Work & Kung Fu

My job as a travel Consultant still feels very new at times even though I have been working in this field for more than a year. Just like Kung Fu there is a solid base of knowledge that first needs to be learned. Once that base has been established, a persons knowledge keeps growing through continued learning and experience. Travel trends and the industry are always changing so opportunity for learning will always be there.

The agency I am working with was chosen carefully and this week really reinforced my decision to be part of their team. The atmosphere is a lot like being on the I Ho Chuan team. We have a number of experienced agents/black belts and there are always some newbies and everyone else in between/Q belts. The training is on going and support is always available. It is also suggested that everyone completes a goal sheet for the upcoming year. I completed my and actually found it not as difficult as I had anticipated, which I attribute to being part of the I Ho Chuan team.

Something I noticed early on was the amazing relationships the other consultants were building with their clients. Customer service goes beyond what you would normally see. One of the consultants always gets up from her desk and walks her clients to the door when she is done. I have witnessed a number of consultants and clients hug each other. Some of the consultants even receive gifts from a few of their regular clients occasionally. These are people that care about the job they are doing, each other and their clients and it shows.

This week I had a client come back and book an Alaska cruise and land tour with me. She also brought another couple with her. It's always great to get repeat business and referrals as well, but even better was the hug I got from one of the ladies as I had come around to the front of my desk to thank them and say good bye. What a wonderful feeling!

Happy New Year everyone!

Michele Ward

Hurdles

Well..., I tackled a big hurdle today. I battled my anxiety and got out in front of everyone and performed my cane form. I'm hoping it will get easier as we continue to practice each week. If I can figure out how to remember to breathe so that I'm not so shaky and light headed that would be awesome!

Happy holidays, everyone!

Michele Ward

Support Sustainable Brands

This time of year can be quite challenging when it comes to purchasing meaningful gifts that also do not have a negative impact on our environment. Even though my family has cut back substantially on buying gifts at Christmas, I am more and more aware of the need to not only cut back, but to be more conscious of the overall impact my purchases may have on our environment.

 It is shocking to see the crowds of people buying, buying and buying more stuff, and that doesn't even take into account all of us that shop on-line as well. How much "stuff" do we need to accumulate and why?

My goal is to start making better and more conscious decisions when it come to purchasing products. In an effort to do so I have started to source out some sustainable businesses and brands to support. The following are a few suggestions:

https://earthhero.com/

https://www.thebouy.com/

https://beaut-e.ca/

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-tools/top-tens/top-ten-eco-friendly-businesses-to-watch/article16607287/

Namaste, Michele Ward

One Foot Out The Door?

Choices, choices, choices!

We make numerous choices throughout the day. What happens though after the decision/choice has been made? Sometimes we have regrets later or something else gets in the way and our focus is no longer where it needs to be. We make excuses to our selves and others.

Committing to anything is a conscious choice that we make. How important is that commitment to yourself and others? And when is it ok to simply change your direction or mind? Are you pretty good with the "big" stuff, but not so great with the little things? I know I am. And yet sometimes it is the opposite where it's the little things that are easier to take care.

What drives and motivates you to follow through on your commitments? When you make a choice, are you all in? Or at some point do you have one foot out the door? The little voice inside my head likes to make what appears at the time to be very valid excuses and as a result one foot is on its way out the door. Little or big, I know that I need to commit to all the choices I make and do a self check regularly to see if both feet are in.

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Creating Space

On Thursday night I attended my Christmas party for work. It is a great time to interact with co-workers and have a meal together in a festive atmosphere. This year we did something very different. As a surprise, the evening started out with all 35 of us participating in a drumming circle. Most of us have probably never drummed ever, but we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. What a fantastic activity to be able to take part in! There were a number of different exercises that we were taken through and my favorite was the conversation through drumming that we all participated in. When a group of people create a conversation with drums, each person must create space while drumming for the next person to join the conversation. Something I think we should carry over and be mindful of in our lives every day.

Conversation is not just about talking, it is also about creating space for others to join in!

Namaste

Michele Ward

Be Your Own Cheerleader!

I know that I am very hard on myself and for some reason it is easier to focus on my flaws than my successes. Falling into the trap of negative self talk becomes a habit that can be hard to break. We all deserve love, support, kindness and respect!

Become your own cheerleader!

