Something to say...

I have some things to say, but I don’t feel I have the voice to do so right now. I have found myself thinking about where I am at. I find teaching challenging, and rewarding, but it can also be frustrating. I know that sometimes I forget about the strengths I have in front of me, and in doing so I get overwhelmed and lose sight of the big picture.

I have to rethink a few things, re-calibrate so to speak, and to do that, I have to let go of some preconceived expectations, and start at ground zero. This takes some courage on my part, and I have to let go just a little.

I need to use the strengths that the others around me bring. I need to recognize them, celebrate them, and cooperate with them. I have to stop looking for things that aren’t there, I have to let go of things, and embrace the good things that are coming.

There are times where I feel I am running in place, and not making any headway. And when the rut starts to get deeper, it’s time to recognize it and jump out. I think I am jumping out...or maybe I am just recognizing it so that I can have the power to do something about it.

Wild Rumpus

I feel really drained right now, so I am not sure what to write about. However, this is a commitment that I intend on keeping. Journaling once a week, is something I have done for a couple of years now, and it is really good for me.

I am feeling some relief that the Chinese New Year Banquet - Black Belt Promotion is done. I really enjoyed all the work preparing for it, don’t get me wrong, but I have missed the continuity of our regular schedule.

My ankle has been holding up fairly well lately, so I am thinking that now that the banquet is over, I can perhaps push myself harder again. I haven’t really trained too hard on my forms and such for quite a while, so it will be fantastic to get to it again. The only drawback I seem to suffer from right now, is the tendonitis in my right wrist from work. It hurts to do much with it, and my pushups have suffered a little. I guess it could be a lot worse though. All of my body (injured) parts could be flaring up right now. I am in pretty good shape for the shape I am in.

Just after the candidates received their black belts, while we were all standing up on stage (and just before the entire school came up for the picture), I had a phrase pop into my head. It took a lot of willpower not to say it out loud since it was probably not appropriate. If anyone has seen and/ or read “Where the Wild Things Are”, this will make sense. For some reason, I wanted to yell out, “Let the wild rumpus start!”

Yup, I am a little nuts. Or maybe just tired. Or something in between.

Everyone worked hard for yesterday, and I am proud to have been a part of it. The whole day ( from beginning to end) was absolutely fantastic. I belong to an amazing family.

Year of the Tiger

I have a couple of places that I could go with this blog today, so it will be interesting to see it when I am done my weekly ramble.

It is year of the Tiger today. New beginnings, a fresh start. Or something like that. I am hoping that this year is a better one for me injury wise. I feel like I have not trained very hard at all during the past 12 months and I know I still have to be careful with my training. I do have tendenitits in my right wrist from work, and I am hoping that that disappears soon. January was difficult as well. I pulled a muscle in my right side ( rib area,) so for a couple of weeks, I couldn’t do much at all. And then when that was all healed, I put my back out and couldn’t do much for another week, and then of course my wrist has set me back somewhat as well. But February has been pretty good so far. And I am hoping that after the banquet next Saturday, I can start training harder again. I have so many things that I want to do...

I am interested in learning more about kids fitness programs, so that I can incorporate them into my classes. I want to work on my double broad sword form some more and complete it, and I want to practice a lot more too. Hopefully my elderly body cooperates with me... :-)

Heart and Stroke Month

This month is Heart and Stroke month. Heart Disease is defined as a group of conditions affecting the structure and the functions of the heart. It is preventable and manageable.

A stroke is a sudden loss of brain function. It happens when there is a disruption of blood flow to the brain, which causes cells to die. Blood provides oxygen and nutrients to the brain and without these damage occurs.

Some things you can do to to control your risk factors for both heart disease and stroke...

Don’t smoke, be physically active, know your blood pressure, eat a diet low in saturated and trans fats, maintain a healthy weight, limit alcohol use, and reducing your stress, can play a significant role in reducing your risk of heart disease.

Healthy choices are very important in preventing and managing these. This includes incorporating the four food groups as often as you can, with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, being physically active (Kung Fu is a big help), but even walking for 20 - 30 minutes a day. Reducing your stress is a big one, which can also done through Kung fu, as is meditation, journalling, and finding time for yourself. Also knowing your family history will go a long way in understanding and managing your risk factors.

The following website is full of information and I recommend it...

http://www.heartandstroke.ab.ca/site/c.lqIRL1PJJtH/b.3650753/k.BDFA/Home.htm

While February is dedicated to Heart Disease and Stroke, we should be aware each and every day.