughout his years. As of recent times though, my son has left our home. He and I do not speak anymore. We had a family falling out last October, which prompted him to act hastily and move to another state with his father. I spent time trying to convince him not to, and to finish out his high school years here in the town he has been established in. He refused, and I have not heard from him in almost a year now. I knew that I had to let him go. It was an extremely painful decision. I let go of any type of control I may have thought I had. This was both for the sake of our lives and happiness. When he was leaving I wanted to send him off with something to have and read. I first thought of getting him a journal, which I have mailed him a small blank book over the summer, but I wanted him to carry some sort of wisdom. I stumbled upon Artist of Life written by Bruce Lee through the great site Brain Pickings, and purchased it to send him along with. As I know the true person my son is, I felt that this book would be beneficial to him once he decided to read it. Or he would one day pick it up and learn that I believe that he is deserving of a life that is good for him. I myself am reading the book, and it has helped me with my healing of any past or present pain I am experiencing. I am practicing in my life the philosophy of being water and also bamboo. It is a meditation I have been using. Instead of standing like a strong oak tree, I will eventually crack, but if I bend like bamboo in stormy weathers I will come back stronger. It remains a mystery right now if he has read any of it; I know that he has always had an interest in philosophy, debates, the arts and the mind. My wish is that Artist of Life, will guide him through his difficulties and good times as well. Bruce Lee has been an influential person to both of my sons. My son Nicholas, though, seemed to connect with him from an early age. He benefits from good role models and this is mainly why I sent him along with the book. Again, thank you to you both, and also to your father Bruce Lee, Shannon. My father died when I was 3-yrs old to extreme circumstances as well, it is a long road without a father. However, it is such a powerful presence to keep their spirits and love for life, alive.

Sincerely, Robyn

Share your #AAHA and #BruceLeeMoment recommendations with us via social media @BruceLee or email us at hello@brucelee.com.

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