Time & Perspective

I have found the past week both challenging and rewarding. Challenging because of the overlap as we wrap up our year of the Tiger and continued to work on our forms for the demo and the dragon, while also beginning the year of the Rabbit. To help manage stress I chose to not start on my new hand or weapon form until after the banquet knowing this would affect my numbers. This was the right decision for me. I am evaluating my choices, adjusting my perspective and aligning my actions with what will best serve me.

The week has also been rewarding because I was able to start working on my personal goals which are set up to support me emotionally, physically and spiritually. My personal goal of stopping to breathe and be in the moment every hour throughout the day has created an unintentional bonus. I am finding that when I stop and take a few deep breaths I am also recognizing the opportunity to add in some push ups and sit ups. Each of these hourly gongs reminds me to stop and breathe and in doing so I am also discovering opportunities to choose joy which is my intentional word for the year. I am becoming more aware of time and space and better able to utilize that time to my advantage. I am also using this awareness to utilize some of those hours better. I have begun to ask myself questions and plan more. What do I want to accomplish in this hour? And how is that time best spent? Asking these questions helps me to block out chunks of time and be more productive. 

Rabbit Year - Taking Care of Me!

We talk a lot about intent throughout our Kung Fu training which got me to thinking about my personal goals and my intent for Year of the Rabbit as a whole. So what is my intent for the Year of the Rabbit? My intent for the year is all about... me. It is about taking care of my physical, mental and spiritual health.

Personal goals

52 hours of yoga - the benefits of yoga are multiple and will serve me physically, mentally and spiritually. 

Hourly gong to stop & focus on breathing throughout the day - this will help me to slow down, be in the moment and take time to focus on me while also helping to relieve stress. 

Word for the year

Last year I was inspired by Sihing Cosgrove to add an intentional word for the year which I found was very beneficial during the Year of the Tiger. My word for this year is joy. The intent in choosing this word is to learn to create and experience joy within myself rather than relying on external factors to bring joy.

Joy is intentional and deliberate. Joy is of the heart and soul and transcends hardship, connecting with meaning and purpose. Joy is a choice. 

I am approaching the Year of the Rabbit somewhat differently. My needs are more complex this year and I know my path will have many challenges along the way. Knowing this, I struggled with my decision to be on the team again. Is there ever a good reason to not be though? Most of us know the answer to that question. Approaching this year differently will mean being very focused on me and my needs. Taking care of myself will be a top priority while also utilizing the tools provided. My timeline will be of my own making as I figure out how to best serve me. Filling my tank first will put me in a stronger position to best help others and be the best version of myself.

Progressing Wisely

There have been a few blogs from teammates recently that have brought about some reflection and helped me to develop a deeper understanding of what it means to train as a martial artist. 

Experiencing aha moments, discovering pieces of the puzzle and connecting the dots are just some of the benefits I've experienced when I train mindfully. We all experience these aha moments at various points in our training. I find these moments can be intoxicating, driving a desire and need for more. And if not careful ego can take over which is why progressing wisely is so important.

What exactly does progressing wisely mean? I think it is about listening to our bodies, knowing when and how far to push ourselves. It is taking the time needed to integrate our discoveries into our training. It means slowing things down at times before jumping into the next great discovery. It is about asking the right questions. And it often means needing to add in a regular check in with an instructor to make sure we are on the right track. Setting aside ego and asking for feedback.

As I grow as a martial artist I am learning that training is not about having more and more aha moments it is about what I do with those aha moments and the time and effort I put in afterwards. Time and effort is needed to explore and integrate those new discoveries so that they can become woven into the fabric of my forms helping me to become a better martial artist.