Put together a collage of words and pictures, that show you enjoying yourself, interacting with family and friends, being involved in the community, successes and achievements, etc. What would your collage look like?

We all get busy and the stress of life can sometimes be overwhelming. Add in a road block or two and maybe a wrong turn and all of a sudden we're no longer cheering ourselves on. But, if you were to step back and take a look at your collage, then maybe you would gain some much needed perspective during times of trouble.

Every once in a while we need a reminder of how great we are and all that we are thankful for.
Believing in ourselves gives us the confidence and strength to achieve almost anything, and the ability to pick ourselves up when we fall. Be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished. Learn to become your own best friend, your own cheerleader in life and practise self gratitude.

Our ability to succeed and accomplish great things becomes possible the more we believe in ourselves.

Namaste,

Michele Ward

 

1, 2, 3....

For me doing a weekly blog has been an amazing experience even if it did not start out so well at first. Initially I had extreme anxiety blogging initially, mostly because I have always been a very private person. Navigating the computer wasn't easy either. The anxiety then became depression which led to a place no one should ever be. I write this because I have learned how important it is to share with others. Too often we struggle silently, putting on a facade, forgetting or just not aware how we or others can benefit from sharing our thoughts and experiences. I know everyone's comfort level and experiences will vary, but for me a weekly blog has evolved into the most important aspect of being on the I Ho Chuan team.

Writing in a daily journal was not even on my radar this year until a few months ago. I had been struggling with the physical requirements over the summer months and became inspired to start a daily journal as a way of moving forward. The process has been evolving as I figure out what works best for me and I have benefited from other team members sharing their thoughts and experiences through their weekly blogs. As I re-read my daily journal entries from last week I found many important captured tidbits of information and insight that otherwise would have been lost. I have discovered just how how important and powerful a daily journal can be.

1, 2, 3 ...  benefits to be thankful for:

• Firstly, I am thankful for the insight and the sometimes forced reflection a journal provides. 
• Secondly, I am thankful for the capture of information, thoughts and ideas.  
• Thirdly, I am thankful for the journal's ability to slow time down ever so slightly and leave me feeling more grounded.

Quite a bit can happen in the course of a week that can become forgotten and even missed completely!

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Lest We Forget!

In September of 2005, a social studies schoolteacher from Arkansas did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with permission of the school superintendent, the principal, and the building supervisor, she took all of the desks out of the classroom. The kids came into first period, they walked in; there were no desks. They obviously looked around and said, “Where’s our desks?”

The teacher said, “You can’t have a desk until you tell me how you earn them.”

They thought, “Well, maybe it’s our grades.”

“No,” she said.

“Maybe it’s our behavior.”

And she told them, “No, it’s not even your behavior.”

And so they came and went in the first period, still no desks in the classroom. Second period, same thing. Third period. By early afternoon television news crews had gathered in the class to find out about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of the classroom. The last period of the day, the instructor gathered her class.

They were at this time sitting on the floor around the sides of the room. She said, “Throughout the day no one has really understood how you earn the desks that sit in this classroom ordinarily. Now I’m going to tell you.”

She went over to the door of her classroom and opened it, and as she did 27 U.S. veterans, wearing their uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. And they placed those school desks in rows, and then they stood along the wall. By the time they had finished placing the desks, those kids for the first time I think perhaps in their lives understood how they earned those desks. 

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. They went halfway around the world, giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedom you have. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'

Moderation & Lessons

Regensburg

I'm traveling again for work and I love it, although the schedule can be quite hectic. Germany, Austria and Hungry are the countries we are visiting on this trip. Each day we are given a number of choices from a selection of guided tours or exploring on our own. Because this is my first time in these countries, I have been trying to do as much as possible.

The more I travel, the more I become aware of the need to listen to my body and practice a certain degree of moderation. Or as we say in Kung Fu... "progressing wisely!" Getting enough sleep has been a challenge and I know that I need to make more careful choices when it comes to eating due the abundance of delicious food. Eating a full breakfast and essentially two suppers a day with very few vegetables is not a healthy diet. Carbs, meat, meat and more meat seem to be the norm here. I am learning to progress wisely though as I listen to my body and make adjustments. I have also found that just as important is taking the time to reflect and enjoy those moments along the way.

I am loving the history, character, people and beauty of these countries!

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Decisions

The ability to make decisions has been a focus for me this past week. In the past decision making has always been difficult for me. I usually take forever to decide most things. And then I usually second guess myself afterwards.

