Kung Fu....it is just fabulous!

So, some pretty cool things happened this week! The classes that I help with were lots of fun, sweet moments were sweeter, hard workers worked harder, funny lines were funnier and the gratitude I feel for the opportunities that I have is greater.
I had an opportunity to partner with someone who I have not worked with in quite a while. It was like wearing a favorite shirt, it fit just right, we pushed and challenged, helped and encouraged, just like old times! I almost forgot how cool that can be.
I had an opportunity to spar with someone who I have not sparred with very much and it was awesome. After a few minutes of dancing about, we really had a good time together, both getting some good shots in, clashing a few times (sorry about the knee!) and creating an opportunity to try combinations and taking risks. It was an experience that I hope to repeat.
I had an opportunity to begin to learn the broad sword form. Thank you Sifu for your patients, I appreciate the time you are taking to help me. It feels very cool in my hand and I look forward to getting more comfortable with the movements.
I had an opportunity to refresh my memory on a hand form that I have been working on and it felt good to be moving forward with that again.
I have kept my word to myself each day this week and plan to continue to do this each and every day.

 

What is on my mind

I'm a little scared!
The most success that I have experienced over the last few years has been while on the UBBT or I Ho Chuan teams. I have learned tons of stuff about myself and created a great way to conduct my life. I think that I am ready to go forward on my journey without being on the team, I hope that I am right. I know that I have also created an amazing support group along the way that I can lean on if I need them to help me stay on the right path. So here I go.....
100 kicks each day
100 sit ups each day
1000 acts of kindness
1 community program to help people
Learn to ride a motorcycle
Take tennis lessons
Continue to work on my stick form (and do something really cool with one of my fellow black belts)
Learn spear , the boken , tai chi sword, broad sword, and cane forms (there might be more
Continue to work on my chucks (I have some cool ideas that I have been trying out)
Continue to work on all the forms that I already know so that they don't ever feel or get rusty
Walk,run, swim or bike 1000 miles
Continue to teach in the kids classes
Continue to find healthy ways to look after myself
 Continue to blog, of course
There are probably a few things that I need to add still but this is a good place to start.

Helloooo Snake!

Yesterday we had a meeting with the Snake team and the Dragon team. I really enjoyed reflecting on our year together, trying to think of things that will help the next team and seeing everyone together. I think the best advice was that there are many different types of leaders, finding out what type of leader you are is part of the process.
We also talked about some of the details for the banquet; assigning tasks, choosing times and I'm starting to get excited. Every year I worry that we forgot something and it is going to affect the evening and every year, I walk away thinking that was the best night of the year.  I love talking, visiting, laughing with my training mates and their friends and family. I love seeing the demonstrations; young and old, and listening to the candidates talk about their journeys. What I love the best about the whole night is the coming together of all of our skills and talents to make this banquet an awesome night for everyone. It takes everyone working together to make this evening what it is, and I think that is also what makes it so special. It truly marks the beginning of a new year, an opportunity to start again, try one more time to get better, be better and stay better.
This year I am going forth without the team to reach for my goals, strive to be more than I am and continue on my path to mastery.  I have learned so much from being on the different teams, way too many things to list here and I look forward to putting them into practice.
My goals this year are to continue to push myself out of my comfort zones with my weapons, I have been experimenting with my chucks and I am excited to see where that goes, I have plans to take my stick form to the next level and I have many forms to learn and master. I plan to walk, run and swim my way throughout the year (1000 miles), I plan to pursue acts of kindness in every part of my life (looking for new ways to bring kindness to my community) and I plan to do sit ups everyday and figure out what I have done to my shoulders that is getting in the way of my push ups. I will continue to work on my techniques and all the initiatives that we take on as a school. I plan to hang out so much with the Snake team that they will think that I am on the team. I plan to have the best year yet, putting one foot in front of another each and every day.

Responsibility

I have had a very interesting week. I have been reminded again and again of the responsibilities that come with wearing a black belt. It is not just at the kwoon, where it is obvious who the black belts are, but it is at home, at work and in the community. I remember the moment that I decided to act as if someone was watching me all the time. That was the beginning of my journey to believing in me, I realized in that moment that it was me that I needed to impress and be proud of everyday.
Each day, when I get up, I remind myself that I am a black belt and need to act accordingly. It begins with getting up to honor my daily requirements, it continues as I interact in my community (being helpful, friendly and courteous), at work I need to be a role model for those that I teach, a mentor to those that are still not confident in their skill and the bigger person when dealing with a conflict. Some moments I think may be too hard and too risky, but if I persevere, I know that I will be proud of taking the high road and not the easy one.
So this week at work, I was reminded that my strength and confidence can be intimidating and I need to make allowances for that. I was so busy working on myself that I forgot to look around and see the impact that I was having on others, good and bad. So I need to dig deep and be more understanding and patient with my peers and superiors. It shall be interesting....
I ran into someone who used to train this week and they said, I can not do what you do! I said, I get up everyday and I put one foot in front of the other, everyone can do that if they chose to. When asked what if you do not feel like it? I then remind myself that I am a black belt, that always gets me out of bed.
Then on Friday, as we reviewed what it is to be a black belt, I was faced again with the great responsibility that is mine to uphold. We are bigger, stronger and smarter than the average guy and when we can't be; we know enough to ask for help from our peers.

Sleeping on it!

I need to read my blog after a good nights sleep
Sifu Kichko