Why Give Experiences vs Gifts This Christmas?

"Three years ago we came up with the idea in my house to give experiences rather than gifts for Christmas.  Each year, we take the kids on a trip.  We create scavenger hunt clues and wrap them up as presents.  This becomes their Christmas morning ritual.  Each clue leads them to a reveal for where we are going as a family.  The kids love it and value it WAY more than material gifts.  They actually prefer it.

While material gifts are fun to buy, the kids talk about their experiences WAY more than they actually play with any toys or electronics that they might get for the holiday.

I saw this post from "Katie" a blogger on Wellness Mama, and she does a good job of summarizing why this is a great idea too.  Here is a quick look at some of the areas she brings to light in her post called 46 Ways to Give Experiences Instead of Stuff This Year."

-- Quote By:  Instructor Chris Higdon

Image:  Master Jared E Circle and his Daughter Breaking Boards

46 Ways to Give Experiences Instead of Stuff This Year

As we near the time of the year often dedicated to gift giving, I can’t help but think about the fact that often these well intentioned gifts eventually lead to more stress, for the giver and the receiver. In our family, we’ve chosen to give experiences instead of material gifts most of the time and the results have been amazing.

Don’t get me wrong… I love giving gifts and always enjoy finding, wrapping and giving the perfect gift to a family member or friend. As a mom, I also dread the aftermath of gifts… the paper all over the floor, the toys all over the floor, the lingering messes and the kids complaining about having to clean up their toys.

Also, as every parent has inevitably experienced at some point, the joy of material gifts fades quickly and even the most anticipated Christmas toys soon become a chore to clean up.

Are We Drowning in Too Much Stuff?

The dramatic success of the book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up provides a hint that perhaps many of us feel that we simply have too much stuff (short summary of the book= throw most of it away).

Turns out, we probably do!

Think for a second about your grandparents home when you were growing up. If it was anything like mine, it was probably a small house with even smaller closets. And the closets were not that full. And they raised six kids in that house! They also didn’t need drastic storage and organizing solutions or extra storage rental units.

Fast forward to present day, when the LA Times reports that the average American home has over 300,000 items in it and there are over 50,000 storage facilities nationwide (and this is the fastest growing real estate segment!). In fact, at least 1 in 10 of us have a storage unit to store our excess stuff. Consider this:

The United States has upward of 50,000 storage facilities, more than five times the number of Starbucks. Currently, there is 7.3 square feet of self storage space for every man, woman and child in the nation. Thus, it is physically possible that every American could stand—all at the same time—under the total canopy of self storage roofing! (source)

Do we really have so much more stuff than people did just two generations ago?

Yes we do…

More Clothes

Our grandparents had an average of nine outfits, including dress clothes and work clothes.

Now, we have an average of 30, plus a lot of extra clothes that don’t qualify as an “outfit.”

The AVERAGE family spends $1,700 on clothes annually while giving or throwing away over 200 pounds of clothes per year.

More Toys

This is the part that really shocked me…

The average child in the developed world owns over 200 toys but only plays with 12 of them on average per day!

Even crazier? Only 3% of the world’s children live in the US, but they own 40+% of the world’s toys!

If it Makes You Happy…

Those staggering statistics about how much stuff we all own wouldn’t worry me if it seemed that the excess stuff improved our lives in some way or made us happier, healthier or closer to our children… but that isn’t the case. To quote Sheryl Crow:

If it makes you happy
It can’t be that bad
If it makes you happy
Then why the hell are you so sad

We have and consume twice as many material goods than we collectively did 50 years ago, but statistically we are much less happy.

54% of us report being overwhelmed with clutter and 78% of us have no idea how to overcome it!

This also leads to additional stress:

Over the course of our lifetime, we will spend a total of 3,680 hours or 153 days searching for misplaced items. The research found we lose up to nine items every day—or 198,743 in a lifetime. Phones, keys, sunglasses, and paperwork top the list. (source)

Certainly, there is much more to why we are less happy than we used to be than just the excess clutter, but statistically, it is a contributor, and an easy one to address.

Why Give Experiences Not Stuff?

Many studies have shown that material possessions do not equal happiness and that experiences are much more intrinsically fulfilling that things. (Additional bonus: you don’t have to find a place to store experiences except in your heart, memory, and maybe on some pictures!)

