Intensity

Intensity is being in the moment. It is putting all of your focus and energy into what you are doing and being aware of all the pieces that make it possible. You are aware of where you are, who is around you, how you are moving and breathing. All of these things come together to create what you want to accomplish. To improve you intensity, practice with focus and concentration and put all of you energy into what you are doing. Don't hold back for another technique, put everything into the one you are doing.
Intensity in your career and how you organize your life has probably worked well for you. In order to be successful in your job or your education, you have to have intensity, focus and concentration. You also have to be engaged in what you are doing. This means that you have to have your assignments done on time, show up prepared for your meetings/classes and accomplish the work that you committed to doing. Try this strategy with your Kung Fu. Go to class prepared, complete the assigns that you are given and commit to and practice what you say you are going to. Being a martial artist isn't just showing up twice a week and participating in class and not thinking about it for the rest of the week. Being a martial artist is about being engaged in your training, making it a part of your life, practicing with intensity and following through on the things that you said that you would do. We are lucky because our teachers at Silent River make it easy for us, they give us assignments so that we have something to work on between classes, they tell us how to practice and how to be engaged in what we are doing. All we have to do is put into practice what is already laid out for us.
Have intensity in what you are doing always.

Letter of Intent

In Sept. 2007, I laid out the plans for my journey to my black belt test. The plans have changed many times so far but the goal remains the same. In the last week of April 2009, I handed in my letter of intent (a requirement for black belt grading). It requires that you put in writing your intent to grade for black belt. It's just a few lines, a simple request, one more thing checked off my list. Ha! Who knew something so small could have such a large impact? It changed everything and made my sights on my goal more clear (which I didn't think was possible). I have been more focused and committed during this journey than I had thought possible and I think that I was seeing my end goal with rose-colored glasses. Now it seems real, doable, reachable. Not the distant goal from 2007 but the attainable, in the moment, right now goal. I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well, this has had such a huge impact on me, it seems like words are inadequate. I can clearly visualize myself reaching my goal and it feels right. I am not longer nervous or anxious, I am excited and the thought in the forefront of my mind is. 'I'm doing this.'

Each day, all day, I am engaged in my training. Quitting,being too tired, or not feeling like it are no longer part of my world. I just keep going.

Ahhh... the tournament

I love the tournament. Each year it gives me an immeasurable gift. Let me tell you about my tournament experience.
Each year after Christmas, my daughter and I start talking about the tournament. We consider what to enter and what forms to do. This year it was more involved as it required her to learn a new form so that we could do it together. We get right to work, practicing, revising and laughing a lot. You would think that that would be the big pay off right there but it is only part of it. The bond that we share as we prepare for the tournament only enhances the one that grows as we practice our Kung Fu together throughout the year. We talk about how it is going to feel at the tournament, what it is going to be like and what we expect to learn from it.
This year, I was not sure what to expect. Last year, my goal was to compete well in the sparring division and I was successful. This year, I had more confidence, I was better prepared and I did not place as well. I still was not sure what my goal was.
Sunday morning dawned bright and clear and I understood everything. It was an absolutely amazing journey and that was the lesson learned this year. I didn't really appreciate it until the day after and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I am exactly in the right place that I want to be, practicing my Kung Fu everyday and evolving into the person that I want to be.
It wasn't until after the fact that I understood the lesson, so do yourselves a favor next year. Enter the tournament, plan what you want to do and sit back and enjoy the ride. Don't worry about being nervous or judged, just chose a goal and keep your sights set on it.

I believe a black belt is......

A Leader
Strong
Accountable
A Role Model
A Teacher
A Goal Setter
Honest
Encouraging
Open
Patient
Trustworthy
A Planner
Determined
Tenacious
A Student
Respectful
Responsible
Empathetic

My strengths and weaknesses change as I learn and grow. I am learning the difference between looking in the mirror and really seeing myself. I can see what moves I am doing, and can figure out what I need to change. I am developing my eye for detail.

I am tenacious and determined to learn to be a better martial artist. I enjoy figuring out how to make techniques work and how to use my chi in all aspects of my kung fu and my life.

I am improving and strengthening my awareness. I am beginning to realize that I am a role model and I do have an impact on the other students and the people around me.

I enjoy teaching Kung Fu. It gives me the opportunity to show my passion. I would like to strengthen my teaching methods so I can explain things in more that one way. I think a good teacher is patient, flexible, empathetic and has respect for their students. I am also learning to be a good student. I am more attentive to what my teachers are teaching me instead of trying to show what I know. I have learned to trust my teachers and now I am more open to their encouragement and guidance.

I am learning to be a better planner. I can now create a plan with a back up. I am an optimist and I have a difficult time creating a plan for success because I don't see the down side. I am getting better at ensuring my plan won't fail by being accountable and taking responsibilities for my actions and inactions.

Each and everything I do each day takes me a step closer to my goal and by keeping that in the forefront of my mind, I will reach my goal. Each day I feel stronger, more honest with myself and a little closer to the leader that I want to be. Each day what I believe makes a good black belt is becoming me.

Continued Personal Growth

I have been dissatisfied with my weight for a very long time..... I have been thinking about this lately, since the challenge came out on kwoon talk, and I think that I may have myself figured out.

I am a very healthy person. I have very few health problems and the ones that I have are manageable. I am a very active person, my body allows me to do the many things that I enjoy. I can do Kung Fu for hours, I can run a half marathon, I can bike, roller blade, swim, and power walk without any physical consequences. I eat a healthy diet that focuses on fresh fruits and veggies with healthy carbs and protein for energy and muscle building. I sometimes wonder why I am not satisfied?

No one I know identifies with me based on my weight. Friends, family and colleagues comment on my dedication, commitment, leadership skills, and positive impact on my community. People who care about me say, 'Hey, you're amazing, sometimes I wish I had your dedication.' So why do I focus/obsess on how I look? No one else seems to care. My most recent A-ha moment is.... It only matters WHO I am. The size I am is the size I am, accept it. I am going to continue to focus on my life goals and my black belt goals. One of them is to learn, read and research about diet and nutrition. I have read quite a bit in the past 7 months and have learned a lot about how to fuel my body to meet the training demands that I place on it. I am shifting gears slightly and I am beginning to focus on how to fuel my body before, after and during a physically taxing day such as a half-marathon, a tournament and black belt grading. I am no longer thinking about losing weight, I am focusing on eating healthy, getting stronger, and improving my personal fitness.

I believe that I can stop obsessing by focusing on the important things(to me right now). What really matters is who I am, and part of who I am is someone who is able to push themselves to the limit and sometimes even beyond. I am again learning what is important and what is really a minor issue. I really do like the continued growth, so if you are facing a problem hang in there, keep trying, aim high, try to focus on what is important, what is the goal, what fuels your passion, what can you learn, how can you help, how can you grow away from your problem so it is very small.