Back to my roots

I'm back to the home I was born in. It is very intersting seeing and using items that I was around while growing up. Today we also visited my dad's grave.

This is where my roots are. This is where my base is. It feels great to visit here again and reflect on everything that shaped me the way I am and whom built my core values.

Just like training in Kung Fu, we all need to know our base, our foundation.

Mastery

One of my biggest challenges yet was to memorize Mastery by Stewart Emery. I was never good in memorizing and even-though I've been speaking English for many years, it is not my native tongue and it is harder for me to read or write in English.

This was not an easy task. I tried to find what is the best way, for me, to be able to memorize it.

I was thinking about some of the theory we teach the kids in the Advanced Black Dragons. The first that came into mind was the 100 times theory. You do something properly 100 times and then you will know how it is done - muscle memory, right? Well, I started with reading M
astery as much as I could. At home, at work, while working out. I was understanding the content but I still didn't feel I was going to be able to memorize it.


Goal setting: set a goal, set a plan (and get a success coach), keep consistent action, review your plan and review your goals. I know what my goal is... I made a plan to read every morning, at lunch break and in the evening while doing plank or in horse stance. I was taking consistent action and every few days reviewing my progress. I knew I had to change something as I was not progressing as fast as I was supposed to. I decided to break down the goals into mini goals. Tackle one paragraph at a time. That seemed to help as I got half of the first paragraph memorized.

Another theory concept - how to learn for exam? "creative repetition and consistent review". Find different ways to study and keep studying. I was already reading it. I recorded my self and started listening to my self narrating it on the drive to work. I also made a recording with gaps in between sentences so I can repeat after the narrator.

The first paragraph was the hardest. Then the second one was the hardest. The third was a bit confusing but I think I got the confidence of "I'm able to do this". Then came the 4th and it was the new "hardest". I think I spent the most time on this one while keeping tab on the first three.

I finally got it memorized. My kids are running away from me whenever I start "Mastery in our career...". But I still face the toughest challenge - the test. I'm going to be so nervous that I might black out completely.

More theory help - how to relax: breath, pressure points... DON'T PANIC!!!

Why am I here now?

This is from an exercise we did in the morning class few months ago. I've just found it in my KF bag. We were asked to write down the reasons "why we joined Kung-Fu?" and then write down the reasons "why am I here now?".

Reasons why I joined Kung Fu
When my son joined the Lil-Leopards at the age of 3, he was so shy that I decided to join Kung Fu in order to motivate him and to be able to help him in his training.

Reasons why I'm still in Kung Fu

1. I'm still in it to be able to help my kids. My son is a brown belt (I'm so proud) and the girls are taking their first steps and going to catch up fast.
2. I realized Kung Fu is a great tool to increase my fitness level.
3. Kung Fu helps me to stay healthy (physically and mentally).
4. This is a great family activity. Now when the whole family is engaged, we can spend time together and train at the same time. I'm so happy my wife is engaged in it too.
5. I realized that I enjoy teaching. It is not easy as I'm nervous standing in front of crowds (especially kids) but I was able to learn how to overcome this fear.
6. Kung Fu is helping me to set goals and to work on being successful. Trying my best.
7. The kwoon is a great place to find friends.

...there might be more, but these are the reasons I wrote down when we did the exercise. 

Never Again

We are so focused on ourselves. I think it is natural to make sure you are safe, to make sure your family has a roof over their heads and food to eat, to help a friend that is in need but are we blinding ourselves from the rest of what is happening around us?

Today is the Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel and many people are remembering the horrors that happened during that time and vowing to not let it happen again.

Opening our eyes to what is happening around the world and we will see so many horrific events happening in almost any place we live in.

Sometimes I feel helpless knowing that there is nothing I can do to help out. I’m wondering if this is how people felt back then and what motivated people to scarify their lives in order to protect values they believed are important.

I know I can’t change the whole world but I’m hoping that with any little act of kindness that I do, with every contribution to a cause, I am changing something to the better and making the world a better place to live in.