Adaptability....Real life Kung Fu

This week at the 9 am class, Sifu Brinker talked about adaptability and style Vs function.  What never ceases to amaze me is what we learn in the Kwoon is so useful in real life.  I think so many people look at martial arts as either just self defence training, kicks or punches.  I also think for some people that is just fine if that's what they want to get out of their training.  However if you really embrace Kung Fu and what our school really teaches then you are going to not only improve your kicks and punches but you are going to improve your life skills as well.  What I love the most about our school is this aspect of training.  The aspect of taking what we learn out of the kwoon and into the world.  However this is not for everyone and I have spoken with people that don't like to have to do this and only want to come for the work out.  I guess that is fine but you are not really going to get the most out of your training in my opinion.

I rambled on a bit there and never really talked about what motivated me to write this blog.

In my work life, I am the regional sales manager for most of western Canada.  We have a major distribution center that we just built in Calgary and I have a small sales office in Edmonton.  Here is where the adaptability comes in.  The GM in Calgary has instructed me to shut the sales office and move to work out of our house.  I have two reps including my self that share the office in Edmonton.  I find that by having a common space it allows us time to meet as a group in a private and comfortable setting.  This allows us to share experiences and ideas and grow as a team.  With the shut down of the office I am fearing that we are going to lose that connection. 

I have just realized that my fears could be justified if  I don't adapt.  I could work from my home and become bitter and disconnected from my team in Edmonton or I could embrace this change and adapt.  Before Kung Fu I am pretty sure that I would have gotten bitter with my company and resisted the change.  Now I see things more clearly.  Why put so much negative energy into something I can't change?  Why not take the negative energy and circle it around (Kung Fu again) and put a positive spin on it by adapting and embracing this change?  That is what I am going to do.  I am going to find creative ways to connect with my team such as weekly breakfast meetings, perhaps do some hands on baking training with a customer with my team present which is a win win for the customer and my team.

There are so many ways to adapt to this change and this can only happen if we are in the right state of mind.

Thank you Sifu for continually training our minds and showing us how to take our skills "out of the Kwoon and into the world".

Ian Repay