Half way with the Rooster

I found a new favorite word Perambulate meaning to walk about.  Not that it means anything just liked the word and its meaning.

But that is not what I wanted to blog about.  We are now about half way through this years I Ho Chuan.  Time to review goals.  I am happy with my progress, I am half way with most of the physical requirements but about 4,000 short on push ups and sit ups.  

I am hitting it out of the park with walking and my hiking goals, in fact this past weekend I surpassed my hiking goals for the year.  A topic I have chosen to write an essay on has been researched now I just need to write about it. My reading goal is half way and I have my next half dozen books lined up.  I completely have dropped the ball on doing lion dances as work has kept me away from many of the I Ho Chuan classes.  I hope to have this turned around in the fall.

So over all I like where I am at. Even when I was having those struggle weeks my blogging kept me moving forward.  Blogging for me is an invaluable tool to keep the focus and to move me where I want to go.

If you are struggling write a blog and see if this change things for you......

Elisium Pass July 29, 2017

July 29, 2017

Got up early and drove into jasper. The sky was hazy and the sunrise was spectacular. Left the parking lot at 7:20 on a hike up to Elisium pass.

Walking today with Yitzik and Sharida.  It is a warm day and got to 30 c today. The trail is a slow long uphill from the trail splitting up from Dorothy lake. 

The trail was quite dry and only wet in a few spots. The mountain flowers were out and in full bloom. It was quite incredible. The strawberries were out and tasty. Up at this altitude the Saskatoons were not yet ready to eat.

After taking a few breaks we stopped on the trail a few hundred meters from the top of the pass.  We had lunch then headed to the top of the pass. It was a great view and the expanse of the valley was an awesome sight. After enjoying the view for a while we began our walk down. It was a steady hike downhill on a very hot day

We stopped by the river on they way down about two km from the trail head. It was nice to lay down  by the river and listen.

Went the last two km on sore and tired feet. It was a great walk on a great day with great people. 

Walking Again

I had a bitter sweet time in the mountains this weekend.  Said goodbye to an old friend and was able to do some walking with my best friend.

It was a warm weekend with great weather and nice scenery.  Once you get up higher in the mountains you get to see some real cool things.  The quiet of the forest is a welcome reprise from the noise of day to day life and what is going on in my head.

I know the requirements, but.......(part 2)

I have to thank everyone who reached out to me and gave me encouragement.  That kind of support is not something that just happens.  Again thank you.

I was able to discuss this with Sifu Brinker.

Here is what was going on in my mind.  As I said I was rolling along not really thinking of a Black Belt.  I had thoughts in my mind, without really having it as a goal, if I was ever able to get to Brown Belt that would be good, that I would have accomplished something special for some one my age.  But for the last few months I began to realize that a Brown Belt is attainable.  I think my apprehension was I  had no plan in my head how to take my training beyond the Brown Belt. 

Sifu made it very clear to me what my plan should be to get to Black Belt.  Do pushups, try to perfect my forms, do sit ups, be nice to people and keep on walking: or as we know it as, I Ho Chuan.  It is very clear in my mind now the path to a Black Belt.  All of us have the ability to get there, we need to follow the plan that has been set up for us.  Everything we are doing in I Ho Chuan is preparing us to get to our Black Belt.  The requirements are there as the plan.  Yes it is a lot of work but we all have the plan. 

What I also realized is what I was doing wrong in my training.  I was not talking to the people around me about my self doubt.  I finally got the courage to let people know what was banging around in my head.  A few days later with much encouragement and discussing the problem I have a new sense of direction. I have a feeling of calm to keep me going to my goal, which is now, as it should always have been, a Black Belt.

My self doubt was mostly about the physical aspect of training.  I would like to add where I am spiritually in my training.  For me this has been the game changer in what I have got out of Kung Fu and I Ho Chuan.   A number of years ago, I can't remember if it was through a blog or a direct talk with Sifu Brinker,  I talked about my guilt with spending so much time at the Kwoon and if this was selfish of me for being away from my family and friends.  At that time he told me (I am paraphrasing) that by becoming a martial artist that every other aspect of my life and relationships will get better.  At the time I understood a little about what he said and was for sure if it made sense.

Roll forward to today. I had a discussion with my wife and sister-in-law a few nights ago.  Both of them said to me that I have become very calm, I rarely get upset at any thing and they see me as a very happy person.  This I attribute directly to Kung Fu and I Ho Chuan.  Both have taught me to be and stay in the moment.  I have taken this to heart and I think I am getting close to mastery with this concept.  I can quickly tell when I am getting out of the moment and I actually stop, breath and get back in the moment.  To me this is how to be happy.  In the moment, I find it difficult not to be happy, as I make it conscious choice.

Anyways I think I better get at it, I have a have a few hundred thousand push ups to do before I earn that Black belt.

I know the requirements, but....

This is a hard blog for me to write.  Any self doubt I have had I have always kept to myself.  I rarely let anyone know including my nearest family members.  I have always kept my thoughts in and so called worked the problem, until I had a solution.  I have been able to over come problems or obstacles and then put the plan in place.  Nothing in my life has ever really scared me, except for  spiders and clowns.

I now have a huge feeling of self doubt;  Am I going to be able to get to the point where I could earn a black belt.  I know the requirements, I know what is expected of me to get through my next belt levels.  What is really concerning me is if I have the strength and stamina to get to that level.  Prior to last year I was just training along enjoying what I was doing and a black belt was an Idea but not fully in my plans, where I needed to formulate my course of action.

Now my self doubt about whether I have the physical ability to make it black belt is weighing heavily on me.  This comes from my true desire to earn a black belt.  These doubts may not make any sense to some of the younger people that I train with who haven't felt some of the physical limitations that come with getting older.  I know I am not ready for a permanent cup of tea and a rocking chair on the deck, but I also know that my tendons, bones and muscles are telling me stories these days that I have never heard of from them.

I don't know how to overcome these feeling.  I continue to train I am focused on getting my weight down for what lies ahead of me.  The fear is that it won't be enough and I will not be able to reach this goal.

 

Never let them tell you

This past week I was at the local graduation as a volunteer helping out.  I was talking with a young guy I had coached  for a number of years.  I asked him how he was doing and what he was up too.  He said he was working and Rodeoing on the weekends.  He then when on to say that his boss said the Rodeo was getting in the way of his work so he would have to stop the Rodeo.  To this the young guy quit his job so he could continue to Rodeo on the weekends.

I shook his hand and told him that was a good decision he could always work but never let anyone tell you you can't chase your passions.