Year in Review

Ok, I've had some time to read over my blog posts and reflect on the past year. First of all thank goodness for blogs! There is no way I would have remembered half of what I have experienced over the year on my own. There were some big undertakings and successes as well as quite a bit of walking along side the wagon rather than staying on. There were even times when the wagon was no longer in sight. Thankfully going to classes whenever possible and blogging definitely helped keep the connection with the team.

The year also brought with it some very difficult moments. So much so that at one point I was very conflicted and not in a good place. I had come to a roadblock in my training that created an emotional upheaval. My brain had taken control and was over thinking everything and causing me to doubt myself in a big way. Having fun, embracing the moment and working at staying engaged has helped with keeping my brain and anxiety in check and getting more out of each moment.

Overall my biggest success I think has been working on 1000 reps of 18 Temple Motions. I had chosen this particular form because it was a form I hadn't yet learned and it also contained very different movements from any of the others I knew. I wanted to be able to learn and use some of the techniques from 18 Temple motions in my own form in the future. I am amazed at how much one form can teach you when you take the time to learn it, practise and break it down. And the fact that it tied in so perfectly to some of the trouble I was having in my overall training was an added bonus. The year may be almost over, but I am not finished pushing myself to perform 18 Temple Motions to the best of my ability. 18 Temple Motions has been a very supportive Kung Fu friend this past year.

This was certainly not my best year and I know that I can do better. That being said, I know that where I am at is exactly where I am meant to be, even if it is not exactly where I would like to be.

Namaste,

Michele Ward

I'm Shrinking!

Imagine finding out suddenly that you are 1 inch shorter! During a recent bone density scan I was told I am 5 feet, 4 and a half inches tall instead of my normal 5 and 3/4. I have to say I was taken by surprise and not at all happy. According to the tech. shrinking is a normal part of aging, which I was aware of. I just wanted expecting it to happen so soon. It can come as a bit of a shock when the process of aging creeps up quicker than expected. A combination of health issues and increasing physical limitations have continued to compound over the past year.  Age is becoming more than just a number and I do have some fear as to what the future holds.

Now, I could dwell on the aging process that my body is experiencing or I can look on the past year with gratitude. Gratitude for placing these issues in front of me while I have the ability to recognize what is happening and make adjustments to how I live my life and how well I take care of my body.  I need to take some control and learn what my current body is capable of, strengthen muscles, improve flexibility and learn when and how to push the limits. Quality of life as I age is important to me and I don't intend to sit around and hope for the best.

Namaste

Michele Ward

School vs Art vs Students

The school..., the art... or the students ...? Which of these is most important and how would you prioritize each? We were asked this question at our last I Ho Chuan team meeting.

The past couple of years being a member of the I Ho Chuan team has taught me many valuable lessons. The first year I learned to look beyond my expectations, expand my perceptions and I was able to acknowledge and appreciate the alternative forks in the road that developed over the year. Blogging started as a big stumbling block for me in the first year. By the end of the first year I still struggled occasionally, but I developed an understanding for how important blogging is and why. And sometimes I even learned something while in the process of writing a blog which I think is pretty cool.

My second year brought with it some very important lessons as well. I didn't do as well with all the requirements compared to the first year, but I did learn that failure can create success. Perception can make a huge difference in how we view and react to situations. Take failure for instance; if you see failure as simply failure and attach negativity to it, then it is exactly that .... failure! Nothing is changed and nothing has been gained. However, if you were to take something that you failed at and break it down into the hows, why's, or whats and attach some positive thought, much could be learned and adjustments could then be made. Growth and forward momentum becomes a result. And I believe that is success, which leads to even greater success!

My ability to set goals, plan and execute has improved over the years as well. I have also learned to step back, assess situations and make adjustments along the way when something is not working. Developing a deeper level of understanding has been a result of taking the time to reflect, making use of available resources and connecting with supportive people along the way.

I've experienced big milestones and numerous smaller gems throughout the years. I know that being a member of the team has provided me with many opportunities and growth that I would not have had if the team did not exist. And I am sure that other members of the team over the years have had similar experiences. What we do as a team and as individual members affects those around us and creates a ripple effect out into the school and the community for years to come.

I see the development of Silent River Kung Fu as being similar to the process of learning the art of Kung Fu. The building of a school such as we are fortunate to train in takes enormous effort, hard work, intent, patience, trust and wise progression. Thank you to Sifu Brinker and everyone that has had a hand in making Silent River Kung Fu what it is today.

The I Ho Chuan team is a fundamental component of Silent River Kung Fu. But, without the school and Sifu Brinker we would not have the I Ho Chuan or anything else. So, I think the school has to come first. The school is our solid foundation that draws suitable students to learn the ancient art of Kung Fu. And I think the I Ho Chuan team helps to tie the school, the students and the art all together.

