Banquet Day - Year of the Dragon

What stood out for me on Saturday is how relaxed I felt with just a tiny bit of nerves. 

There were times when I was able to stand back and take it all in and times when I was actively engaged with our team demos, being in the moment. 

Delivering a speech in front of 200+ people is a first for me and a moment I will remember with pride.

And being presented with the attendance award was surprising and a great feel good moment.

Tying that black belt around my waist was just the start of the next phase of my journey. It's interesting because once that belt was tied around my waist we became one and the same. I barely noticed it afterwards and yet I simply need to look at it around my waist to remind myself of how far I've traveled and the journey to come. An anchor to help keep me mindful, aware and present.

There will forever be fond memories of all the hugs and congratulations (we need more hugs on a regular basis).

The tradition of sledding at the end of the night was a fun finish and it was great to see the number of sledders growing in size. 

Thank you to everyone that helped to make this day a success. I am grateful and appreciate the time and efforts that contributed to another amazing Chinese New Year Banquet. 

I couldn't have asked for a better and more complete day!

Totals

Push ups: 200
Situps: 200   
KM: 10     
AOK: 15            
Blogs: 1          
Yoga: 30 min

Black Belt Speech

Black Belt Speech

It is said that a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step!

A little over 10 years ago I took that first step when I signed up to be a student at SRKF. Unknown to me at the time, it turned out to be a life changing decision propelling me forward on a journey I never would have imagined.

Prior to kung fu, my anxiety was mostly managed through avoidance whenever possible. Signing up as a student and stepping out onto the mats was out of my comfort zone and brought a lot of anxiety to the surface. And yet for some intangible reason I felt compelled to continue.

There were times over the years where I considered quitting. I'd feel like my training had hit a wall that there was just no getting over or around. I'd think, maybe I'm too old, too uncoordinated, or this is too hard on my body. These are the sort of stories we tell ourselves to justify quitting and not following through when the going gets tough or becomes uncomfortable.

A change in perspective is often needed to help see through those clouds of self doubt. Thankfully I was able to navigate the challenges by reaching out to the many supportive people around me. As a parent it was also important to set a good example for my son Logan who went on to earn his black belt 4 years ago.

A pivotal point in my journey came when I made the decision to join the IHC team for the first time. I had only been a student for about 1 year when an opportunity to join the team presented itself. It sounded intriguing and also down right scary, but I thought why not give it a go. Just reading those IHC requirements of 50,000 push ups and sit ups, demos, public blogging, form reps and more, almost had me running in the opposite direction. The IHC was challenging mentally, physically and emotionally and also proved to be a catalyst towards self discovery and self improvement.

What has Kung fu done for me?

Kung Fu has taught me that strength comes in many forms. I have built up physical strength and endurance over the years, I've learned to listen to my body, how to better take care of it and how and when to push my limits.

Some of the biggest leaps forward have been in my emotional and mental strength. I have become more comfortable with my anxiety and have learned how to manage it better. And in the process I've gained some appreciation as to how anxiety has shaped me and actually made me stronger. I am able to see past the challenges and perceived weaknesses and have awareness of the lessons and gifts I've gained.

The past 10 years as a student at SRKF has given me the courage to take many steps I may not have taken otherwise. I attended post secondary school for the first time at the age of 52, I had the confidence to change career paths, and I have travelled to many exotic destinations - often on my own. These are just a few of the many benefits I have experienced as a result of kung fu.

As an ongoing member of the IHC team I've learned to dragon dance, compete annually in our school Tiger challenge, perform in public demos and maintain a public blog. I've also spearheaded a few school projects along the way - going outside my comfort zone and stretching my bubble.

Kung fu has improved my confidence. It has taught me - and continues to teach me to be a participant in life rather than watching from the sidelines.

I am standing here in front of you today as an example of what a person can accomplish when they persevere and don't give up. - And I feel humbled by the experience.

What does it mean to be a blackbelt going forward?

While it has taken me 10 years to get to this point, I feel my journey has barely begun. I am excited for the year ahead which I know will be filled with many more lessons and growth. I recognize the enormous amount of responsibility that comes with not only being a student, but also a leader and a teacher. - As a blackbelt I pledge to continue my journey with an open heart and an open mind!

Thank you

Thank you to my family and friends for your support over the years. It means the world to me!

Thank you to my dad for being such a great role model. I am grateful for your quiet strength and unwavering support.

And a huge shout out to Silent River Kung Fu. I am blessed and thankful to be a part of this amazing school and community.

Reflections - Individuality

As we close out the year of the rabbit I am feeling more reflective than usual. What an amazing year this has been. I started out the year focused more on taking care of myself and less concerned with IHC requirements or deadlines. From there the year just took on a life of its own. 

 

I felt compelled to write about my reflection on individuality, which has been on my mind quite a bit lately. It was a seed of thought that germinated many months ago as I worked on the assignment - A Black Belt I Admire and Why. I remember picking one specific black belt and as I thought about all the reasons I admired that person I found myself also thinking about what qualities I see and admire in many of the higher ranking black belts.

When I started to consider aspects of life that pull us all in different directions and apply them to each person I really began to see each one more as an individual, engaging and contributing as best as they can in any given moment. As I continued the exercise I also became more aware of their personalities and growth over the years. And with this process I gained a deeper appreciation for the unique qualities each black belt brings to our school.

The assignment also helped me to have a more open mind and awareness of our newest black belts. I became more aware of them as individuals and watched them grow and flourish as they found their footing as black belts. I have seen this in the past with other new black belts, just never to this level of awareness. 

All of this has really brought to the surface the importance of a persons individuality. They are so much more than the belt tied around their waist. I’m better able to empathize and have compassion when I see a person as an individual. 

