Just Checking In

 It’s been a busy week!   Lots of Kung Fu.  But I haven’t had a moment to blog.  

So here are my numbers!

IHC Numbers To Date
Pushups = 7645
Situps = 7627
Fan = 230
Long = 131
Sparring = 116
Km's = 167
AOKs = 152

Mastery In A Different Way

Mastery - By Stewart Emery is the one requirement that I consistently forget about. Each time I read over my requirements I am reminded, and I tell myself, "okay, I need to start reading that again each morning"....but then I don't....

Obviously my plan to "read it every morning" is failing. So why do I keep going back to that thinking that something will miraculously change this time around?
How can I do this differently?
And it dawned on me...why not listen to it, instead of reading?
And so I now have a recorded version that I can play in the car. To and from work. To and from the Kwoon. So much valuable, un-utilized time spent in the car will now be dedicated to Mastery.

IHC Numbers To Date
Pushups = 6545
Situps = 6602
Fan = 222
Long = 109
Sparring = 116
Km's = 128
AOKs = 134

Ongoing Recovery

I just finished meeting with my surgeon. I had some concerns with some of the challenges I am still facing with my recovery and thought it best to see him rather than Google.

Issue number one is that my big toe still does not touch the ground. It's better than it was for sure. But it continues to challenge my overall stability and balance and I haven't noticed any further progress for several months. He was not concerned in the slightest. Apparently lifting the toe slightly is actually part of the procedure. They do that intentionally when they reconstruct the bone to specifically take pressure off that area. He was 100% certain that will rectify over time.  

Issue number two is that I will experience that foot get very cold and then my toes will go numb. If you've ever seen me off to the side rubbing my foot, or wondered why I've been sporting socks on occasion, that is why. Again, this is not great for mobility/stability/balance to any degree if I can't feel my toes. This particular issue seemed to confuse him. His exact words were "In my 30 years of doing these surgeries I have not had anyone make this particular complaint." And so he wants to follow up to ensure that something hasn't gone awry with my blood flow and is sending me for a special ultrasound.

So I suppose we will see what that tells us and go from there.

Why Am I Here?

Why did I join? I enrolled Nathan at Silent River in September of 2019. After watching him for a couple of months, I noticed big changes in him. And I thought maybe Kung Fu could be the change for me as well. At that time in my life I was looking for something "bigger". It was as if I had achieved everything that I had wanted...and was at a point where I was just coasting. I wanted more. I wanted purpose and meaning in my life. I wanted to be a part of something important. I wanted to DO something important. Seeing how it changed Nathan, I was hopeful I would find it at Silent River.

Why do I stay? Because I did.

IHC Numbers To Date
Pushups = 5473
Situps = 5236
Fan = 203
Long = 81
Sparring = 44
Km's = 98
AOKs = 99

Ranking

This blog developed while I was writing the last one about my confidence. I'm not sure what train of thought lead me to this, but I suddenly found myself "ranking" myself in the different areas of our curriculum. Maybe I was looking for something in which my confidence hasn't waned. Maybe it was all fresh in my head from Sifu Rybak's recent article. Either way....this is where my thoughts ended up. What's interesting is that, initially, I very quickly (and confidently...ironic yes) ranked myself (my initial rankings are in brackets below). But then I ended up re-arranging them. Is it my current confidence level that prompted the re-arranging? Or is the re-arrangement actually more accurate? I'm not sure.

1. Green - Lifestyle and Leadership (4)
2. White - 6 Harmonies (1)
3. Orange - Dynamic Control (2)
4. Blue - Traditional Tenets (2)
5. Yellow - Vocabulary of Motion (6)
6. Black - Wuxin - No Mind (5)
7. Red - Keystone Principles (7)

Again, I'm not sure what the point of me doing this was or if it serves a purpose. I suppose it might be interesting to see if this changes over time. It was just a path that my thoughts took as I try to navigate my confidence level at present.

I AM an Example

I've been feeling my confidence slipping lately.

It feels like my "misses" are greatly outweighing my "hits", so to speak. Like I can't quite get things right. Nothing major on it's own, but little fails, struggles or mistakes continue to build up and I'm starting to feel their collective weight.

When my confidence is low, I feel like a fraud. As a blue belt, an IHC team member, an instructor and a parent...I need (want) to set an example for those around me. So here I am, trying to encourage and motivate others, trying to lead by example, trying to demonstrate, trying to teach...all the while feeling like I'm the most unqualified person to be doing any of it.

Yet I recognize that the desire in me to set a good example and to be a good leader is actually the thing that is keeping me moving forward in times like this. I encourage others to keep moving, keep trying, keep pushing...even when they are feeling discouraged...and so that is the example I want to set.



IHC Numbers To Date
Pushups = 4612
Situps = 4636
Fan = 151
Long = 69
Sparring = 24
Km's = 86
AOKs = 151

I Did A Thing

So I did a thing. After getting some experienced insight from a pro into the world of markets, along with a wise piece of advice..."First commit, then figure it out"...I took the plunge and applied to the Alberta Beach Farmer's Market. I got an email today saying that my application has been approved. Meaning I will be attending this market for 3 different Sundays over the summer. What have I done?? Eek.