Keep the Sights On It

Moving forward on an investment of awesomeness is always a good feeling and that should be our go to when we get frustrated or disappointed on our journeys. This would keep us on track and moving ahead in a efficient way. We seem to go the other way most of the time though. I've been there a bit lately as my training has taken a few deviations not really for the better that I must adapt to. But you can't lose sight of what you set out to do and a person needs to remember that it takes time to build a pyramid, one level at a time.

 I've learned over the while to always go back to the point of when the gears of excellence were singing a tune cranked to 11, and build off of what you have. That is a solid base that has been built through trial and error that's always raising. So why smash it all down and try to start again. Just keep building your pyramid. Easy enough to say but not always to do. It takes time and a person needs to remember that and have fun with it, make it solid. I didn't earn my Black Belt in a year, it took a few actually, but I did it and the circumstances were no different then than they are now. Long hours, life, injury, the list could go on if I let it. Excuses and skewed perceptions are very hazardous to reaching goals, and that's because they are the easiest thing to obtain and use. We can justify anything, just ask us.

As far as my planning and training is going, at the moment it needs work. Work takes up a lot of time right now but the more I learn now the more I will know down the road. I'm trying to keep the focus on the target and working towards a better balance. I'm running just on the basics, push ups and sit ups and the Great Mother Form, aka Dah Mu Hsin. This is the hardest form in the school to master because it's all of our main stances and techniques, and everything else starts from here. Aside from always working on the base, it's a short form that can be done in tight quarters when crunched for time and space. So right now this works. 

My fingers healing up well and I have to get that axe swinging again as Canada Day is weeks away. I already booked it off a few weeks ago, so I'll be there. My work is definitely cut out for me over the next while, but I think this is the part of the year where things are going to come together well.  Cool stuff just takes time and once another layer is built the gears will sing!! See you at the Kwoon.   

Thought Triggers

It's interesting how an event can trigger all kinds of thoughts and clarity. Especially when that clarity leaves a mark that let's everyone know, yes, your human and also an idiot. Nobody likes to wear a scar as a scoreboard for all your stupid moments...I'm covered in them.

My newest scar count comes in the form of my first ever cut to the bone.... I know because I could see it perfectly. It was like a sectional view of your finger. When it happened I was so mad, not for being cut, but the complacency of not respecting events that can have life altering change that could have been prevented. Of course accidents happen, but that's not the point or what made me realize I had way too many things going on in the mind at once. I mean we do this all the time as humans, but I think we get too wrapped up in too many things and really don't respect the moment when our actions can have permanent or lasting effects on ourselves and others. That being said, you also can't forget the knowledge and lessons that we take for granted everyday.

The first thing that went through my mind was @#$%#$#%%^&&(*^%$%%$!!!!!, and then I thought I cut the tendons. Checked, and finger moves the same as before....it's just really red and I think I need stitches. I was really lucky, stitches are a cake walk, permanent damage isn't.

For me it was a lesson in keeping your thoughts organized and keeping respect to your core values and actions, not to mention the shared knowledge and respect of others. I think just how a person needs to be aware of your surroundings at all times. It reminded me of valuable knife defence techniques and attacks are part of my training and the theory behind them.  It made me feel very grateful for my training. After I saw what my knife did to me in a short distance, imagine what full power would do. It made me realize how valuable those really cool things we do all the time but take for granted. Like buttoning up your clothes, being able to wash yourself, push ups, swinging a weapon etc. It gave me a little reminder of what life would be like with a part of your body that no longer works. Even if it was only a bad cut, I realize that life is good and being able to do things on our own and with our loved ones, can disappear in a flash for one mindless event. See you at the kwoon. 

Technical Difficulties

So I had some technical difficulties the last couple of days which in turn made my latest post.... well... late. Better late than never I guess. It's been a challenge this last while to get in some training but at least it's happening. I've been so engaged this last while in all the material I need to cover and long hours to add to it. But I am stepping away for a while everynight to train and shift my focus to Kung Fu. Hopefully after a few more weeks I can crank my demon traing mode up to 11! It hasn't been easy though, I'll admit, but working towards absolute awesomeness never is. But I am slowly working my plan to become routine and I honestly think I'll get there. I'm in my absolute glory right now dropped into this madness and my Kung Fu with me. It's just better.

I did however miss my 2 hours of training on Sunday though. But I had the best day with my girl as we celebrated my birthday and mothers day together. My not so little one was away for the day so we took full advantage of that. Later on we were all together and I just cherished the moment. It's no secret that my girls are everything to me. The only thing that would have made it better was to have my oldest daughter there, but oh well, you can't have it all. I talked to my awesome Mom and closed off one of the better days I've had in a while. My Kung Fu is coming along well, but not quite where I want it to be. Rather than be discouraged about it though, I embrace what I can get done and up to this point things are slowly coming together as my plan yields tools that will lead me done the path of absolute awesomeness!

I'll leave off here for now but I just want to wish all the Mothers and future Mothers at the Kwoon a happy belated Mothers day! Your all awesome ladies! See you at the kwoon

May Mayhem

This post will have to be short and to the point as things tend to start very early these days and carry on later than usual. My work is coming along well and the action really opens up full throttle tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it, the challenge will definitely be there and the mindset of mastery shall be front and centre. I'm going to be on my own again for a bit. This is nothing new and as I stated before this has served me well in some instances, but in others cases it didn't. I don't want to go down this road again, and fortunately I have been through enough of the trial and errors to recognize this, so I know what not to do.

I spoke of a plan last week that I was going to put forward to maintain and advance my Kung Fu while under an aggressive work schedule. It's not really overly complicated as I am running this year on keeping the mindset of "keep it simple stupid", because it works. Just freakin' do it. But one thing that is going to be part of it is demon training. It has to be done right now to load things up in order to maintain a consistent and even flow. There has to be a quick acceleration here in order to do it. Now one could look at this and say, this is a recipe to burn out and possibly entice a disasterous outcome because it may become unsustainable. But as I spoke before, this is a an investment and an investment requires extra effort and work. You just don't parachute into mastery, that's a fact.

So in order for this to happen what I have planned to do, is no matter what the circumstances, I will take 1 hour a day on focused and intense Kung Fu training. I am scheduled to have one day off a week. So on this day I will take 2 hours to myself and Kung Fu. I'm on 12 hour days, but if I'm off early for some reason or don't have to work, I head to the kwoon. If I feel like this isn't working than I'll have to change it. If I start to get pissed off, I will contact my go to people for advice and some direction. The biggest part for me will be to avoid the isolation in this particular case. I'm not good at asking for help, and it's my problem, people have their own stuff to deal with. But you see it's this mindset that will throw a whole year of investment down the drain. It's this mindset that will remove the focus of my goals and my intent. This is part of change, part of being on a team, part of reaching your goals and most importantly, part of becoming a better person by sharing those moments to strengthen yourself and others through example. I guess we'll see. See you at the Kwoon