Awareness of a persons individuality and humanness can help me to empathize and interact with them at a more conscious level. As I become more aware and thoughtful in this regard I can feel it beginning to transfer over to my interactions with other students. How I interact with one person may be slightly different than my interaction with another based on their individual needs. 

I love how this train of thought has slowly and steadily been evolving over the year and connections are being made. 

Over and over again I am reminded of the value of an assignment or requirement when effort is applied. The more effort I put in the more I get out of it.

Totals

Push ups: 45505
Situps: 45505
Hand form:862    
Weapon form:760
KM: 1892      
AOK: 1658          
Sparring: 1721    
Blogs: 68           
Yoga: 45 hrs

Board Break Combos: 150 reps

Nothing to Blog About

I have very little to blog about this week, but I'm not about to miss a week for the 1st time this year.

My reason/excuse for not having much of anything to blog about is because there is just so much going on. With the banquet getting closer and closer I've been focusing on my 5 techniques, my hand form, getting everything organized and ready for the online auction, my board break combos and writing a speech. 

I have been able to take care of all my priorities and still have a decent overall balance in my life this week. I've been able to adjust and make time for friends and family as opportunities come up and that balance is important.

Totals

Push ups: 640/44965
Situps: 640/44965
Hand form:9/849     
Weapon form:9/756
KM: 35/1872        
AOK: 18/1641           
Sparring: 16/719       
Blogs: 1/67             
Yoga: 30/44 hours

Board Break Combos 60/110

100 Reps

Sometimes the obvious is not entirely clear and requires an outside perspective. 

Talking about board breaking with Sihing Ward helped to get me unstuck and fuel motivation. He had suggested I take each combo and apply the concept of doing 1000 reps of a form. At this point, break it down and do 100 reps of both combinations over the next 10 days. This clicked for me immediately and made sense. 

10 reps per day of both combos has been working well. After 5 days I'm at 50 of each. On Thursday I was able to get some feedback from Sihing Ward which helped me to make a necessary correction. Repetition only brings positive results when we are mindful in our training, ask question and are open to feedback. 

Because I've been battling a cold this week and training from home, I've had to improvise at bit. My combos have been without a bag or shield which is still good as I can work on technique and transitions. I also discovered I could use the side of my dresser or a wall to simulate a board and get a better feel of where I need to be when striking. I'm not actually hitting the surface just using it as a bit of a guide to placement and a general idea of distance.

I realized I have been thinking in terms of Michele versus Board. Oh boy, there is that ego trying to assert itself again! It makes sense though, right? My intent is to break a board. Or is it? 

The board is a target and a tool to increase my base of knowledge and skill. I'm removing the importance the board holds in my mind and focusing my intent on developing skill and confidence. How I get there will be determined by many factors. There is the science of board breaking, mental attitude, technique with proper distancing and control. 

Totals

Push ups: 600/44325
Situps: 535/44325
Hand form:16/840      
Weapon form:12/747
KM: 37/1837        
AOK: 29/1623           
Sparring: 2/719       
Blogs: 2/66             
Yoga: 60/43.5 hours

Silent Auction Challenge

With auction items slowly trickling in we are still in need of many more to make this a worthwhile and viable auction. 

I challenge everyone on the team to approach someone new, expand your vocabulary as you talk about the charities, and ask for a donation. This is an opportunity to reach more people and make a difference!

And with the challenge I would like everyone to post a comment about their experience.

Items for the auction will need to include 1 - 5 photos, a dollar value and a description of the item. Remember with the auction being online we can't see, or touch the item so more information is best.

Please email me your item info and any attached photos by January 30th at the latest.

michele.lw11@gmail.com

Little Things Matter!

These past few months have been filled with so much stuff! I've pushed my limits and stepped out of my comfort zone more often than not as deadlines loomed and then passed, and as a result my stress levels were high. Even though most of that stress was good stress I needed to take a few steps back afterwards and find ways to decompress. 

I know how important it is to take care of myself and my mental health so I added in more yoga time and made a point of incorporating mindful breathing into my days. I struggle a bit with stopping throughout the day for mindful breathing, but I am making headway and becoming more consistent. 

At first glance the past week seemed relatively uneventful. It was a good week, just nothing to write home about. It wasn't until after Thursdays IHC class that I started to see a pattern that had developed over the week and recognized the importance of the little things. 

My week consisted of many feel good moments at unexpected times. I felt the difference positive connections and interactions can have. As I unwound I was able to be in the moment more often which helped me to be open to receiving and giving. I love that being in the moment helps to slow things down and cultivates awareness. Time expands and becomes more meaningful. I get so much more from those mindful moments. And what's amazing about this is it only takes a few seconds or a few minutes to make a difference.  

During Wednesday's class, Sihing Lindstrom had us doing a long projection, combative front thrust kick on shields. At first I was doing more of a flying kick. After a couple corrections I was able to gain a bit of air with the projection and still kick with my back foot planted on the ground. And it felt good!

I was able to laugh at myself during our Thursday IHC class when I forgot the next step in one of my techniques. There was no stress attached or beating myself up afterwards. This is an important step forward for me. Another feel good moment which is happening more and more.

Looking back on the week there were lots of little moments where I was aware of a kindness, positive interactions, laughter, and feel good moments. It's the awareness of those important little moments that add value to my journey. There is less worry or concern for timeline and destination and a better quality of engagement and appreciation for all that I am and all that I have.

Totals

Push ups: 770/43725
Situps: 740/43790
Hand form: 11/824      
Weapon form: 2/735
KM: 35/1800        
AOK: 23/1594           
Sparring: 7/717        
Blogs: 1/64             
Yoga: 60/42.5 hours