Yes...Yes...Okay...Okay...Wait, what?

So I'm not sure about anyone else, but my mind was in jumbles after the work we did on our kicks a few classes back.  Specifically the discussions surrounding the front thrust kick. 

Pushing or thrusting?

Initiating with the hip, or the hip snapping at the end?

Engaging the whole body.

Etc, etc.

A brief thought that went through my head at one point was "Oh my gawd I have no idea what we are talking about anymore."  I was so far gone I didn't even know what to ask.  Lol.

So now, in addition to my broken Spinning Back Kick, my Front Thrust Kick is in shambles as well.  Oh...and my IHC hand form broke a couple weeks ago too.

The funny thing is that I'm not at all upset about any of this.  At the beginning of my journey, I may have felt frustrated or deflated.  Or perhaps like I was no good or that I sucked.  But I'm starting to see how this is actually all good.  These things are broken because of all the exciting feedback and information I've gotten recently.  They are broken because I'm trying to improve...and I'm poking them with a stick.  Making adjustments, implementing change, will always bring with it a bit of turmoil and discombobulation. The hope is that, on the other side, I will find progress.  I find myself in a state of content, even amongst the broken.  It is a pleasant change.

In fact, I'm beginning to think that if I ever find myself in a place where nothing seems to be broken, that might be an indication that I've slipped into that lazy river of mediocrity.  Pretty and peaceful, sure...but not really taking me anywhere.

A New Normal

My numbers have been disastrous this week.  I've been fighting against change for quite some time now, but I cannot fight any longer and need to re-assess my training regime.  It's just no longer working.

I've always been an early morning person no problem.  But I've also been early to bed.  Being up later than 9pm would be totally out of the norm.  So getting up early worked...and did for a long time.

Since moving to the level 2 class, I now don't get home until 9pm.  Even on the kids' class days, we aren't home until 8pm.  Later on Thursdays due to IHC class.  Later again, with Dragon Dance practice.  And unfortunately I can't just simply crawl into bed the moment I get home.  First there are the kids to attend to....getting things ready for the next day...bedtime routines...etc.  Then I still need to eat supper.  And as most of us find, we need some down time before crawling into bed.  So for a while now, my nights have not ended until 10, or even 11pm.  Then my alarm rings at 5am.  And with all the changes, it's just not working anymore.

This week especially, I've chosen extra sleep over morning training.  But even on the days I manage to drag myself out of bed, my time isn't utilized very well.  I find myself staring off, basically out of it, and then suddenly my time is up and I really didn't do much of anything.  So the time is being wasted anyways, and I may as well have just slept.

I know this sounds like a bunch of complaining.  But I promise it's not.  I think in order to initiate a change, I need to first get it all out and be honest with the fact that this isn't working any longer.  For a long time now I've been wishing and hoping that it would all just fall back into place how it was.  I need to just acknowledge that it won't.  It's simply not the same anymore.  My Kung Fu is so much larger.  I'm doing so much more.  And I wouldn't give any of it up.

I'm not saying I can't have it all.  I think I can.  I just need to adjust and adapt and find my new normal.

S.M.A.R.T.

I was doing some "research" on daily blogging this morning. Essentially this consisted of reading through some of Master Wieczerza's blogs from 2016. I knew she had made daily blogging a personal requirement for her 8th Dan promotion year and I was curious to see how she had approached it.  As I perused her blog, I stumbled across one that detailed the S.M.A.R.T. method for goal setting.  I love how the universe works sometimes.  I thought I was looking for one thing, and found something else.

Although my personal requirements have been accepted as they are, I still find myself reading them over and over...questioning the validity...wondering if they truly serve me.  There were a couple of goals that I did not complete this past year (and the year before), and I find myself wondering if these were maybe just "filler" or "fluff" goals.  Ones that maybe seemed like good ideas...like fun ideas, but were simply just "things to do", rather than real personal goals that will truly serve me.  And now that I've come across this goal setting method, I am curious to see if they will "pass" this test.  If I find myself struggling to define these 5 things for each of my goals, perhaps that's an indication that I need to do some re-thinking.

