Year of the Sheep

With one week to go until the year of the sheep closes, I'm reflecting on the year.  It was the toughest year yet for me even though it was the strongest start to a year that I have ever had.  I started out with choosing the double broadswords and developed my first ever form.  I was flying high, I was getting my reps in, blogging and even attending all of my regular classes.

Then things changed in my professional life.  I was offered a promotion to my career that I couldn't pass up.  I was only a year and half into my current role in a brand new industry yet I had proven myself and was been offered an incredible opportunity.  That's when my Kung Fu wheels literally fell off.  They didn't even really wobble they just flew off!  I was traveling every week learning about my new role, spending time with my new team across Western Canada.  Before I knew it it was Christmas and I hadn't spent more than a total of six classes from July until then at the Kwoon.  It's hard to describe the impact that has on ones mental state as well as physical state.  The kwoon and the family has such as strong pull and when your not there you feel guilty for not being there for them.

However I digress as I want to continue explaining how the year of the sheep has affected me for the better.  I learned that ENGAGEMENT is the #1 and only key to success in the I Ho Chuan and in life.  I struggled with staying engaged on the road.  I struggled with reasoning with my self why it was so important to keep doing the push ups and situps.  I can tell you that the blogging, the sit ups and the push ups are the best ways to stay engaged.  I found that when times are tough to share these struggles through my blog.  I found that it was easy to go into silence and not reach out for help, however this was the worst thing I could do.  I did reach out through my blog, through texts with friends of mine on the team just to try and stay engaged.

Finally I learnt this year that this is truly a life long process of mastery.  You can't decide one day to be "all in" and then not the next day.  I found that I needed to fully commit to the process in order to fully appreciate and understand the power that can be found within this journey.  I haven't fully embraced the process yet but I have realized that this is only way that the changes I make will stick for years to come.  

I want to thank all the members of the Sheep team for a great year!

Mr. Ian Repay
Student Of Silent River Kung Fu

Posativity and Attitude

I have read and re read a lot of my recent blogs.  Wow do they have a negative tone to them!  I didn't quite realize how negative they were until I stepped back and re read them. 

I don't feel that I can make the changes to my life and my Kung Fu by having this mindset.  I need to change my perspective on how I look at things.  Even in my darkest places there can be positives as long as I take the time to recognize them. 

Another area where I need to look at things differently is what Steven Covey explain as "sharpening the saw".  In essence it means to do things that are posative both mentally and physically in order to keep our mind and body or "saw" sharp.  I have been neglecting both aspects in my life and I can tell you that my "saw" is pretty dull right now.  However I sharpened the first teeth last night.  I spent the evening with my friend and his family having a wonderful supper and visit.  I also had done something that I hadn't done in years and that was strap on my hockey skates and play some pond hockey.  It was amazing to get back on the ice and play with my friend and his two young sons.  I realized after reflecting on my evening that I have to stop feeling sorry for myself and start to do the things that make me happy.  Last night was a first step in shedding my poor attitude and the start of re sharpening my "saw".

Finally, see you on the mats this evening :)

Mr. Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta.

Where is up?

I felt like this year was the year I fell so far down that I'm not sure where up is?  I will say that this is 100% my fault.  I allowed myself to go in this direction and I did nothing to turn it around.  My mind kept and keeps telling me "why start over", "why bother anymore"?  I will admit that I have listened to these voices in my head and I have allowed myself to keep falling.  I know that I'm on a path that isn't good both for my physical and mental state however I can't seem to motivate myself to get off of it.  I am ashamed of where I have let myself get to but am I ashamed enough to do something about it? 

People say that smoking is the hardest thing to do.  I can't speak to that as I haven't smoked.  However I have also heard that people will fail to quite unless they are ready.  What does that exactly mean?  Does something have to happen in thier life physically like a stroke to jolt them into making the decision to quite for the betterment of thier health?  I look at myself and see that I'm not healthy physically or mentally like I want to be.

But I'm scared to do something about it.  I'm not sure if scared is the right word to describe this but am I ready to quite the lifestyle of poor eating, no exercise and no mental exercise?  I am ready to give up a life of mediocrity?  I don't know and I am ashamed to admit that as that is what our journey in this program is all about.  I actually have spent the better part of the year going in the opposite direction embracing the thing we are trying to get rid of.  So why am I where I am right now?  I thinks because its the easier path to follow.  The path of least resistance is easy to follow and I haven't been ready to put the work in, change my thinking and re commit to the process. 

