Another great day!

I truly enjoyed Canada Day, and all the demos and busyness that goes with it. The migraine I started with didn’t get a foothold and that allowed me to be present in the moment all day. I am proud of everyone who was there - everyone looked great, and the lion dance and dragon were a hit. Regardless of the extra challenge posed from the awesome wind, it was a huge success.

Thanks to everyone who helped set up, and who dedicated their time. I enjoyed spending the day with you.

Ack! There’s pepperoni on my back?

No, I did not lay on a bed of meat. I had an acupuncture appointment and had cupping done. However, when my daughter glanced at my back, she said it looked like I had pepperoni on it and started laughing her butt off.

Well, it’s all part of my self care. I have tried many things to help ease my fibromyalgia symptoms, and a few have helped a little temporarily. But the acupuncture and cupping are what is helping the most for me to get a decent nights sleep.

Self care is so important, not only when we are training in Kung Fu, but in our everyday lives. It’s so easy to get caught up in a hurricane of stuff, but we cannot sustain that kind of a pace without consequences. Taking a day off once a week from your requirements to allow your body to rest is vital. Taking time to shut off your electronics and unplug from the world for a little is vital for your mind. Connecting with your family in person is vital for your soul.

Self care means reaching out when you are struggling. It’s recognizing where you are, and what you need. Self care can be hard, as we don’t always recognize when we need it. But looking out for each other, goes a long way.

Family

Family is important to me. And I am grateful to have an amazing family. Both my Kung Fu family and the ones I am related to.

I was invited to a baby shower yesterday, for someone in my new family. I had a lot of anxiety because I have only met the new mom a couple of times, and while I did know my mother in law would be there, I was still way out of my element. Every part of me wanted to stay home, but I knew that I would have regrets. And I am so glad that I pushed myself, as it was a great day.

If I let my anxiety or my depression win, I wouldn’t be where I am today. ( but sometimes it does win) If I didn’t have my family that believed in me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. It is easy to take the path that allows us to stay in our comfort zone. However it doesn’t allow us the opportunity to grow.

Our demos can be intimidating to perform in. But if we avoid trying, we will have difficulty in overcoming them. Our Kung Fu family is all about supporting and encouraging each other. Let’s cherish that and grow together.

Take aways

One of the highlights from this past weekend was our lion dance and demo for the seniors in Stony Plain. They were very engaged and seemed to really appreciate our presence. I had the chance to speak with a few of them, and it reinforced how much we can learn from them. It was also a reminder to be in the moment as much as I can so life doesn’t just slip by.

Where am I and what am I doing?

Acts of kindness and gratitude are two things that can help us to stay in the moment, or return to the present moment. They require us to be mindful of what we are doing in that very instance and it is very grounding. Being mindful can be difficult but it’s not impossible. It takes a little discipline to stop, breath deeply, and remember where you are and what you are doing.

I neglected to do this during the parade and our demo and I regret it. I was on auto pilot and I feel like I missed out on something amazing. I promise I won’t do this on Canada Day!

Family

Yesterday was about family and community. It was about kindness. It was about supporting each other, and it was about having fun. It was both a finale and a beginning to raising awareness and making change.

I am sure that what we have in our school isn’t unique, but it is something that I really appreciate and cherish. The Pandamonium reminds me of what we can accomplish together, and how we can change the world.

Thanks to everyone who was involved, whether you were there for 5 minutes or the whole day. Thanks to everyone who organized, who volunteered, who gave a piece of themselves. It wouldn’t have been a success without you.

Shazaam!

I know that if I don’t write this now, it probably won’t get done this week. So while my head hurts and I am trying to feel motivated, I figured I should just write. I’m not sure where this post will lead, but I am sure it will go somewhere. It’s like our journey. In order for it to evolve in any way, we have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Train when you don’t feel like training. Write, when you don’t feel like you have anything of worth to say. Do something kind when you are in a bad mood.

When life is sitting on us, and it feels like we can’t move, somehow our hearts keep beating, and our lungs keep breathing. So keeping that in front of me, I trust that if I keep moving forward, keep as positive as I can and keep my mentors close by, I can achieve achieve anything. My journey will unfold. Maybe not as I thought it would, but that’s where the hidden gems lie. If you keep showing up, eventually you will be in the right place at the right time and something wonderful will happen.

And something wonderful did happen. This post practically wrote itself, and all I had to do is sit down and start typing. High five!