I'm sure many of you have probably come across this in the past, but being that a major topic of discussion from our last meeting was about our personal requirements for the upcoming Year of the Rabbit, I thought this was all very timely and wanted to share.  There is a plethora of information and templates online, so if you're curious, a quick google search will provide all kinds of resources.  I found a template that I liked, altered it just a bit, and intend to go through it with each of my goals (link below).  If you're struggling with setting your goals...or defining your goals, maybe give it a go?

SMART Goals Worksheet

Happy Birthday Todai Bauer

36 Things I Like About Myself

1. I laugh easily
2. My smile
3. Sense of humour
4. Quick wit
5. Ability to connect with pretty much anyone
6. Ability to adapt
7. Organized
8. Reliable
9. Honest
10. Humble
11. Intuitive
12. Empathetic
13. Willingness to help
14. Sincere
15. Non-judgmental
16. Forgiving
17. Eye for detail (not just with kung fu)
18. Driven
19. Decent artist
20. Self sufficient
21. Down to earth
22. Compassionate
23. Understanding
24. Willingness to try new things
25. Good listener
26. Problem solver
27. Giving
28. Self aware
29. Freckles
30. Friendly
31. Adventurous
32. Decent writer
33. Good teacher
34. Ability to compartmentalize
35. Decent cook
36. I'm always trying to be better and do better

36 Things I Am Grateful For

1. Being alive
2. Healthy mind
3. Healthy body
4. Dan, Emma and Nathan
5. My pets
6. My mom, dad and siblings
7. Extended family
8. Friends
9. My home
10. My job
11. Awesome co-workers
12. Awesome boss
13. My country
14. Books
15. Libraries
16. Coffee
17. Chocolate
18. Nature
19. Sun
20. Access to education
21. Access to health care
22. Access to food and water
23. Technology
24. Pottery
25. My fireplace
26. Slipper socks
27. Sweatpants
28. Blistex Lip Medex
29. Freedom
30. My past
31. Sportsbras
32. Clinical strength deodorant
33. Scary movies
34. Prescription glasses and contacts
35. Modern plumbing
36. Click and collect
37. The Kwoon
38. Teaching opportunities
39. I Ho Chuan
40. Kung Fu instructors
41. Fellow Kung Fu students
42. Tai Chi
43. Kung Fu

IHC Number Update - December 5, 2022

 

My December IHC Update - Year of the Tiger

Year of the Tiger - Feb 1, 2022 to Jan 21, 2023 (354 days)

Base Requirements

✅ Hand Form - Dou Ti  859/1000

✅ Weapon Form - Stick 1 and 2  860/1000

❌ Push-ups  41,630/50,000  60,000

❌ Sit-ups  41,931/50,000  60,000

❌ Sparring  749/1000 *I've inched my numbers up a bit here

✅ Kilometers 1605/1609

✅ Acts of Kindness 902/1000

✅ Blogging/Online Presence

✅ Unexcused Absences

➖ Mastery by Stewart Emery

✅ Mend a Relationship

➖ Lion Dancing - Instructors call

❌ Tiger Challenge

✅ Public Performances

➖ Core Curriculum - Instructors call

✅ SRKF Projects and Initiatives

Personal Requirements

➖ Learn how to reclaim my pottery clay

⭐ Establish a 15 minute/2km run time

⭐ Box Jumps

✅ Monthly date with Dan

❌ Lion Dance Drumming *I will be carrying this forward to the Year of the Rabbit, with a more defined plan and goal

✅ Weekend Kung Fu Training with Kids

✅ Chi Development

❌ 3 x 1 Month "Clean Eating Challenge" - this goal is a fail.  What's worse is that I honestly don't really care or feel all that bad.  I'm going to look back at this to see if I even learned anything.  

✅ Record Numbers of all known forms.  There is no specific number I'm trying to reach.  My personal requirement is simply to record them.

• Awakening the Dragon = 33
• Broadsword 1-2 = 17
• Da Mu Hsing 1-5 = 81
• Hsieh Chien = 37
• Lao Gar 1-3 = 60
• Long 1 = 32
• Hung 1-2 = 48
• 18 Temple Motions = 37

❌  I AM Project 18/30