Hello Again

First I'd like to say congrats to all the newly promoted black belts! It was awesome sharing the past year with you even though I was not able to be around as much as I liked. I always find the banquet so motivational and am always so happy to see everyone progress.

This will be my fourth year on the I Ho Chaun team. I'm not sure I'll ever not be on the team. My journey has come with some very unexpected results. Following the program I was faced with many of my weaknesses and with that came self realization. I had no idea how many things in my life both physical and mental were related very directly with anxiety disorders. How many opportunities I've missed, how sick I would get, my anger issues, among others. I had tried last year to help myself naturally without the greatest of results, so after many doctor's visits I am now on anti-anxiety medication to help the neurotransmitters in my brain to function correctly. I'm not one who easily takes medication but in my case it's necessary. The fight or flight response in my brain reacted to small situations as if I were under attack by an army of polar bears. I've been on the medication about a month and a half and feel much better. I had really bad insomnia at first but that seems to be levelling off. I'm definitely not yet ready to perform or do a demo in front of anybody yet but the possibility of doing it feels a bit more attainable. I don't expect to find the magical cure overnight.

This year I will be challenged to reach an achievable balance between university courses, work and being on the team. I'm going to try to do my best to be more open with what I'm doing as I will be away for some time but yet want to still stay engaged with my training. I'm going to try to stay consistent. I will be away Thursday nights until April due to some courses but after that I should be able to arrange my schedule to different days of the week. Getting back into some regular classes will help too. It's been over a year since I've been able to do that, I'm going to be really rusty come Monday morning. Eep!

Thanks to everyone who has come to talk to me over the past year as I've spend my time as a bench warmer. It's been appreciated more than you know.

See you at the kwoon!

Half A Step In

As the time for me to meet the program coordinator for the U of A came closer, panic set in. I've been out of school so long, am I going to be able to do this. I mean, my grammar is terrible and I don't remember math and basic chemistry. I paced back and forth, my heart racing wondering if I should even bother going. After 4 hours of pacing I figured, what did it hurt, I wasn't registering for anything yet just by going to this appointment. So, after getting off the lrt a stop early with the intention of turning around to go home and getting lost into what I felt was a giant cornfield maze, I stumbled forward and made it to my appointment. I got the course times, got the prices, got the register info and got a copy of the syllabus for the first course I'd be taking. Low and behold, what do I see? A graded class P.R.E.S.E.N.T.A.T.I.O.N...I could feel my heart jump through my throat. Oh. Heck. No! Better yet, it was scheduled for my birthday. Well, sadly, I chickened out and didn't register for the course. Dissappointed in myself I found the next class I can take which starts February 23rd. I'm going to force myself to go back and just do it. No chickening out this time. Regardless how terrifying this is for me.

This will work with my kung fu schedule as well. My initial class would be Tuesday and Thursday evenings, but only until March. 31st, after that, my courses would mostly be on Saturdays and Sundays or online at my own pace. Which means I'd be available for Monday morning classes and Thursday evening I Ho Chaun classes.

I hope I can do all this.

Here We Go...

The last year and a half haven't been much fun. I was getting tested for cancer, in and out of hospitals with crazy stomach pains, diagnosed with anxiety and depression, laid off twice once right before Christmas and 10 days ago got t-boned, ended up with whiplash and still don't have a vehicle. So what to do? Curl up under a rock and hide? I'm not going to lie, I wanted to and did in fact spend months and months not venturing out into the world unless I absolutely had to. I realize I can't live life like this and am working really hard inside my head to change things.

So here's what I've done so far;

I joined the monkey team. Even though I haven't really been to kung fu, I still need the team to ground me. Even showing up when I can to watch class or take part of the meetings helps. I like you people and you can't get rid of me.

I am also going to university...EEP!!!! I am so scared about this...like I want to vomit on my shoes scared... I've been out of school since 1997. Since I got layed off and am now only working part time, I have the option of going to the U of A part to full time and the classes work around my work schedule and I already got the funding. I just need the bravery.

Now, how on earth am I going to make this work? Seriously? How?...not rhetorical...any advice would help. Work, school, I Ho Chaun...Am I mental? Well, I guess my previous blogs answer that one but for the first time I'm jumping in with both feet without months of preparation. I'm a planner, not a doer, other people do and I live vicariously through them. Heck, I don't even know if I'll be able to pay the bills...seriously...I may have to move in with one of you. I hope you like cats. And, skateboarding from Edmonton to Stony Plain may be my only option to get to a class. I should probably learn how to skateboard.

Ready or not, here I come.

