Your Life is Happening Now. (So Taste Your Tea, Dammit!)

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I'm a big fan of tea. Any kind of tea, really, but mostly green teas with subtle natural flavors like jasmine or mint. I find a cup of tea to be a relaxing way of curbing my cream-and-sugar-laden coffee habit.

I have a small iron teapot in my office that I use nearly every day to brew a pot of something. White ayurvedic chai is my favorite, but then there's samuarai chai mate, and snow leopard, and lung ching dragonwell... Let's just say that the folks at Peet's Tea and Teavana have my photo on their respective walls of fame.

Yesterday, while looking for a healthy snack at the local Target, I found myself stopping to pick up a box of Green Ginger tea (yes, I do realize I have a problem, thank you...). As soon as I got back to the office, I grabbed my mug, popped in a new bag of tea, and added the hot water. Seated back at my desk, I took the first sip of the brew while I jumped right back into the endless stream of emails on my screen.

And some time a few minutes later, it hit me: That sip of new and inspiring tea I took a few minutes back? I didn't event taste it.

Yikes! I was so busy doing my work, running on auto pilot, that I didn't even notice the flavor of the new fancy tea I'd just bought. I was totally distracted and unconscious!

Embarrassed, I sat back from my monitor and picked my mug back up. I took a moment to appreciate the mug, and the heat and aroma from the tea it contained. Then I took three long breaths, focused my attention, and slowly sipped my tea, savoring it first in my mouth and then feeling the warmth as it went down my throat.

Geeen tea, yes, But also strong ginger spice, lemongrass, and maybe a bit of pear.

How the hell did I miss all of that?

Pay attention. Your life is happening now.

Join Emerald Necklace Martial Arts for A Night of Healthy Living and Healthy Eating

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOSTON (Allston), Mass., November 14, 2011

On Tuesday, November 22, Emerald Necklace Martial Arts will be sponsoring "A Night of Healthy Living and Healthy Eating" to celebrate the benefits of maintaining a regular fitness regimen while also raising awareness of the benefits of a plant based-diet.

The event will feature a yoga class at 6:30 PM, followed by a vegan potluck meal. At 8:00 PM, the dojo will be screening the movie, "Forks Over Knives,"  a documentary film that highlights the links between the foods we eat and the degenerative diseases that threaten us the most. The evening will conclude with an open discussion about the impact of our food choices and tips for establishing and maintaining healthy eating habits.

"November is a very timely month to be talking about food," says Linda Gregorio, a vegan and a black belt member of dojo who is helping to organize the event. "We're finishing off our Halloween candy. Thanksgiving is approaching. And next will come all those holiday parties at which many of us tend to mindlessly overeat. This is the perfect time to focus on how our eating habits and food choices can play a role in 'self-defense.'"

The event is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring a canned food donation to be delivered to the Greater Boston Food Bank, and healthy vegetarian or vegan dish to share. Any cash donations the dojo receives will go toward offsetting the cost of the screening and any remaining funds will be donated. Please RSVP by contacting the dojo by phone (617-202-3856) or by email.

"This is an important event," says Sensei Jason Gould, Dojo Director and Chief Instructor. "We're trying to spread the word about how what we eat may contribute to diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease -- real killers that we need to protect ourselves from. And at the same time, we can use the event as an opportunity to help those in immediate need by collecting food donations for the hungry. I'm proud of my students for being so creative and ambitious with the projects we engage in to serve the community."

Gould has been conducting traditional karate classes and self-defense programs for adults since October of 2003. The students at Emerald Necklace Martial Arts regularly participate in community service activities as part of their Black Belt training. For more information about Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, please visit their website call 617-202-3856.

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Amazing India!

I've been here in India on a business trip for about a week. I've been busy, busy, busy with very little spare time, but still I've managed to do and see some interesting things.

I've been to Bangalore Palace, and I was also invited to spend some time at a local Hindu Temple devoted to Ganesha, my coworkers here have been very generous with their hospitality. I've been eating far too much, but doing some fairly intense training to balance things out!

