What you can't see is really there!

You can't see mental illness, you can't tell if someone has it and you can't pretend that it doesn't exist.
What is IT? Well, mental illness can take many forms, some of them prevent people from holding a job, going to school or even leaving the house. Some of them are not as obvious; depression, attention deficit and obsessive compulsive disorder, to name a few. Many of these things can be medicated and allow people to lead the type of life that they want to, but there are things that people don't see or know.

Finding the right medication for you takes time and a lot of patience. When dealing with depression for example, there are many anti-depressants out there and very few will work for you. The only way to figure it out is to try them and see if they work. In the meantime, you may feel worse, you may feel like you are losing your mind, gaining or losing weight, not sleeping or sleeping all the time. You also may have to try one for up to six weeks to ascertain if it works for you and if it doesn't, you can't just quit taking it, you have to ween yourself off of it. As you grow, you may need to repeat this process more than once.

Finding the right therapist can also take some time and patience. Not all therapist are created equal and not all people get along with each other. It takes time to check out different therapists to see if they are a match for you.

Finding the right people to let into your world can also be a challenge. No matter how open minded folks seem to be, you never really know how they are going to react until you tell them. That can be risky as there are all kinds of stigmas attached to mental illness, your friends may begin to treat you differently or decide not be around you anymore. Although it is for the best if they chose not to be your friend, it can be kind of lonely.

People who battle with a mental illness are in for a life long battle and need and deserve our empathy and respect.

Silent!

On April 18th, I was silent for 24 hours! I figured how hard can it be? I chose to talk often, so I will just chose not to talk!
I was totally wrong, it was one of the hardest challenges that I have ever done. Even when I was alone, I had to pay attention so that I wouldn't talk out loud ( I didn't realize that I did that very much). It was very similar to all of the other challenges that we have done at our school, I had to stay mindful all day long, because if I relaxed for one second, words came out of my mouth. It wasn't necessarily staying mindful that was difficult, it was that I figued that it would be easy and it wasn't.
Not talking while teaching the Beginner Black Dragons was a blast, the kids were totally on board and some of my non-verbal messages were understood!
I stayed up way passed my bedtime so that I could share my day with my husband. I had this need to tell him about all the struggles (and giggles) that I encountered all day long. It was like being able to breath after holding my breathe for a really long time, it was a great relief. Communicating with others is a fundamental need, I can't imagine what it would be like to live in a world where my voice wasn't heard.
To answer some of the questions that were asked of me that day and I couldn't answer at the time;
-the blue socks matched because there was blue in my t-shirt
-I plan on working on my kung fu in my free time so that I am better prepared the next time we spare
-I don't talk in my sleep
-I am fine and havning a wonderful day
-Pandamonium for the Beginner Black Dragons is at 12:30 pm
-it doesn't really matter what we have for supper as long as we are all together!
-and finally you probably don't want to really know what I think of that which is probably why you are asking while I can't answer.
The main thing that occured for me was that I was able to share with many more people than I at first imagined, the plight of some of the young people in our world. I talked alot about the Free the Children champagne in the weeks prior to the event and with just as many since that day, and we all know that the more people know about what is going on, the more likely it is that they will lend a hand.
You don't have to take a stand in the same way that I did, but please do - Take a Stand! We can't help our children while sitting on the side lines.

Risky business

Taking risks is hard to do. Especially when it comes to relationships. After many years of struggling with self esteem, it rears it's ugly head every once in a while and reminds me that I shouldn't take it for granted.
I have a difficult time letting my friends know that I need them for anything. I am really good at giving support, doing favors, helping out but when it comes to what they can do for me, my usual answer is " I'm okay". I know that friendship (any relationship) needs to have give and take, I really need to work on the take part. So today, I was feeling particularly in need of a friend and I received a text from my dear friend asking how I was. Instead of doing what I always do, I picked up the phone and let my friend know that I needed her. We laughed and cried a little and it was fantastic! I miss her a lot and I am so glad that we are friends.
Taking risks is hard to do, but totally worth it :)

Kung fu is where it is at!

So I had a weird week! Trying to go about my business in a "normal" manner, when all I really wanted to do was sit and cry (well, not all the time, but I definitely thought moping about my lost dog was time better spent).  I had to work afternoons all week so I wasn't distracted by my kids classes, I did have a great time in the morning class on Wed and I spent Friday evening at the kwoon. I had great plans on Friday to get some reps in with my new broad sword, enjoy the black belt class and re-connect after a long week of absence. Well, it totally didn't happen like I thought; I got to sit in on a meeting about Pandamonium (I think that it is going to be great!) and then I got voted onto the Benevolent Foundation Board (super cool!!!) and ended the evening in a meeting talking about what that entails. I was just about to step on the matts when there was one more quick meeting to attend. I figured that I would spend a bit of time after that with my new sword, do some sit ups maybe some hand forms and then I looked at the clock! It was after 9 pm, if I didn't leave soon, my family would be sending a search party. So I didn't get to do the kung fu that I expected but boy oh boy, did I ever have a great kung fu night! Kung fu is every where and in every thing that we do, we just have to open up and see it. Tomorrow morning is going to rock, I may be bragging (oops! talking!!!) about it later in the day on kwoon talk. Stay tuned.....

Mastery

Philosophy To Live By

Mastery By Stewart Emery

MASTERY in our career and consciousness simply requires that we constantly produce results beyond the ordinary. Mastery is the result of consistently going beyond our limits. For most people, it starts with technical excellence in a chosen field and a commitment to that excellence. If you are willing to commit yourself to excellence, to surround yourself with things that represent excellence, and to pursue events and experiences that become miracles, your life will change. (When we speak of miracles, we speak of events or experiences in the real world that are beyond the ordinary).

It’s remarkable how much mediocrity we live with, surrounding ourselves with daily reminders that the average is acceptable. Our world suffers from terminal normality. Take a moment to assess all of the things around you that encourage you to remain “average.” These things keep you powerless, unable to go beyond a “limit” you have arbitrarily set for yourself. Take your first step towards mastery by removing everything in your environment that represents mediocrity, removing your arbitrary limits. Try surrounding yourself with friends who ask more of you than you do. Didn’t some of your best teachers, your coaches, your parents expect more from you?

On the path to mastery, erase any resentment you have towards masters. Develop compassion for yourself so that you can be in the presence of masters and grow from the experience. Rather than comparing yourself and resenting people who have mastery, remain open and receptive; let the experience be like the planting of a seed within you—with nourishment, it will grow into your own individual mastery.

Correction is essential to power and mastery. You see, we are all ordinary. But a master, rather than condemning himself for his “ordinariness,” will embrace his ordinariness and use it as a foundation for building the extraordinary. Instead of giving up, as many ordinary people do, he will use his ordinariness to correct his errors, which is essential in the process of attaining mastery. You must be able to correct yourself without invalidating or condemning yourself, to accept results and improve upon them.

Correct, don’t protect.