Posts

Eye for detail!

In one of my recent morning sessions with my trainings partner I mentioned how developing an eye for detail in my Kung Fu reminds me of starting to clean up my house. I start by seeing a spider web, or stain, or whatever mess it is and it finally bugs me enough to do something about it. The problem often is that as soon as I cleaned up that spot my eyes are tuned in and I see the next issue and I continue my cleaning efforts, you guys can probably imagine how this story goes on. I have played this game actually countless times and I feel strangely annoyed and yet satisfied at the time. Annoyed because I usually start out thinking there is a quick chore and fix for the problem, just to learn time and time again that I'll never be done completely and if I am, I just stopped looking deeply enough. But it's also extremely satisfying of course as it feels always good to have finally cleaned up this one corner but also because of the ease of seeing the next issue and just moving righ...
Post a Comment
Read more

I guess the titel could be "timing"!

 Today my calendar says 9 am -10 am write a blog.  In the spirit of self respect, I'm going to get this done. At the meeting on Thursday I picked up on Sihing Kohuts advice to schedule a time in the calendar for writing a blog. At that moment this sounded like the solution I had been waiting for all along. Amazing!  I know of course this has been mentioned before by other team mates, in podcasts and plenty of other live improving resources I have been exposed to, but for what ever reason it never really resonated with me before.  The interesting part about this is, that we never know when information finally penetrates and makes connections. The same I found is true when hearing instructions in class.  There was a class a while back that I got quite frustrated with. We were asked to work on a combination with our partner and I had several instructors stop by to address a problem they were seeing. I listened to the first one and tried to address the issue, I got ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The problem with my 50,000s!

When things are going good with my numbers its usually because I have figured out a routine and a way to fit all the required repetitions in my daily schedule. I know when I have to hit a minimum amount of what, to get them all done. There have been several versions of schedules over the last year and a half and it changes with the season. The one thing that has been consistent in my approach was, that I basically married my pushups with my sit ups, meaning one doesn't exist without the other unfortunately. The problem I have now is that I get really really sore in my lower back after doing sit ups and it takes me sometimes several days to get rid of the pain and try again. The lack of sit ups seems to have an immediate effect on my push ups. When I do sit-ups my push-ups get done, well you get the idea. So I have to figure this out and I was hoping writing about it will reveal some ingenious idea on how to fix this unfortunate connection.  Well all I can come up with is 1.:" ...
2 comments
Read more

controlling anger

Image
Today is the day I sit down and write my long overdue blog, a lot of things have been finalized and I was able to put a check-mark on, now I will have the head space!  As I settled down with my coffee this morning and got ready to type, I received a text message from a previous friend, actually the one I blogged about before, it was a relation ship I "needed" or wanted to mend. The message left me entirely outraged, angry and in disbelief and my plans to write my blog seemed to have gone out the window. No more space in my head to think of anything other than how angry I am. I went outside and did yard work being full of "hate" and feeling gross as a result of it.        I couldn't stand myself or better my emotions and thoughts, which admittedly were destructive. I tried breathing through it to calm my inner dragon. Being out there trying to find a way to control my rage I thought of my requirement to mend a relation ship, and of my 1000 act of kindness, I also...
2 comments
Read more

Truth be told…

Yesterday morning and really for the whole last week this tiger challenge has been a huge pain in my butt. I mean if we would have only stayed two weeks longer in Germany I didn't have to worry about it and deal with this.  I understand how the tiger challenge functions as a tool to encourage more engagement, conveniently at a time when distractions are getting more and motivation tanks. But knowing this, didn't prevent the thought process of: “Why am I doing this, it causes so much anxiety and discomfort.” While I realize the benefit was there the whole time I was not able to really feel it until after everything was done yesterday. All of a sudden when I came home with a very sore back (I have been struggling with back-aches for quite a few days now.) and tired, I found myself going through my forms again and again, several times through out the rest of the day. Just now it wasn't the pressure of, I have to practice (especially since I feel like I'm lacking after two ...
Post a Comment
Read more

trying to be mindful...

Image
I currently really don't know what to write, that would be meaningful to the team and myself on our journey to mastery. I feel removed, not just physically but also mentally from our kwoon and team. I know its on me to stay in touch, to read the blogs, write my own and do Kung Fu even when I don't feel like it. BUT... My brain is so full of a variety of emotions that I really struggle to make sense of. There is loss (I had to say good by to one of my best friends this last weekend), there is a lot of worry over the health and life expectancy of some family members and than there is the anxiety of our time running out here in Germany. In two weeks we will say our good-byes for an unknown period of time. Leaving my family behind in these scarry and heavy times knowing I'll take with me the only grand kinds and a big source of joy and distraction makes me feel extremely sad and guilty. I know this is life and I'm grateful to be here and to have the time with each of my lov...
1 comment
Read more

Train ride to Rome

Image
Almost 4 weeks and not a single blog, I was hoping to use my 12 hour train ride today to write a blog but since we had to pack very light we didn’t bring a laptop on this little Italy trip. I didn’t even bring my book with my numbers.  As I’m just typing on my phone now I decided to at least give you all a quick update and “Hello team!”  Leon and I are doing pretty good on our Push up and Sip up requirements and I’m trying to practice my fan form as often as possible but I have to admit it’s a lot harder than I thought to keep up with our Kung fu.  And just because I can’t focus on anything else right now I’ll share with you how excited I am to see Leon’s surprise face when he exits the train in Rome! He wanted to go to Italy and Rome so badly and we decided to surprise him. We are currently riding through the pictures landscape of northern Italy and Leon is still thinking we going to Prague🫣! Although I’m not sure the secret can be kept all the way, as he has already ma...
1 comment
Read more