I have to.  I have to change.  I have begun to change by writing this blog today.  I have taken the first step and I will take the next one and the next. Change must start with me.  One step at a time.

Mr. Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu

Not sure what to say but so much to say

This last couple of months have been the hardest two months that I have had to face as it affects my training.  I haven't been home except the weekends (sometimes only Sunday) and have been traveling non stop.  My training has ceased in every way possible from simple push ups to blogging. 

I'm exhausted to say the least. I need a break and after I get back from Winnipeg this week I'm taking the next two weeks off.  I will be back at the kwoon this Friday for what feels like years ago that I was last there. 

I want everyone to know that I haven't quit, I haven't given up but I also haven't been there for the team through my blogging like I should have.  No excuses for that and I own that 100%. 

The struggles I face are staying engaged.  It's not for lack of tools and direction on how to do this from many of you that have managed to stay engaged while being away.  It comes down to me and what I want.  It's a mental state and it comes down to discipline and priorities.  I struggle with these two things.  I know what I need to be doing but I don't want to take the steps to move myself in that direction.  Thinking about doing it and actually doing it are two very different things. 

I can't tell you all how excited I am to be coming back on Friday.  I am going to use this time to re charge with all the posative energy and carry that into the new year. 

Best regards,

Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu

Quitting...almost and the motivation to continue

Yes I quit the I Ho Chaun, almost.  I gave up and quit doing anything and I mean anything.  I haven't done a push up or a sit up for almost two months.  I gave up on the team and I'm not proud of it but I convinced myself that this was only about me.  Every day I convinced myself that I shouldn't go to class because there were more important things like watching a football game, baseball game , just anything but going to class.  It was easier to do this than convince myself that I should get myself to class.  Most of the time I had been away from home for weeks on end and then the week I was at home it was easier to stay home.  Day after day it became easier to convince myself not to come to class.  I became lazy, I became out of shape and overweight.  Both mentally and physically I gave up.

Now here is the almost part.  I still logged into Google + and I read and I read and I read some more.  I read some great blogs and some great posts.  However this wasn't enough to get myself to class.  What has turned this around for me happened last night.  I went to watch my daughter ride in a lesson with her horse.  She was in a special lesson with an instructor from Germany she had never met before.  The lesson was tough to watch as he made my daughter work really hard and she was physically and mentally struggling.  I could see that she was angry, upset and wanted to quit.  She didn't.  She pushed hard and fought to keep going.  I was literately brought to tears not only to see her persevere but tears of shame for myself that I had done the opposite. 

I have failed so many times and have had to pick myself up both physically and more recently mentally that at times its difficult to become motivated.  You sometimes get motivation from the most unexpected places.

Thank you Haleigh for the motivation to continue my Kung Fu journey.  You effort and determination has inspired me more than you know.

Mr. Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta  

Re charged

When I walked through the doors to the kwoon today in felt some ways like the first day I was a white belt.  That feeling was there because I have been away for quite a while due to work.  However quite soon after, it felt like home due to the "family members" that reached out and welcomed me back.  It's hard to explain to people who aren't part of the kwoon that the kwoon is home.  Those that do understand this, understand how important it is in our lives. 

Being part of the meeting today was amazing.  I got to see my family again and got to re charge my batteries.  I am away again for the better part of the next two weeks in Salt Lake City, Utah with work.  So to re connect like I did was so important.  To listen to each family member share their journey helped me to understand mine.  We each have our own journey but we are all connected at the same time.  We are all working toward mastery and the road isn't a smooth one.  However days like today smoothen out that road just a little bit more.

I am energized and will not let the "fog" creep into my life.  I am going to keep moving forward with a renewed perspective thanks to the meeting with my family today.

Mr. Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta

Family

I have been reading a lot of blogs from our team that talks about where they go or do to recharge and re connect.  Quite a number of our team take to the mountains, the back country or just lose themselves in a good book. 

I thought I would share where I lose myself and re connect.  It's with my family at home.  At this point in my life that's where I go to re connect and re center myself.  I got married and had kids as a teenager and I can tell you that I wasn't the best father or husband as I should have been.  I wasn't mature enough to understand that my personal life and feelings were less important than those of my family.  I was selfish and self centered full of ego and bravado.  As I got older and experienced some pretty big and epic disasters in my personal life which I must say where totally my own doing.  I have matured and learnt from those experiences and I am so blessed to still have my family beside and behind me. 

So when I'm down and out and feel like life has me by the tail, I turn home and recharge and re center myself with my family and in my home.  Life couldn't be better and I'm blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Mr. Ian Relay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta.