BE THE ONE

One seed to start a garden,

One smile can lift a spirit,

One candle can light a room,

One conversation can start a friendship,

One person can make all the difference.

I have no idea what to write this week, I am all over the place with respect to my goals. Some are going really well and seem to be getting easier and others continue to be a struggle.
I did the math for my 100 day challenge the other day and realized that although I have been sick and injured, I can still reach my push up goal and if I push hard I can reach my sit up goal. The kick goal and the forms did not fair as well in the numbers due to injury and frustration. I am hoping to meet at least half of my numbers goal for these two.
I am not journaling as much as I would like, I don't seem to have enough time in the day. I am thinking about journaling often but it is just not happening lately.
I am following the Body for Life program and I am really enjoying it. I am enjoying seeing the muscles build and I feel really good on the food plan. There is something about eating six times a day that just speaks to my soul. I have completed two weeks and I feel really confident that I can continue to follow this program for a long time. Of course, this is part of why I don't have as much time for all my goals. Instead of running, I am swimming for my cardio workouts, and that takes a bit more time than strapping on my runners. I am thoroughly enjoying it and have mastered moving meditation without banging my head on the edge of the pool.
I am reading about peace in times of war and have discovered that this cute little book fits in my purse. So now I can easily take it where ever I go.
I love that I was given the opportunity to create my own goals. It has given me ownership and a drive that I didn't know that I possessed. I am working on my goals every minute of every day and I think that was part of the purpose of this exercise. I feel like I am improving my whole self to be a great martial artist.

Dog Philosophy

The reason a dog has so many friends is
that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
-Anonymous

If you pick up a starving dog and make him
prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the
principal difference between a dog and a man.
-Mark Twain

Dogs are not our whole life,
but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras

My goal in life is to be as good
a person as my dog thinks I am.

Learning.....growing.....healing

It is amazing that something so small (my baby toe) can provide so much learning. I am having trouble pivoting on my right foot because of the broken toe. This has made me curious about how I do pivot on my left foot and how I might be able to modify it until my toe heals. Well, I have discovered that I am not satisfied with my pivot and I am pivoting too soon to produce power (especially in my side heel thrust). So all week I have been working on the timing and form of my kick and it looks like it might be improving a bit. It is interesting to break it down into separate parts and then put it back together. I am developing my eye for detail and I am also learning what it feels like to do it right so I can improve my at home training.
It is amazing the amount of learning and growing that occurs throughout a person's martial arts career. I keep thinking that I am done, what more could I learn and then something else pops up.
Learning Kung Fu is probably one of the coolest things that I have ever been a part of.

Wait.....there's more.....

I started the Body for Life program and I am very excited about it. I have dreamed about changing my body but I was never sure how to go about it. I now have the tools, the desire and the ability to make the changes that I want. I am encouraged by the changes that I see in the people around me who are also following the program. The visible changes are not ones that I would have expected (before I read the book), I am seeing confidence and focus in more than one area of their lives. I am seeing them accomplish things that they always considered pipe dreams. I am encouraged and inspired by these people and I am excited to embark on this part of my journey. Here are my goals for the next 12 weeks:

1. In 12 weeks, I will see muscle change.
2.In 12 weeks, I will lose 20 lbs.
3.In 12 weeks, I will increase my energy.
4.In 12 weeks, I will stick with the program every day.
5.In 12 weeks, I will tell others about the program.

I think that this is the first step in accomplishing my body image goal for my black belt and it feels good.

After a While

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't mean security,

And you begin to learn that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises

And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open,

With the grace of a woman,
Not the grief of a child

And you learn to build all your roads on today,
Because tomorrow's ground is too uncertain for plans
and futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

After awhile you learn that even sunshine
Burns if you get too much

So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul,
In stead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers

And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth,
and you learn and learn...
With every good bye you learn.
Veronica Shoffstall 1971