It's Been Awhile

Well, it's been awhile. Awhile since I've blogged and awhile since I've been to class. Without complaining or making excuses, I'll simply say, things have not been easy. It's taken me awhile to accept that I am mentally ill...and especially had a hard time seeing everyone after publishing my last blog. Apparently I've been "mentally ill" for longer than I thought. Things I've been experiencing my entire life I thought were just normal. Apparently not so much. I always knew I was an anxious person and knew I had a mild case of OCD, but the rest of it I didn't know. I do have anxiety disorders worse than I thought and the whole depression thing, I haven't been able to cope with dealing with it very well. Hiding it, easy, most people, even the ones closest to me have no idea. Wake up, slap a grin on your face, walk out the door or fake sick and don't leave your house at all. Dealing with it in a real way isn't so easy. I was supposed to go to therapy but didn't go, I totally didn't want anything to do with it. Talking about it is difficult, people think that people with depression just aren't grateful, not true. I promise you that isn't true, I am extremely grateful. Also, being real about my issues makes me feel like that negative person. I'm not that either. I also learned that I'm not an angry person, it's a reaction to the anxiety. Control the anxiety, control the anger. It's a vicious circle not many people wish to discuss because they just wish it would go away. Sigh...Well, I'm going to have to get used to talking about it if I'm going to get the help I need. Maybe I'll attempt therapy again, I'm just not ready yet.

I still think about kung fu even though I altogether stopped practicing. I haven't been to a regular class for over a year, been months since an I Ho Chaun class. I will come back eventually, however it definitely becomes easier not to when you've been away for so long. I joined the Monkey team, so I can't completely disappear.

I will mention, I haven't yet drowned my sorrows in bacon. It's been over a year now since I've eaten meat...hmmmm...maybe it's my lack of bacon making me depressed...something to ponder. :) Just kidding, it's actually easy now and I like it a lot. Most people haven't got used to not getting me the Keg giftcards for special occassions yet, but I'm pretty sure Josh likes it, since he ends up getting to spend them while I sit there being THAT girl on a date that just orders a salad, assuring everyone that I do in fact actually eat. I even eat broccoli now. I HATED broccoli, but darn it if it isn't delicious roasted with olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Mmmmmm...broccoli. Ok, seriously, I need to go make some broccoli.

Anyway, that's it for now.
See you at the kwoon.

Your Own True Self

I've failed to accept myself as I am for a very long time now. Doctors have suggested to me a few times, along with people who know me that I suffer from anxiety and depression. The anxiety part is difficult to hide and slightly easier to talk about, the depression part not so much. You don't want to tell people how hard you struggle to get out of bed. That you don't care if a semi were to run you over on your way home from work. You don't want people to know, because you don't want to feel that way yourself. In my mind I am very aware of all the things I should be grateful for. I am very aware of how beautiful mother nature is and all the great people I have in my life, however, my brain doesn't allow me to enjoy it for very long. 95% of the physical ailments I have been experiencing are caused by these mental ailments. It's a pretty vicious circle. The more my brain glitches the worse my stomach and muscles hurt, the more I don't leave my home, the more I lie about what's wrong, the more I lie to people and say I'm fine, the more I don't participate in regular activities, the more I sit on the bench. It definitely is like waking up from one nightmare to another. I also know other people think of me as a negative person that just complains all the time. I assure you, I don't want this, nor do I want to be perceived that way. It's so easy to drown yourself in drugs and alcohol so you don't feel anything anymore and I know why people do that. I haven't really been to any of my regular classes in over a year, I'm anxious about coming back. Right now I'm available to attend Mondays, but I still haven't gone in favor of my bed and a book. I've preferred to be alone. Realizing how close I actually am to becoming the dreaded cat lady, I've agreed to allow my doctor to book me for therapy. I wish I wasn't embarrassed to talk about it. Stomach hurts, head hurts, throat hurts...accepted...You say you're brain is malfunctioning and people avoid you like you have the plague.

Juggling

I found a new job. So now I'll be working 2 jobs. I'm lucky and grateful that the both are willing to share me with each other. Not many companies are willing to do that. This is good in a way. I was getting pretty overly content with the position I'm in. I have a routine and that routine, although comfortable, isn't very challenging anymore. Now I'll be doing something different with different people and on my feet all day, which will be great for the kilometres. I will still have the same amount of work at my first job, just now I'll have to get it all done in 2 days. I'm a bit nervous I'm over extending myself, but we'll see. I will have to just make sure that I balance everything the best I can to make sure work, my personal life and Kung Fu all meld together and nothing takes a back seat. The next while will be a struggle as I figure out my new responsibilities and routine, but I think I'm up for the challenge. Things are about to get a bit crazy. Wish me luck!

5 km... Oh Dear...

I'm always pretty embarrassed at how bad my cardio is. I've never been someone who ever had a desire to run. However, I guess it's the best way to develop endurance. There's a few races in Edmonton that actually seem like fun and I'd actually like to try them. Next summer I'd like to run Color Me Rad and then do the Zombie Run in the fall. Today I downloaded the free Couch to 5km app and went for a jog/run. I'm not going to lie, I felt like crap. I know my posture must've been wrong because my shins and calves hurt, so I have to get some advice on that, and I felt really weak afterward. The app is an eight week program so I'm going to keep going with it as I'm sure it will get way better. Why else would so many people do it.