For the love of art...

For the love of art. No, I’m not the artist I wish I was, nor am I the artist that our daughter is. I learned a lot last Saturday when our daughter and I took a Watercolour class together. It was a birthday gift for her, and a I Ho Chuan goal for myself.

It was a great day as I got to spend some serious quality time with her, and watching the joy on her face as she created is something that I will forever cherish. I learned that day, that I am very hard on myself and spent a lot of time trying not to compare myself to her or to the others in the class. I learned that when it comes to creating art, I am not good with details and prefer to create images that are more abstract and less precise. Our Haley is all about the details.

This got me thinking about my eye for detail when it comes to Kung Fu. I know it’s there, but I also realized that sometimes I miss the details because my mind is already somewhere else. I have to work on that, and it will start with being more mindful. Stopping and asking myself that very valuable question: “Where am I and what am I doing?”

I couldn’t upload her painting, but it can be seen here on Instagram @c0rrupted.king

Kindness

Kindness is...not random
Kindness is...something we need more of
Kindness is...an act of selflessness
Kindness is...a smile to a stranger
Kindness is...an extra hug to a loved one
Kindness is...doing a little extra for someone else
Kindness is...a warm hand on a cold night
Kindness is...a phone call when you feel alone
Kindness is...listening to stories of the good old days from older generations
Kindness is...making breakfast for your loved one
Kindness is...a ripple in a giant pond
Kindness is...has a butterfly effect
Kindness is...the warm feeling you get in making someone else’s day
Kindness is...thoughtful and requires little energy

Where is the value?

Where is the value in blogging? Where is the value in reading our teammates blogs? Or the value in leaving a like or a comment?

I find that although finding words or mining out my thoughts to write a blog can be difficult, it’s crucial in the journey. It marks places where you are having difficulties, where you are having successes and is a great place to mark your path. It serves to sort out the weeks goals and review them. It helps to keep you accountable, both to yourself and to the team.

Reading your teammates blogs, keeps you connected when you are away, or when you feel a disconnect. We can help each other if we know where we are all at, and what we are struggling with. I sometimes get motivated by reading other blogs, and inspired by the journeys taking place around me.

And the value in liking and/ or commenting? It let’s us all know that we are not alone in the journey. I won’t always comment, as there isn’t always something to say. However I do make an effort to read them all (or watch) and I appreciate the same.

We are a team, and while we have separate journeys, we are going through this together. Through all the ups and downs, there is strength in numbers. Together we can accomplish great things.

Apparently, you can’t reason with a zombie...

I took a test for fun recently to find out my role in the event of a zombie apocalypse and I’d be the voice of reason. But I was told you can’t reason with zombies, and growing cauliflower to confuse them wouldn’t actually work. Oh well.

I’ll just work on my sword skills then. My Tai Chi Broadsword to be precise. I am ready to show what I have, but I haven’t completed the whole form yet, however I plan to have this done in the next 2 weeks. It is coming along, and so far my wrists are holding up, which was a concern going in.

I think I will have to speed up my form in order for it to look presentable in a demo though (and in the case of a zombie invasion).

Grateful

I missed my blog day yesterday due to a migraine, so here it is, albeit a day late. This past week, I have been thinking about those that came before us and that have helped to shape us as we are today.

My thoughts were with family members that are no longer with us, and also with the martial arts masters that have passed. The people we surround ourselves with have an influence on the decisions we make and the values that we hold close.

I have also considered where I might be if not for our past masters. I don’t know what my life would look like, but I can say that I am truly grateful to be learning Kung Fu and to be living a life of consequence. I have seen what it has done for myself, for my daughters, and for our whole family. I am in Canada, learning a martial art that only 50 years ago I might not have had the opportunity because I am not Chinese.

Over the last 15 years, I have seen the faces around me change. I no longer hang around with the people I used to and I contribute this to my evolution. My values have changed, and I know I am a better person than I used to be. And this is reflected in the people I surround myself with.

I am thankful for my family, my Kung Fu family, and the opportunities that I have had.

Ha Ha!

I have a few ideas floating around around my head right now, but I am also not feeling great at the moment so I hope this is linear. Please bear with me. Bare with me? No, it’s got to be bear with me. Right?

Today was a rest day, which was totally needed, both physically and mentally. And my family is super supportive so they helped distract my weary brain, and I felt lots of love today. Which was needed, and for their time and love I am totally grateful. Thanks family.

My requirements are coming along, and I am already much further ahead than I was last year at this time. My new app is helping quite a bit. I am still learning the Tai Chi Broadsword form, and will have that down by the end of March I hope. I definitely connect with Tai Chi, and am really enjoying this form so far.

I am going to be taking an art class with my daughter in early April and I am really looking forward to that. I am not as talented as she is, but it will be awesome to spend the day with her and be creative together.

Yes, this is a choppy blog, but you were warned that it wasn’t going to be great. You kept reading, so that’s on you. Ha ha!

My journey

As with previous years, my journey is and will be defined by mental illness. Depression and anxiety have been personal acquaintances for as long as I can remember.

During the year of the rooster, I let them lie to me and my blogging and requirements suffered because I gave in. This year I am striving to fight the whole time.

It can be difficult to write when my mind is screaming at me that I am not good at anything, but I just need to start. Once I start, the process kicks in and the words are there. One blog I wrote during one of those darker times, was about success. A success can be as simple as getting out of bed and getting dressed. It can be as simple as putting one step out the door when your mind is telling you to crawl under the covers.

I am not under any illusions that I won’t have difficult days, today being one of them. However, if I simply do my sit-ups and push-ups, I am further ahead. I will keep forging ahead, and I won’t give up. I will let the good days lead me forward, and I will try to keep my perspective.

There is an orange tabby in my lap right now, and that makes me happy.