Best recovery wishes

Feels really bad when a friend is suffering and I can't help. I'm reaching out but I don't know how to help him.

It is very sad for me to see a person I enjoy being with, in that state where he is not able to spend time with anyone due to his condition. I hope he can recover soon and be back on his feet.

Best recovery wishes!!!

Home

I spend time at the kwoon. I enjoy being there and I feel it is my second home. So many hours spent at the kwoon with my family and friends. Why can I call it home? Because I make sure it is maintained as my (real) home is. Keep it functional, clean.

The kwoon maintenance week is always a great way to get connected with the kwoon and make it your home. The more you help out and take initiative the more it will benefit your training and your journey to black belt.

This year there are no major renovations but there is still the need to do our yearly deep cleaning. There is also going to be a potato bake on Thursday (September 1st from 6pm to 9pm). What a great way to get to know other people who train at SRKF and have some fun with a bone fire!

Routine

After we got to the farm, we got the instructions of what we should do and when we should do it.

Waking up early, the morning chores are supposed to be fro 6:30 to 9:00. Now with my technical mindset and with changing the order of few things (and the fact it is the 2 of us doing the work) we  reduced the time it take for the morning chores from 6:50 to 7:30.

That made me think about the hectic life most of us have. While at home I wake up earlier, go to bed later, busier all day.

As busy as I am in my normal life, I think I manage due to a routine that I have established. Deviating from the routine due to a stat holiday, vacation or work is making Nguyen it so much harder to keep the high pace I'm going at.

I love my routine as it helps me to stay active and alert as well as allowing me to accomplish many things at work, at home and at Kung Fu.

Be prepared

Again and again I'm reminded that you always need to be prepared. Who would think to go on a camping trip for a week without rain gear, a hat, warm clothes. If it is nice and sunny now, it does not mean it is going to stay the same.

Being prepared for a fight (or not to fight) is the same thing. The fact that it is calm now... You need to be prepared to the possibility that someone will come after you. Being aware of your changing surrounding and having a plan for different scenarios.

Today I feel very unprepared. Farm sitting and I didn't even think to bring my boots or my rain coat. Now we will have to see how I complete all the morning tasks when it is pouring rain... :-(

Inspiration

 I always wondered what will happen if I got injured and had to be permanently in a wheel chair. Will I still be active and do sport activities? Will I be able to stay positive and enjoy life?

During our camping trip in Writing on Stone provincial park, there was a man in a wheel chair that was camping next to us with his 2 kids. Seeing this man moving around the campground and taking care of his children while having fun was really inspiring.

I think it comes down to how you are approaching your life and how supportive your environment is.

Now the wheel chair was just an example for any difficulty we encounter in life. Our attitude and our surroundings will determine if we will be standing up tall or giving up.

heights.

Fears are hard to overcome. For me, one of the biggest ones is fear of heights. As a kid I used to climb on the trees in my back yard without any fear. Climb on rocks and jump over creeks.

Now days I am so scared that I will hurt my self or die. I know that I'm probably not going to but I just can't get my self to get close to the edge or go higher.

Today at the hoodoos in writing on stone I was trying to follow the kids running around and jumping from on rock to another. I tried to make myself light and stealthy but inside I was heavy and slothie.

Eating and activity balance

With my reduced activity in recent weeks I can really feel the changes in my body. I have less energy and I get tired faster during physical activity. But part of getting my back back to order requires me to focus on stretches and mobility.

I love eating. Sweet, salty, sour, did I mention sweet already? Whenever I eat something I know I will regret later, I'm telling myself "I will run it off". But lately it is not happening because I do not run as much. Breaking the eating habit is hard and I'm struggling with temptations and habits. If there is a free doughnut in the office - I must get it. If there is a Tim Hortons on the way home (and for some weird reason, there is one everyday) - I have to get something.

So now I'm 42 (I know most of you were thinking about my age...). My waist size is 42 and I want it down to 39.

I know I have lots of work in front of me. I need to get back into my workout routine without hurting my back. I need to learn new habits and to curve temptations. I think that the first step is for me to acknowledge that I'm not happy with where I am. Now I'm supposed to deliver.