Earlier in the week rather than waver and take an excessive amount of time to make an important decision, I said to myself “don't overthink, just do it!” It was not quite as simple as that, but I knew it was the right choice to make. Whatever is decided I need to trust in my decisions and then follow through.

So… I’m on the team again this coming year! And hopefully with a better life/work balance I will be able to participate more often. 

Namaste, Michele Ward

Balance or Lack of

Strangely enough I had this aha moment early in the week where I realized that my life does not have any balance. Strange, because I should have realized before now that balance was lacking due to my crazy busy work schedule. Even though I have been working 6 and sometimes 7 days a week I enjoy both my jobs and don't normally feel stressed. So ... I thought everything was good.  Eventually though something has to give. After class on Monday I discovered that something was my Kung Fu. There are other little things as well, but the wake up call was my stick form. It's been too long and as a result I sucked! Which is not ok. I plan on making some adjustments and create a more balanced and healthy life. Aside from all that I feel pretty good about where I'm at this week. The daily journal has been going great and I have been recording my numbers with an incremental progression each day. I also successfully completed all my goals for the week, which I'm happy about and I have a plan in place for next week.

Namaste, Michele Ward

Thank You!

A weekly blog is the one thing I haven't failed at this year, and yet I almost didn't post anything tonight. The week just got away from me and all of a sudden it was Saturday and I had nothing planned to write about. I even told myself I was ok with missing a week. I thought I would just restart next week and then suddenly I came up with an very simple idea.

I just wanted to thank everyone on the team for being there and the support you all provide whether you know it or not. The weekly blogs help to keep us all connected and offer a lot of insight, wisdom and support. I know that I have benefited from numerous different blogs and they have helped me along on my journey. If you haven't blogged for awhile don't give up, just restart. We can all benefit!

Thank you everyone, and have a great week!


Namaste,

Michele Ward

                                   
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!



                                        

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Open to Support

The importance of surrounding yourself with people that are supportive has certainly proved to be true for me this past week. I have been around wonderful people all week while in Peru. Most of us were all strangers prior to meeting up in Lima. Half of our group has struggled with various symptoms of altitude sickness after arriving in Cusco. Initially I was feeling ok, but by the end of the first day at high altitude I had no appetite. By the next morning I felt like I had a bad case of the flu. At one point I briefly considered possibly coming home early due to how sick I was feeling. My mind tends to overreact especially when I'm not even close to 100%.  I discovered that in order to benefit from the support of others a person needs to step outside their cave or invite some one in. Everyone has been helpful and supportive of each other as we adjust to the altitude.

We all helped each other to push through and made it to Machu Pichu. Not only did we make it, we were also blessed with a beautiful sunny day! The following day 7 of us went back to Machu Pichu for a two hour return hike up to the Sun Gate, which is another 940 feet higher than the main site at Machu Pichu. I have a huge fear of heights which probably would have kept me from attempting the Sun Gate hike If I had known about the heights (9000 feet) and the drop offs that we would encounter towards the top. Going up isn't quite as bad as going down. It was great to make it to the top, but coming down was very difficult. I was literally petrified and only made it down with the help and support of one particular lady in our group. I am so very grateful for her help and support, and I accomplished something I wouldn't have been able to do on my own.

Namaste,

Michele Ward

                                              Machu Pichu

                                             View from the Sun Gate

                                             Sun Gate

All in the Details

All in all another successful week. I’ve continued to write in my journal daily and I am putting in more effort to complete push ups and sit-ups each day. And anything else that I can fit in is a bonus right now.

For myself, push ups and sit-ups can become monotonous after doing so many day after day. It can be very easy to not pay attention and revert to auto pilot. Where is the detail and the mastery in that? Because push ups are not my favourite thing to do, I started using positive self talk while doing my reps. As I count each push up I say, " love pushups”. By using this positive self talk I also put myself more in the moment, focusing on technique, breathing and how my body is feeling. And who knows, eventually maybe it will become the truth. 

In most circumstances I am a detail orientated person. Although I did become aware this week that when I am stressed or busy I tend to speed up whatever I’m working on, which causes me to loose some of my focus and the ability to be aware of the details. Because of this new awareness I have been able to recognize when I need to slow down and refocus so that I’m not missing details. It is a work in progress which starts with awareness and recognizing what needs to be changed or adjusted. 