Today I'm heading out early with two colleagues from the office on a day trip down to a place called Mysore, about 3 hours ride by car. We're planning to see Mysore Palace, the temple at Chamundi Hills, and maybe Jaganmohan Palace and St. Philomena's Church.

I leave Bangalore tomorrow to head up to Delhi and Agra where the Taj Mahal is. When I have some down time, I'll be sure to post a more detailed blog!

Boston Karate School Joins the Fight Against Blindness

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BOSTON (Allston), Mass., October 25, 2010

At 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 29, a team of walkers from Emerald Necklace Martial Arts, a karate dojo in Boston's Allston neighborhood, will participate in the Boston VisionWalk to benefit the Foundation Fighting Blindness.

This is the third consecutive year that Emerald Necklace Martial Arts has supported the Boston VisionWalk. The Emerald Necklace team will be lead his year by dojo member Jessica Smith, who organized her fellow students as part of her purple belt test. Under Jessica's leadership and guidance, the team has collected nearly $1,300 in donations.

"I require all of my students to demonstrate their character, compassion, leadership ability, and communication skills as part of their martial arts training," says Sensei Jason Gould, Director and Chief Instructor at Emerald Necklace. "Jessica has gone above and beyond in running a successful community service project. She has set a great example for the other members of our dojo to follow."

But to earn her purple belt, Smith had to do much more than community service. She also had to demonstrate her self-defense skills during a rigorous physical test that was held in the dojo. Read more about Smith's purple belt test here.

The dojo team will continue to collect additional donations for the Foundation Fighting Blindness throughout the week. To make a contribution, please visit the dojo's team page here.

Anyone interested in participating in the walk is welcome to meet up with and join the dojo team before the event. The team will be gathering at 95 Everett Street at 9:30 am on Saturday October 29. Directions to the dojo can be found here.

To learn more about Emerald Necklace Martial Arts and the work they do in the Greater Boston community, please visit the dojo website or contact Sensei Jason Gould at 617-202-3856.

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Gratitude for "My Marching Orders"

Many years ago, my parents would try to encourage me whenever I was down or facing tough times by giving me a card containing a few words of wisdom and encouragement. They tended not to give me any direct advice or face-to-face lectures (I, being stubborn, wouldn't have listened to them anyway), but somehow the written or printed word always seemed to do the trick. My parents knew exactly what they were doing.

Recently, while cleaning out some boxes in the basement to prepare for our family's move to a new home, I came across a box of decades-old letters and cards — mostly unimportant junk that was long overdue for the rubbish bin. But among the debris, I found two identical cards. Gems, really: One was from Mom, and one was from Dad. Each was given to me on separate occasions.

On the front of each the card is a print of what I now lovingly call "my marching orders." My parents, while not lecturing me in person, where telling me exactly what I needed to do:

Believe in Yourself:
Dream freely
Envision excellence
Cherish your creations
Exude enthusiasm
Be inspired
Inspire others
Take pride in you
Recognize inner beauty
Draw on inner strength
Look inside your soul
Create peace
Seek truth
Spread joy
Embark on adventure
Launch new ideas
Think big
Invoke positives
Live fully
Reach out
Aim high
Find happiness
Expect the best
Be the best

Inside the card from Dad was a note hastily scrawled in his messy hand: "I hope this helps a little. Love, Dad". The note from Mom was also terse: "Hang 'tuff." You can do it. Love, Mom".

But between the words and lines, I realize, was the real and unwritten message that my parents wanted to convey: "We love you, We support you. We're here for you. Keep your chin up. You're bigger than the problem you're facing. So, trust, us — you'll get your ass through this."

Thanks Mom and Dad. I love you, too.

I was listening. Really. I have my marching orders. And I try to carry them out every day. And I'll be sure to tell my kids the same thing — in a way that will get through to them when it seems that I can not.

Ready Or Not, Here I Come

Last night — coldly, calmly — I aggressively and deliberately attacked a woman with a very, very sharp knife.

My student Jess (unbeknownst to her) was testing for sanykyu, first stage brown belt, in the dojo. And in the hours before I came at her with the knife, I'd been picking at her form in the dojo all night, and challenging her to perform other self-defense techniques under pressure when I knew she hadn't practiced them in months. I picked at her stance, her body dynamics, her breathing, and her timing. I even broke up the class and asked Jess to teach a small group on her own, and then checked in on her from time to time to "kindly" point out all of her minor flaws so that she wouldn't pass them on to the junior students she was teaching.

So by the time the knife came out, I'm pretty sure I'd already made Jess a "little bit uncomfortable." The look that appeared on her face when I opened the blade to attack her was a familiar one.

Fear.

But despite her fear, Jess held her ground and faced the challenge before her. I knew she was nervous. (Perhaps "terrified" would be a better word.) But I also knew — even if she did not — that she was ready for the attacks. (At least as ready as one could be, anyway.) For we had, over the past several months, rehearsed the defensive techniques in detail dozens and dozens of times in excruciating detail. We started off slowly with a soft rubber knife, then moved on to a wooden one, then a hard plastic one. And at each stage of the progression, I had increased the force and speed of my attacks. So the full-force live blade test was actually the last step in a very logical training process.

I cannot say that Jess performed the techniques flawlessly. I don't think that would even be possible under the circumstances. But controlling her fear, working outside of her comfort zone, and dealing with a genuinely dangerous situation? That was the biggest part of the test. (Oh, and not getting cut, either.) Overall, I'd say Jess performed her knife defenses fairly well: she even inadvertently delivered a pretty strong blow to my head and nearly broke my arm while vigorously defending herself. (Good for her. Not great for me. But sometimes, that is the way of our people.)

After the live blade portion of the test was finished, I had Jess perform a few solo kata in front of a panel of Black Belts, just for good measure. The lesson there? Whatever just happened is in the past. You survived. Now, focus on the present and move forward. (And oh, yes — deal with that nasty, debilitating, adrenaline fueled chemical cocktail that's rushing through your veins, too.)

So today I'm nursing a few bruises, and I'm happy to report that Jess passed the physical portion of her sankyu examination. It was a tough test. But beyond all of these things, I'm more proud of what Jess has done off the dojo floor for to earn her new rank. To demonstrate their leadership ability, compassion, and communication skills, I require all of my students attempting sankyu to conceive of, plan, and lead a community service project. No one gets a Brown Belt from me without showing me their character. Their humanity.

For the third year in a row, Jess is leading a team of dojo members during Boston's VisionWalk to benefit the Foundation Fighting Blindness. So far this year, Jess' efforts have raised more than $1,200, far surpassing last year's accomplishment. She's set the bar pretty high for those who will follow!

Spartan Simplicity of Life and Elevation of Purpose

I've recently discovered the cure for materialism: MOVING. The simple task of packing up all of your stuff into boxes is a sure-fire way to jump-start your appreciation how little you really need to live a full and happy life.

We'll be moving out of our home of nine years next week into a new home just outside the city. The new home is comparable in size to our current one: we'll be losing only 40 square feet or so of living space, but gaining so much more: A quiet street, privacy, a graffiti-free neighborhood, a driveway, a yard. My commute to and from my day job will shrink from twenty miles to just over two, and I'm already excited about gaining several hours of family time every week and the prospect of occasionally biking or running to and from the office. (Yes, a slightly smaller carbon footprint means something to me.)

As much as I'm looking forward to settling in at the new home, the packing process has revealed a lot about my unconscious habits: Even after donating a ton of things we no longer need or use, and after completely filling a junk removal truck with the clutter in the basement, we still have far too much stuff. Naturally, we're keeping a number of things that have sentimental value, and I just can't bring myself to donate some of my books (knowing fully that I'm never going to read them again). We're leaving some of our furniture behind, but there's still too much stuff!

