Just give me an hour

Sometimes all it takes is one hour. One hour of "give it everything you've got'...sweat till you drop, "leg shaking" training to put your head right again.
I have been bummed out a little bit by the amount of time that my job has consumed since I came back from holidays but today I feel like I put myself back on track by simply applying my self to train intensely.

Of course, this doesn't mean I can relax tomorrow!.. but I sure feel like I have my momentum back again.
So, if you are having one of those weeks where you cant train everyday, try cutting out an hour here and there during the week but make every minute count, it could do wonders for the head space!

Feels like a Tidal Wave

Our vacation seems like a distant memory now (sigh).
I came back and hit the ground running at work but that was no surprise.
It seems to be in our nature, when we get busy, to push so much to the side and focus on just one thing that ends up consuming most of our time and perhaps burning us out.
I did just that this week. I neglected my training, physically working out even, did not eat well and probably because of that did not sleep well.

Spent most of the days trying to catch up at work and put out "fires".
So here it is Friday, I'm tired, didn't practice anything martial arts wise and I feel like crap.

A person needs to remind themselves , when we neglect or push to the side the things that act as the foundation to our well being the "work" that we put as a priority suffers as well too. It becomes more quantity than quality, in my opinion.

If we are balanced at the foundation (diet, sleep, physical activity) our mind can only benefit. Our decisions are more clear, we become more productive in what we are trying to accomplish.and there is a sense of balance as opposed to feeling overwhelmed.

I am pretty sure , everyone understands this concept, but today, I needed to put it into words in front of my eyes to remind myself and to adhere to my on advice.

Surfing has been a blast so far, I wish I could do it more but its all about location! The photos are  day One of surfing in Maui. The weather was actually not that great for our first day of surfing . It was overcast, cool and the surf was down, but...since it was our first crack at it....it was still great!
The Instructor for my lesson of surfing was from Mexico and had been surfing for 20 years. She was excellent, all you had to do was listen to what she said, and it worked. She said teaching had its challenges when you are only with someone for 2 hours and they decide they have it figured out in 20 minutes. I could understand that.
We did really well with our first day of surfing, I am quite confident my years of training with center and balance with kung fu played into my success. Of course, for some who are 8 years old , some things just come naturally(I hate 8 year olds!! :))

Once I  was left to my own devices I realized the true challenge of surfing. 

Its the Ocean. Its unpredictable. The experience of reading it, knowing when the right wave is coming, knowing the timing to catch a wave, knowing when the wave is more than you can handle or maybe its just a dud.

Its very addictive, always saying to yourself ...OK ..one more wave and then I am going in. Next thing you know, the morning is gone and your arms are tired of paddling.

Talking to some of the locals, you realize its a hobby to some, its a lifestyle to others and you see how its yet a religion to the dedicated.

It  reminds me of the marital arts. 

Very cool.