I am coming to realize more and more that mastery is more than just doing and accomplishments. You can check off a box, but what does that really mean? Does it mean the same as it did when you first started or has it changed? 

i think that mastery is more about intent and mindfulness and having the ability to recognize when adjustments should be made and then following through with those changes. If you have gotten to a place where you are just going through the motions then I don't think you are pursuing mastery any longer. Something needs to change. It’s all in the details!

My blog this week is a bit late as I have had a crazy busy week and am super excited to have just arrived in Peru for work.

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Smile

Just smile and everything changes!

I've been consciously trying to smile more and I have found the easiest way to practice smiling is while driving back and forth to work every day.

Something interesting happens as soon as I smile... my mind stops. Stress, worry, anxiety and negative thoughts stop and I am completely in the moment.

A simple smile changes everything!

                                                      Give it a try!



Namaste, Michele Ward

Masculine & Feminine Energy

I had created what I thought was a pretty good balance between my Kung Fu requirements and personal/family based requirements for the year. Over the past two and a half months I have given a fair bit of thought to why I had stalled for so long and also why it didn't really bother me all that much. The most troubling part was that I wasn't really troubled by my lack of activity and that has led me to ask why?

The catalyst to discovering the reasons why started with the word anchor. During a chat with Sifu Brinker, he had at one point used the word anchor to describe the I Ho Chuan requirements. Anchor was used to convey the message of the requirements having a steadying or stabilizing effect especially during stressful times of our lives. Effortless effort in our sometimes chaotic lives.

To tell you the truth I had been reluctant to talk because I really wasn't sure that I wanted to be motivated out of my stalled state. I was finding mediocrity quite comfortable, but that word anchor really got me thinking. Instead of walking away from our chat feeing motivated, I felt at odds and instead of thing positively, I kept thinking of the word anchor in a negative way. My perception of an anchor was something heavy, used to weigh an object down and keep it from moving forward.

After doing some thinking and talking things out with a good friend of mine who is someone I respect and is a great example what mastery looks like, I had some aha moments.

There have been a lot of energy shifts and disruptions this year due to planetary alignments that have created some issues with many of us. The alignment of the planets had created an abundance of masculine energy prior to the solar eclipse.  Feminine energy had been lacking. We need to learn to recognize when we are lacking balance in our lives and how to make the necessary adjustments to correct the imbalance.

There needs to be a balance of both masculine and feminine energy in our lives.

Masculine energy is action-oriented, competitive, risk taking, etc.
Feminine energy is rooted in intuition, creativity, collaboration, etc.

For me, even though I felt I had created a well balanced list of personal requirements which addressed personal growth, family, health and environment there were a couple of key components missing. The creativity and joy of feminine energy! If we're going to take this journey towards achieving mastery for the rest of our lives then it needs to be sustainable. And in order to be sustainable, we need to incorporate balance. Having that balance for me means adding joy, creativity and some variety into the requirements.

Early on in the year I was discovering all these extra pieces to the puzzle that I wanted to add in and work on. Things like proper breathing, Qigong, meditation etc. I had started to work on some of these extra pieces, but soon discovered it was not sustainable to do everything. Instead I can add variety if I work on one extra piece for a period of 1 -3 months and then move onto something else, still keeping my base the same.

Mastery is much more than the work and the result. I think it is also about all the little pieces in between that get you to where you are going and how you approach things.

With the correct balance of feminine and masculine energy, the requirements can become the positive anchor they are mean't to be.

Namaste, Michele Ward

Headed in the Right Direction

I have started to journal daily which is not something that I had intended to do this year, but after Sifu Csillag's post I was inspired to give it a try. I have also started to work again on some of the requirements and I am also keeping track and recording everything I do. I am also going ahead with the month of eating vegetarian and keeping a food journal.

This is a much shorter post than originally planned due to helping my dad with some medical issues. Nothing too serious thankfully. Take care.

Namaste,

Michele Ward                  
                      

A New Way of Seeing Things

I have found the reason I am struggling so much these past 3 months with the majority of the I Ho Chuan requirements. My want and desire has diminished. Even though I have experienced and know the value of each requirement, I don't want it bad enough. My mind comes up with a multitude of excuses and reasons not to put in the effort. I have experienced in the past my ability to create or make something happen when the desire or need is strong, so I know what is possible. Need and/or desire are strong motivators. I just need to find what my motivator is. We all have the ability to make amazing things happen! 