A researcher named Thomas Gilovich at Cornell University has spent more than a decade trying to understand why experiences have the ability to contribute to happiness so much more than material purchases. Along with another researcher, Matthew Killingsworth, he recently published his research in the Journal of Psychological Science showing that experiences provide more lasting happiness than material possessions. (source)

The basic conclusion was that people tend to get less happier with material purchases over time, and more happy with experiences. They speculate that this is because we adapt to physical things, so even the nicest car or  newest phone becomes commonplace after enough time, while memories tend to get fonder over time.

Our experiences are a bigger part of ourselves than our material goods,” says Gilovich. “You can really like your material stuff. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but nonetheless they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences. (source)

Even negative experiences, they found, can often be remembered fondly as a funny story or bonding experience. Experiences are also a uniting factor. You are more likely to bond with someone who enjoys the same hobby/activity or has traveled to the same places that you have than with someone who has a similar possession.

The anticipation leading up to a trip, event, or experience even has the potential to provide happiness itself, making it the gift that truly keeps on giving! Happiness in the anticipation, happiness during the experience and happiness in the memories.

Beats the heck out of a pile of toys that you trip over while tucking the kids in at night!

It turns out that Aristotle had it right all those years ago: “men fancy that external goods are the cause of happiness (but) leisure of itself gives pleasure and happiness and enjoyment in life.”

Give Experiences: The Importance for Kids

As important as shared experiences are for adults, they are even more important for children and for healthy psychological development. In fact, shared family time (even in simple things like family dinner together) is drastically important for a child’s well being (much more important than the dozens of extra curricular activities we often neglect family time for).

Shared family time and experiences have been linked to:

·         Bonding within the family

·         Fewer behavioral problems in children

·         A stronger sense of identity

·         A sense of security for children

·         Higher rates of academic success

·         Lower rates of violence

Of course, these shared experiences can be as simple as time spent together during/preparing meals, while driving, or reading stories before bed, but prioritizing shared experiences as gifts helps reduce unwanted material items and fosters family bonding.

Reference: Katie - Wellness Mama  Updated: August 2, 2017   https://wellnessmama.com/62144/give-experiences/

When deciding what experiences might be awesome for your child this year, consider enrolling them in a Martial Art Program.  It's a gift that keeps on giving all year round.

Visit our website or contact us if you would like to learn more about how to make this an AWESOME gift this holiday season.

Koguryo Martial Arts Academy

6015 S Sunbury Rd, Westerville, OH

614-899-9033

www.koguryoma.com

Success Story - Growing Up in Martial Arts

It is always wonderful to check up on both active and former students to see what they are doing with their lives and how they have grown.  Many of our students contribute their successes to the teachings and experiences they had in our program.

Here is quick Q & A from one of our former Blackbelts.

Koguryo Martial Arts Black Belt Success Story

NAME:  Violeta “Vili” Marquez

AGE: 19

TRAINING YEARS:  15

                                                            CURRENT RANK:

2^nd Degree Blackbelt T'ang Soo Do,

1^st Degree Blackbelt Hapkido

KMA:   About how long were you a student at Koguryo Martial Arts?

Vili: I trained for just over 15 years before going to college. I started when I was around 5 years old.

KMA:.  How old were you when you earned your Black Belt?

Vili: I earned my first degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do when I was 8 years old.  I tested for my 2^nd degree in TSD when I was 12, and tested again for a 1^st degree in Hap Ki Do when I was 13.

KMA: What are you doing now in your career or academic life?

Vili: I am currently enrolled in college preparing to be an EMT.

KMA: What are some of your long term goals?

Vili: I would like to be an ER nurse and work at a local hospital like Ohio State University or Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

KMA: How would you say KMA helps kids prepare?

Vili: It helps with ADHD by teaching focus and how to remain calm in tough situations.   I learned lessons in respect that I still use, even to this day.

KMA: Any advice for current KMA students?

Vili: My advice for the current students is to always have an open mind in Martial Arts and in life it will take you a long way in both. When you have an open mind to learning and it can help you feel confident in talking to different people in you meet in your life.  Also, it helps a lot in making you happy rather than being upset and mad because then you're just dragging yourself down with those feelings and that won't help you succeed as a student!

KMA always was my second home. It was very family based, and I am still good friends with most of the Black Belts that use to be in my class! I always enjoyed getting home from school then rushing to see everybody at KMA. It's a fun experience and you learn so much. Just keep a clear head, take everybody's advice, and always remember to show respect to everyone!  

If you would like to Join Our KMA Family, then you contact us:

Web:   www.koguryoma.com

Call:    614-899-9033

Visit:    6015 S Sunbury Rd, Westerville, OH

Email:  koguryomartialarts.hq@gmail.com

3 Myths Busted - Cold Weather illness and Weight Gain

We all share various points of view when it comes to daily living, health advice, and urban myths.  This quick read below, is an excerpt from an article that breaks down some common theories with regards to how the upcoming cold weather will affect us.   

Here are three myths that the author felt were totally "busted".

REFERENCE:  K. Aleisha Fetters December 22, 2014, Article: 10 Winter Health Myths Busted

Myth: Cold air can make you sick

Despite being called the common "cold," lower temperatures alone won't make you sick. In fact, the exact opposite is true. "Cells that fight infection in body actually increase if you go out into the cold," says Rachel C. Vreeman, MD, co-author of Don't Swallow Your Gum! Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health. It's your body's way of combating the stress of freezing temps. Plus, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, cold viruses grow best at about 91 degrees; if you're outside in the cold, your nostrils are surely colder than that.

Myth: Women gain 10 pounds over the winter

Between comfort foods, dreary days, and cozy blankets, it's not hard to imagine why women put on winter weight. But it turns out that the average woman only gains one or two pounds over the winter. Still, one Nutrition Reviews study shows that weight gain during the six-week holiday season accounts for 51% of annual weight gain. And, according to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine, most women don't shed that extra layer of insulation come springtime, so over the years, the weight can really add up.

Myth: You shouldn't exercise in the cold

Get ready to crawl out from under your comforter and run into the great (and yes, cold) outdoors. According to research published in Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise, in cold temperatures, race times are actually faster—and quicker paces burn more calories in less time. Plus, that harder, faster workout can spike your endorphin levels—which, according to a review in Environmental Science and Technology, are already increased just by you being outside. Ready to get started? 

The GREAT thing about Martial Arts is that it is a year round activity.  At our school we have programs for kids and adults.  Our programs include Adult Cardio Kickboxing, Traditional T'ang Soo Do, Hapkido, and Ju Jitsu.   Whether you are 5 or 50....we have a class for you.

If you are looking for an awesome way to stay fit and improve your immune system this winter season, then come visit us.

Koguryo Martial Arts Academy

6015 S Sunbury Road, Westerville, OH

614-899-9033

www.koguryoma.com

Helping to Fight Childhood Obesity

Being overweight or obese in childhood has become a serious problem. Many things add to this epidemic, but a big part of it is that kids are becoming more sedentary. In other words, they're sitting around a lot more than they used to. Kids and teens now spend hours every day in front of a screen (TVs, smartphones, tablets, and other devices) looking at a variety of media (TV shows, videos, movies, games). Too much screen time and not enough physical activity add to the problem of childhood obesity. One of the best ways to get kids to be more active is to limit the amount of time spent in sedentary activities, especially watching TV or other screens. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends parents: Put limits on the time spent using media, which includes TV, social media, and video games. Media should not take the place of getting enough sleep and being active.  Limit screen time to 1 hour a day or less for children 2 to 5 years old. Discourage any screen time, except video-chatting, for kids younger than 18 months. Choose high-quality programming and watch it with your kids to help them understand what they're seeing.  Keep TVs, computers, and video games out of children's bedrooms and turn off screens during mealtimes. They will need to replace that time away from the screen with something of equal or more fun.  Get them into a structured program of Martial Arts.  The classes will get them moving and have fun doing it.   Not only will they be boring calories they will also be learning self defense, improve their self esteem, confidence and courage.

5 Benefits of Being Active When kids are active, their bodies can do the things they want and need them to do. Why? Because regular exercise provides these benefits: 1. Strong muscles and bones 2. Weight control 3. Decreased risk of developing type 2 diabetes 4. Better sleep 5. A better outlook on life Healthy, physically active kids also are more likely to be academically motivated, alert, and successful. And physical competence builds self-esteem at every age. We would love to help become part of your child's activity plan.  Come talk with happy parents and kids from our school.   We are located at 6015 S Sunbury Rd, Westerville, OH. Learn more about us here:  www.koguryoma.com 614-899-9033