Foot Work

I spent the better part of last night working on the foot work on both my hand form and my weapon form.  One thing I realized is it is really difficult to build a weapon form.  I have been completely focused on the movement of the weapon and my upper body.

After last weeks class when Sifu Brinker told us to focus on our foot work, I slowed down my form and realized I had no foot work.  I was flailing about with no intent in the lower part of my body. Once I slowed it down I was able to get some proper stances in place.

It has made my form harder because now I am focused on my whole body and not just hitting things. I hope that I will get some flow in the next few weeks as the stances become a part of the form.

Silver Lion Dance

In the mail this week I received a coin that I thought was real cool.  I have been collecting coins since I was a kid.  I don't collect them for their  monetary value I only collect them for their uniqueness to me.  Because of this, when I see a coin that is cool, I get it.

The Canadian mint put out a coin this year year showing a Lion Dance on it.  I thought that was quite unique.  So I got one. I thought I would show it to the I HO Chuan group.

And yes I know another nerdy hobby of Sand,  but I am ok with it.........

This may sound harsh but........,,

Quit anything and anyone that does not get you closer to your goals.

Yes this may sound harsh but this is a reality if you are to get to where you want to go (Only you can determine where you want to go if you want to live a fulfilled existence).  We cannot live our lives on the time lines or expectations of others.  Having said this it is important to remember and understand that there may be two or more  competing goals that we want to do and as such to accomplish both we have to do the proverbial stick handle, but all the time focused on the goals.

It can be harsh but sometimes the people we keep company with are not in our best interests or align with our goals and as such we are better off with not having them in our lives or inner circles. Some times such people can hold us back as we allow this to happen to ourselves.  We can spend time doing things that do not move us towards our goals.

For myself, I have had to stop communicating with people in my past as I let their behaviours affect my behaviours and it was destructive to what I wanted in life.  I have also had to stop things that were destructive to my personal goals.

As I have become more able to articulate what is I want in life and what my "true goals" are it is easier to do things that get me there and to be around people that are in alignment with where I am headed.

Wore out Boots

So I was able, over the past year, to do something many times that I truly enjoy.  This is hiking. Walking in the mountains, on a tropical beach, in the river valley or anywhere for that matter.  It is all good and in my estimation is the best therapist that there can be.

In April of 2016 I bought a new pair of hiking boots. I was out this weekend walking and got some cross county skiing in.  Tonight when I got home I looked at my boots and it is time to retire them.  I am weird and find this some what satisfying. I did a tally from my Fitbit of the km that I did with these boots over the last year and the tally was approx 2,500 km.

I am going in the next week to get a new pair of boots and can't wait to see where they will take me.

Little Things

I don't think I am much different than most people.  I have a hard time staying in the moment some times.  I can start the day with the intention of truly "being there" and then through the day as things come my way I lose my focus and I am either in the past or in the future.

The other day I was having lunch and as I was leaving a person held the door for me and simply said "Have a great rest of your Day."  It hit me like a punch from a prize fighter.  It immediately woke me up and I realized I had been a daze with no real focus for a number of hours.  I sincerely thanked the guy and said to have a great day.

I think it was the simple action of someone being nice to me and acknowledging me that brought me out of the cloud.  Now for me this translated exactly to what we are trying to accomplish with I Ho Chuan.  Imagine a simple act of kindness to someone:  It could literally change the entire direction of their day.  From a cloud of no focus to them maybe walking around the rest of the day with a smile on their face.

Little things...........

The business travel blues

The week has been a blur.

I have been in two provinces and about 10 towns.  Trying to keep  the days straight as to where I am and what I am doing.  The phone doesn't stop ringing and I am constantly meeting with people. There has been rain, extreme winds, snow and even a bit of sunshine.  Early mornings topped off by some rather late nights.

It can be exhausting having this kind of work schedule and it can quickly wear a person down.  You eat at inconsistent times.  Many days you don't drink enough water which adds to the exhaustion.

The one thing that drives energy and focus is working on my requirements.  Especially push ups.  The grind can be getting to me and then I drop and do some push ups and afterwords I get a feeling of I am accomplishing my goals.  A little at a time but I am accomplishing them.  That in turn gives me energy and purpose.