Namaste,

Michele Ward


“One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” 
― Henry Miller

Namaste - "The divine in me bows to the divine in you"

Anger and hatred do not serve to make our world a better place! It can be difficult to not focus on the hateful words and acts of violence occurring in different parts of the world. Sorrow, fear and even more anger can become a result of these terrible acts, creating more negative energy.

We can not change what has happened in the past, but we can lead by example. Love, gratitude, positive thinking, compassion and empathy are the building blocks towards a peaceful world.

Projects like cranes for peace are especially important right now. In an effort towards building a peaceful world, I would like to share with you an ancient Sanskrit greeting that says it all.



                                                         


https://www.thoughtco.com/what-does-namaste-mean-1770004
                                         







Namaste,

Michele Ward            
                                                                   

Driving in My Car Car

Lately while driving I have noticed how often my mind wanders. I am easily distracted and certainly not paying attention to the drive. There are blocks of time where I am not aware of my surroundings. I don't need a cell phone in my hand to be distracted! My mind is its own distraction. I wonder how many other drivers on the road navigate without being mindful of what they are doing and where they are going? Auto pilot has kicked in! This is where things could get ugly!

Becoming more aware of my lack of focus while driving has proved interesting. Trying to become more aware and mindful while driving is proving to be a challenge for me. I start off great and before I realise my mind has gone off on its own little journey, completely separate from the task at hand. Driving a familiar route (back and forth to work) is especially challenging. I find that I have to create a dialogue with myself about my surroundings, my vehicle and my driving to help stay mindful. With practise I hope to build a habit of being more aware and able to stay present in the moment.

Too many things in life become automatic. Makes you wonder what you may be missing along the way. How can we truly enjoy life if we are on auto pilot for a large portion of it. Mediocrity is like being on auto pilot. Most of the key ingredients to actually living life are missing. Mindfulness, awareness, appreciation and being fully present in each and every moment. Without these ingredients life slips you by without even noticing. You've gone from point A to point B with little recollection of the journey in between.

Michele Ward

Mother Earth's Treasure

Today was a great end to the week! A gemologist from the Lacombe area took a small group of us out rock hunting southeast of Stettler. We spent most of the day in a farmers field going through glacial till mounds looking for interesting rocks and learning about our finds. It is amazing what mother nature creates and leaves behind for us to find and appreciate. My friend and I both came back with two small buckets of treasures and spent some quality time together. I am looking forward to doing more of anything that involves being outside enjoying nature. Logan and I plan to do some hiking this coming week, but I am not sure where to go. We are open to suggestions and are looking for day trips if anyone can point us in the right direction.

Michele Ward

Mending Fences

One of the I Ho Chuan requirements each year is to mend a relationship.

Part of growing and evolving as a human being is recognizing that while you do not have the ability to control other people's words and actions, you have complete control over how you choose to interpret those words and actions. 

I had the opportunity to discover for myself this past week exactly how accurate these words are. I had received a letter from my ex-mother in-law containing individual letters and RESP money for both of my sons. My ex's dad and his wife had set up an education fund many years ago for all the grandchildren in the event they attended post secondary school. Grandpa Ward passed away in January and his wife decided to cash in the fund and distribute the money to the boys right now. She wrote a letter to each of the boys explaining what the money was originally intended for and went on to say how proud she was to have known them since they were babies and to have been called grandma, but that the chances of them having any further connection would be very slim.

I just didn't get it! Numerous thoughts swirled around in my brain. None of them good! Their grandpa recently passed away, their dad is not around at all, we lost my mom 8 years ago and now it seems their grandma Ward is cutting connections with them. How does a grandparent do that, especially when her grandchildren have already lost so much?

In the past the Ward grandparents moved around a fair bit and even though they were always living somewhere in Alberta and usually only 2 hours away, we didn't see them often. They didn't like to impose even though they were family and rarely reached out to get together.  Most of the effort seemed to come from us, but everyone got along very well and we really enjoyed each others company. After the divorce things changed and they saw the kids even less, but I have always tried to maintain a connection with them.

