What a Fantastic Year!

When am I going to start reflecting on my goals? It seems like all that I have been thinking about lately is how I got here and what does it feel like. What has changed? What has stayed the same? What else do I want to change? What do I want to stay the same?
I have definitely been thinking a lot about my journey and what defines it and where it is going. I have also been working very hard at practice, dragon dance and training. That is where I am the most happiest person ever, when I am working on my kung fu, in any form. Each day is structured around maximizing my kung fu time; take something out for dinner that can be cooked by my family (thank you tons and tons), so that I can eat when I am finished my practice and then go and practice some more. Some days it means getting up extra early so that I have time to practice before family time or errands that contribute to the running of my household. Whatever it takes, I make time for practice, I love it.
One of the things that I noticed that has changed the most for me is making time for everything. I don't waste as many minutes as I used to, each portion of the day has a purpose and I try not to let it go to waste. I like to get things done. The more things that I can check off my list each the day the happier I am. I have always been this way but before I didn't exactly know how to get it done. I plan my days better now so that I can fit more stuff in and I spend way less time sitting around wondering how I am going to get it all done. I can not pin point when in the last year that the transformation took place, I just noticed that I am different. Here is an example; each year at Christmas time, I make elaborate plans to make items for people as gifts, I usually accomplish about half of what I set out to do and experience disappointment in myself. This year, I made a plan and I set it in motion and completed it in time. Two key things have changed, I am more realistic about what I can get accomplished so I didn't plan as many things and I stayed committed to what I was doing and got it done within my deadline.
I did not have a goal that stated that I should make better use of my time, etc. I just got super busy with all the things that I love to do and had to figure out a way to make it all happen. This is the true benefit of striving for mastery everyday, all kinds of cool things start to happen and before you know it, you are the person that you have been earning to be. I will always set goals for myself that include a daily commitment towards improvement, so that I can enjoy the fringe benefits of changing and growing each year.
That is the biggest impact that UBBT has had on my life this year. I have completed push ups, sit ups, kicks, forms, acts of kindness and many of the goals that I had set out to do. I also am continuing to work on many aspect of those same goals, as I don't think that I will ever be finished with them. I am a different person than I was went I started on this journey, actually I am different than when I got up yesterday morning and I will be different again tomorrow morning. As long as I strive towards mastery in all that I do, I will continue to grow.

It's Christmas!!!!!!

Don't forget as you run around doing your last minute shopping and errands, and try to fit one more thing in before the holidays, etc. It's Christmas!
I feel truly blessed to have the opportunity to train, laugh, sweat, chat, take risks, shovel, encourage and inspire an amazing group of people. I wish you and your families a Very Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
I look forward to encountering all of you in the new year as we all strive to be better tomorrow than we are today.

Sihing Kichko

Happy to be where I am.

Do I write about........
Christmas?
How I think that last year has gone?
The thrill and excitement of the Dragon Dance?
Being on holidays and feeling like I can breath for a second or two before moving on to the next thing to do?
Fundraising, how to share the passion?
My new kitten and the highs and lows of finding the right food for him?

Each and every week, I pack as many things as possible into every day. This is mostly due to the UBBT team and learning that each moment has a purpose. I started out trying to fit all my requirements into each day and discovered that I love to be busy and I love to accomplish things every day. I no longer think that I don't have time for something new, I think, how am I going to make this work?
I am on holidays until Jan. 08, I am hoping that I can manage to stay busy until then.

Why do you volunteer?

Why I volunteer........
I started the adopt-a-driveway program because I thought that it would be a fun thing to do with my kung fu friends. And it is. The first year, I don't think that I ever went out by myself to shovel, it was always with a group. In recent years, I often go in the morning after class with some of my training mates and it is always a great time. Throughout this time, I had heard that other members of the team had talk to our home owners, I did not meet any of them until last year. Then I got to meet Mrs. Chaulifoux and Mrs. Englehardt and they are very, very nice ladies. I am not just saying that because they give the most amazing baked goods. They are nice people and they truly appreciate what we are doing. One day, when we arrived, Mrs. Chaulifoux was out in the driveway getting started as she didn't want "you girls" to have to do it all. I feel truly blessed to have met this lady, she is a sweat heart and she is the reason that I strap on my snow boots each and every time that it snows, so she doesn't have to worry about the walk way.
A few years ago, we were all invited to listen to a lady talk about the project in Malawi. I went because I thought that is what was expected of me. What I heard was amazing! I don't remember all the words that were spoken, but I remember the passion. When Memory spoke about the girls at the school, I remember the depth of emotion that she shared with us. As I raise money for pandemonium this year, I don't think that I have to do this, I am thinking of her face and her voice and the passion that she shared with us that night.
I recently rescued a kitten. He was found in a garbage bag with his brothers and sisters at the dump (insert politically correct word here) and a kind soul found homes for all of them. I don't know the gentleman that started the whole thing but I think of him often and his kindness and selflessness. I am sure that it wasn't easy lining up five homes in one afternoon but he did it. He even gave each of us a little milk replacer for kittens to get us through the night. When I met my kitten, he was very frightened, he had had quite an adventure, I settled him by zipping him into my hoodie where he promptly went to sleep listening to my heart. I think of that moment when I am speaking to people about donating money to SCARS.
I believe that everyone needs to know that someone in the world cares about them. Just one person, that is all it takes. When someone is feeling alone, they need a place to turn, to talk, to feel grounded, to know that there is someone who understands. When we give money to the Simon Poultney Foundation, we are providing that opportunity, that moment (it's a precious one) that could change a person's life.
These are the things that I think about all the time. I don't drag my butt around complaining about all the things that I have to do to be a better person or because someone else wants me to. I drag my butt around because I want to help people, I want them to know that I care, I will help, listen, shovel and even eat a brownie once in a while so that they feel better.
So now you know, what drives me when I am volunteering. What drives you?

Interim blog

On the weekend, Sifu Brinker asked us to reflect on what we have learned in the past year. I started writing that blog and realized that it is going to take me longer than the time that I had set aside to do it. This is my interim blog while the other percolates some more.
My training this week has been very interesting. I am learning some very cool stuff and having a great time doing it. I am also trying to fix some things that continue to haunt me, probably because I didn't really fix them the first time. I know that I will find the real truth when I look at the root of the problem, I just have to find the nerve to take a peek. I will continue to work on my courage to do so.
Until next week, work hard and have fun.
Sihing Kichko