We have had many team members this year struggle for many different reasons and some have even been absent more than they have been here. Regardless of where each of us are at with our requirements and our personal goals there is still time to reflect on what worked and what didn't and why. For those on the team that really struggled, ask yourself what worked and what didn't and what did you get out of being a member of the I Ho Chuan? Turn some of your failures into successes!

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Mixed Feelings

I've had a wonderful time in Cambodia and Vietnam and feel blessed to have been able to travel and experience areas of these countries. The temples, the people and the food were all amazing! However, I have returned home with some mixed feelings. This is because I had a hard time seeing the amount of garbage every where we went. Most bigger businesses and homes of wealthy people made an effort to sweep and clean their little section out in front. Quite often you could see them sweep everything into a pile to the side and off their property, only concerned about their own section. There were very few garbage cans around, but I don't think they would have made much of a difference. In Saigon where we were told there was daily garbage pick up and even recycling, the garbage was still noticeable. And as we travelled away from the city center it only got worse. It was not surprising that the largest source of garbage was plastics. Even in poor underdeveloped countries there is an abundance of modern conveniences all wrapped up in plastic. Very little thought is given to disposal and the environment.

We also visited some very interesting outdoor markets selling an abundance of fresh produce and fish, seafood, etc. There was no lack of food items available for sale. Fruits, vegetables, rice and even insects were available. Yup, they eat crickets, worms, scorpions, tarantulas and what ever else you can think of. What broke my heart though was the fish being kept barely alive so that it was fresh and more money could be charged. Fish in 2 inches of water, 1 gill in the water and 1 gill out flopping around for hours. There were also ducks and chickens with their feet tied together laying out in the hot sun still alive but unable to move, just waiting for someone to purchase and butcher for the next meal. Large frogs that had been skinned and bundled together whole. Very little thought seems to be given to these creatures other than being a source of food.

It was very evident that we all have a responsibility when it comes to taking care of our environment and all creatures that are part of our world.  We can each take care of our own little postage stamp in this world or we can make a difference and reduce consumption, recycle, reuse and make conscious choices regarding the food that we buy and eat.

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Pushing the Limits

I've arrived safely and have spent the past 3 days experiencing Siem Reap and the temples of the Ankor area. Traveling on my own and navigating the airports was not as challenging as I thought they might be. Thankfully I didn't let fear prevent me from travelling and experiencing Cambodia and Vietnam.

One of the excursions we were able to choose from was an ariel view of Angkor Wat from a tethered hot air balloon which I thought sounded pretty amazing. I am quite afraid of heights and a hot air balloon is not something I would usually sign up for, but I also didn't want to miss out on the view from the ballon. So, today I climbed aboard the hot air ballon and I am happy to say that it was not as scary as I thought it would be and I was actually able to enjoy the view.

It can be very easy to pull back from things that make us uncomfortable. I know that I do this much too often and yet there are also times when I push myself to do something that is outside my bubble. And quite often the event is not as bad as what I thought it would be. The more I push myself the greater my life experiences and opportunities become.

I had an interesting thought while composing this blog because in our kungfu training we also have bubbles and fears which affect our training and ability to progress. By pushing our limits and expanding our bubbles we actually gain more control, calmness and our personal circle of power expands and works more efficiently.

Traveling solo is not ideal, but it does allow me opportunities to expand my bubble and gain confidence in myself and my abilities.

Namaste,

Michele Ward

Opportunity & Adventure

I’m off on another work adventure that is taking me to Cambodia and Vietnam. This is an opportunity that came up only a month ago and I was able to find another consultant to travel with me. However, my travel companion has had to cancel and it is now just me traveling on my own. Luckily I was still able to go as a single at no cost. I know that I will be fine once I get to my destination, but I am not crazy about the long flights and the connection/ long layover in Hong Kong. I am also not comfortable in new social situations and having no one that I know close by. That being said there was no way I was going to miss out on experiencing Cambodia and Vietnam which was on my list of places to travel to. Once I get to Siem Reap I will be with a group of 20-50 people for 13 days. Everything will be taken care of for us so there is nothing to worry about. I am nervous but super excited also!

Namaste,
Michele Ward

Whoa - Slow Down!

2 months ago I had initiated a hard restart. My goal was 300 push ups and sit ups every day. I did great the first week and after some health issues slowed down a bit, but averaged 200 of each for the first month which is still pretty decent. As a result, I can relate my increased effort to an increase in sales at work. This is a huge benefit, but comes with a much bigger work load. During month 2,  I struggled to find some balance with the increased work load, getting ready for the Tiger Challenge, working on requirements, my second job and just regular life in general. Push ups and sit ups started to slow down again. I would definitely think of them from time to time, but was reluctant to make the time or put in the effort for fear of benefiting even more. It seemed that as I slowed down on some of the requirements I found myself able to catch up on work projects and create a bit more balance.

This weekend I was reminded that we are never given more than we can handle. Anything thrown our way is an opportunity for learning and growth and can be managed with the correct tools and perspective. So, I'm doing a bit of mind reset and taking some deep breaths as I restart yet again.

Michele Ward,

Namaste