After receiving the letter, I could of stayed angry and hurt and let that connection dissolve. Instead I called Grandma Ward to thank her for sending money for Logan and Dustin and after a few minutes of catching up, I asked her why she had stated her connection with her grandchildren would be slim going forward. I explained to her that I interpreted her statement as not wanting to have any further connection with them. She explained that was not the case. Apparently after Grandpa Ward passed away very few of his family members had any contact with her. She thought it was quite possible Grandpa Ward had been the one to tie everyone together in this blended family of ours. Her intention had not been to sever connections with her grandchildren. She simply wanted the kids to know that she understood if and why they no longer felt any connection to her. I assured her we would always think of her as family and still wanted a connection even though we had not recently made a very good effort.

Communication is obviously extremely important to any relationship, especially when you feel something is not quite right. Interpreting situations and words incorrectly can cause damage. It would be a much more productive use of our energy trying to prevent conflict and repair relationships. I wouldn't call this relationship completely mended yet as there is certainly some more work to be done. Although it is definitely a good start and we are headed in the right direction.

Michele Ward

Coloring Outside the Lines

As young children most of us were taught to color inside the lines while using the correct colors. Praise was given to the children able to stay inside the lines. Growing up I was extremely shy. Lines, rules and expectations were welcomed because blending in and not bringing attention to myself was important. Fifty some years later I still prefer to color inside the lines of life. Long standing habits are hard to break, especially when comfort and a perceived sense of well being are involved. I have and will step outside the lines on a regular basis, but then I deal with anxiety. There are very few days that anxiety is not present and often it occurs unexpectedly. Most of the time it is a minor annoyance and manageable and at other times it is much more intense. Many people link fear and anxiety together because they appear to be very similar.

 Fear and anxiety often occur together but these terms are not interchangeable. Even though symptoms        typically overlap, a person's experience with these emotions differs based on their context. Fear relates to  a known or understood threat, whereas anxiety follows from an unknown or poorly defined threat.

Kung Fu incorporates a substantial amount of coloring inside the lines when it comes to learning and perfecting our basics. Although if I'm understanding correctly, we then take those basics and adapt them to color outside the lines. The lines get blurry, the waters get muddy and yet amazing things start to happen!

In class I'm the student trying to figure out where the lines are, basics or otherwise. Where do I place my feet? What are my hands doing? What comes next? How do I remember more than 2 - 3 moves? And how do I get my brain and body to work together? Stepping onto the mats exposes all my imperfections and makes it much harder to blend in. Definitely outside my comfort zone. 

You need to dare to be comfortable being uncomfortable to be truly successful. Success is not a one-time deal that you accomplish and then you are done. Success is not a destination that you reach and then you are done. It is a continuous journey and successful people understand this principle. Being uncomfortable is the idea of taking risks outside the ordinary.

To get to the next level of success, a person must continually leave their comfort zone (status quo, habits, limiting beliefs, knowledge base, skill level, etc.) and try new activities, learn new things, meet new people, take reasonable risks, and seize opportunities. They must stretch.

Your comfort zone is where you get your current results. If you want different results, new or better results, you have to get out of your zone and do something different.   BY NEAL BURGIS

 Learning to color outside the lines make take a bit of time, but the effort will be well worth it! 

Michele Ward

Leaving the Detour Behind?

I am trying to figure out a plan of action so that I can move forward and leave the detour behind. Easier said than done though! I know what I would suggest to someone else in a similar situation and it should apply to myself as well, but I can't seem to get unstuck. Right now it just feels overwhelming to be doing everything!

I do a few push ups here & there and the odd form now & then, but nothing seems to stick. Recording requirements has stopped also. Blogging each week has definitely been a challenge especially the past few weeks, but somehow I have managed to get it done. There is this part of me that just digs in and refuses to let the blogging slide. I know how important the weekly blogs are. This is a box I need to keep ticking, otherwise it is a very slippery slope to climb back up and they provide something to hold onto and connect with.

Enough is enough! How do I fix this and how much longer and farther will this detour take me?

I have been giving some thought to the problem and in order to get unstuck and create some momentum, I  think I need to start small. So I asked myself what piece do I enjoy the most of all the requirements? Quite quickly my cane form came to mind, which is sad because I haven't even picked it up in the past 2 weeks. So... the plan is to start small and slowly or quickly ( depending on how it goes) add more pieces and start recording everything again. There needs to be a component of enjoyment and that is where the cane come in. At this point for me it is more important to move forward with baby steps than not at all.

Michele Ward