“living life skillfully”

Today I read a comment on Tom Callos’s Facebook page and it went like this:

“Sure like what you and the New Way Network are doing with Martial Arts not by teaching “life skills” but by living life skillfully and inspiring others to to the same thing.”

That is when it struck me.  The role I have taken on in the community is one of “living life skillfully” and being an example of this to others.  So I thought I would share with the world what I wrote up as my purpose in life.

My purpose is to use my enthusiasm and patience to teach and lead others to be their best physically, mentally and spiritually for the good of themselves and others.

To do that better I need to share more of my life with everyone and let them see what I am working on and how I am doing with those goals.  You will also see the areas I struggle with and how I either persevere and get through it or fail and start over.   Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone in the world was working on themselves and helping others do the same.

I hope to set an example and others will join me.  I could use the help with my physical workouts and having others to talk to that are interested in the same goals of supporting, inspiring, teaching and leading others to bring out the best in themselves.

A quest to mastery

The purpose of the UBBT 6 is to grow in our quest to mastery.  Mastery not just of the physical skills, but really mastery of life.  This week in my post on the UBBT site I talked about the Mastery Quote that we are assigned to memorize.  The one section of this post was especially reaching me this past couple of weeks, dealing with our attitude towards masters and ourselves.

10 ways to get into routine (or back on your routine)

It has been very hard for me to get back into my routine.  I have moments when everything feels like it is getting there and then there is a breakdown and I feel completely disconnected again.  Does Hawaii do that to you or is it something else?  When we come back from summer vacation it can be a releif that there is more routine in our lives.  Use this time to re-establish your personal routine to a better you.

To get back into routine there are some simple steps to take:

Hawaii trip

I am on a trip to visit with Tom Callos and a couple of the others who are a part of UBBT 6. So far it has rained a bit everyday but not like the last time I was here. This is the complete opposite of any martial arts convention I have ever been too. There is none of the ego – “how many schools, students, cars, money” – do you have and just some honest talk about how to improve ourselves, school and students.

Determining my pupose in life

For the past couple of weeks I have been revisiting what it is that I am trying to accomplish.  What is my purpose for being on this earth?   Am I headed in the correct direction to do well with that purpose?  It has been a process.  Yesterday I finally was able to write down what I believe my purpose to be and so here it is.

Physical activity creates a better you!

The following is the note I made in my physical journal.  I changed something up in my way of approaching my sets and biking.  I have been alternating biking and doing my push ups and sit ups so  that I am able to get 10 miles or more on the bike and my 5 sets in between.  It is giving me a good workout prior to the rest of the routine.

About the story

If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem wonderful at all. Michaelangelo

End the week on a high note

After a week of feeling a bit on the down side, we had some students come in and really act as a pick me up for me.  Everett Cortes in one day did

Down days

This has been an interesting month.  First I had my 55th birthday. There was a great write up in the paper, like never before.  It was great press.  Then I found out I will need hip replacement at some point.  Even though I had a great start to the month physically and feel very strong, I just started feeling a bit down and like I had reached a limit that I could not go past.  Things started to slow down a bit for me.

I am feeling some pressure and worry about different parts of my own life.  I worry about the school and the direction I need to go.  But more important I want to live up to everything I want to be.  At times I have so many things that I want to do that nothing gets done.  Has anyone else ever felt that way?

So the last 2 days have not been my best.  I know that it is time to stop feeling sorry for myself or allowing my own negative thoughts to bog me down, and get on with what is important to me.  (Oh by the way, maybe I should make a list of what is important to me and then work on those things.)  If only we had the knowledge and wisdom that we get when we are older – when we were young.  I’m going to get this life thing down soon!

Ultimate Black Belt Test 09 is half over

I cannot believe that I have not put anything up on this journal for this length of time.  It just shows that we really are creatures ( or at least I am) one that needs to be scheduled and sometimes prodded to do what we commit to do.

The month of June was one of my best physically and we were able to get the new improved website up for our students and all of those that are following our journey.  It may not have been the best month for the student members and I realize my responsibility to keep encouraging them along.  They have been a rock for me in many ways and I really appreciate having them there to help me out with the things you cannot do by yourself and to prod me too.

So the numbers are here at this link.  Totals for the 6 month time frame is here.

June Numbers

Total Numbers

So where do we go from here?  I have a lot that I want to accomplish in the next 7 months.  I am at 5 sets of 65 with my push ups and sit ups.  That is good.  I have not started my boxing or scheduled the self defense course.  That is bad.  I want to get some Kali in and have not started that yet.  That needs to get going very soon.  I am still struggling with getting all the miles in, though June was pretty good on its own.  Acts of Kindness are not getting recorded properly and I need to set the lead in that, especially with this school year coming up and the push I want to make in the school system.

So there is a lot of work to do.  Last Child in the Woods project, teacher instruction, new database with all of our drills in them, the I am project, Living Hero’s etc…

It takes a great deal of focus and concentration to live the life of a master.  I must take one day at a time and do my best every day.  I am still working on the focus thing.  How about you?  Would you focus with me for a month on one thing that we can all do better?  That is how I shall approach the end of this year knowing that I have next year and the Live Like a Champion coming up.  I would love to have you with me on that journey.  We can do more together than we can do alone.  Join me!