A friend of mine recently quipped that we spend the first half of our lives acquiring junk and the second half trying to get rid of it. So perhaps this is a turning point for me. As Thoreau, would point out, it's time to simplify:

The nation itself, with all its so-called internal improvements, which, by the way are all external and superficial, is just such an unwieldy and overgrown establishment, cluttered with furniture and tripped up by its own traps, ruined by luxury and heedless expense, by want of calculation and a worthy aim, as the million households in the land; and the only cure for it, as for them, is in a rigid economy, a stern and more than Spartan simplicity of life and elevation of purpose.

I feel really good about our new house. It's not too small, and not too big. Looking at an article online today about some wildly outrageous homes in the Greater Boston area, I know for sure that we're not overdoing it. (We couldn't afford to anyway!) For now, I'm planning to use the unpacking process as a second screening: another chance to decide to give away, or toss things that have no value and serve no purpose. After all, when it's time for my final move, I can't take any of this stuff with me.

Nature

A quick update this week:

As an outgrowth of my short nature-filled vacation a couple of weeks ago and my more recent exploration of environmentalism-as-self-defense in my "this I believe" essay, I've been trying to get outdoors more and spend more time enjoying nature and natural elements.

These days, I eat lunch outside whenever possible instead of at my desk; I step outside frequently to get out of the air-conditioning — even on the brutal 100-degree days. I've made it a point to look up more often — both at clouds and at stars (sometimes it's tough to even see them from my home in the city). I've decorated my office with a vase of wildflowers that I hand picked from the far edge of the office parking lot, and I take time each day to listen to the sounds of birds, rainfall, and cicadas.

It feels great.

Today, I've been reading "Nature" by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Magical stuff! Please enjoy this brief excerpt:

First, the simple perception of natural forms is a delight. The influence of the forms and actions in nature, is so needful to man, that, in its lowest functions, it seems to lie on the confines of commodity and beauty. To the body and mind which have been cramped by noxious work or company, nature is medicinal and restores their tone. The tradesman, the attorney comes out of the din and craft of the street, and sees the sky and the woods, and is a man again. In their eternal calm, he finds himself. The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon. We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough.

Now go and get yourself OUTSIDE!

Spending Time in Nature Is Self-Defense

Last week, we took the family on a quick vacation to the White Mountains region of New Hampshire. We did lots of touristy stuff for the kids, of course — time at Story Land, a day out with Thomas the Tank Engine, pony rides, and plenty of time in the swimming pool — but for me (and for all of us, I think), the best elements of the trip were just reconnecting with family and nature.

There were plenty of "animal attractions" at the touristy places: pigs, sheep, and goats aplenty. Not to mention an alpaca or two. But out in the wild, we saw deer, fish, and salamanders. We got bug bites. And at one point, a black bear crossed my path not 30 yards ahead of Ava and me. We saw rainbows over distant mountains and the stars at night. We smelled the pollution-free air, and we listened to waterfalls and to silence. Silence!

The effect that the woods, mountains, and fresh air had on my daughter was nothing short of amazing. Her natural curiosity came out in the form of questions like, "What do bears eat?", "Where do the deer sleep at night?" and "How do you tell the difference between a boy ladybug and a girl ladybug?"

Now, being a former Marine, I've spent a great deal of time out in nature. But it's been some time since my last outing. To be away from the city, away from the urban noises and pollution, and away from traffic and the crush of other people (even just for a few days) — well, it was restorative. And I also noticed that being out in the mountains gave my eyes and vision the chance to stretch all the way out to the real horizon instead of just to the next block of buildings. Even my gaze has softened.

We finished the trip with a quick stop at America's Stonehenge, where we walked amidst a 4,000 year old site where stones are placed to align with the movements of the sun and stars. The site was built accurately long, long before GPS "technology" existed. This was a time when man and nature were truly connected. As I stood at an ancient stone marking sunrise at the summer solstice, I knew that more time "plugging myself in" out in the woods is exactly what I need.

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This blog is part of the Ultimate Black Belt Test Program, which is an undertaking of The 100., and a part of Emerald Necklace Martial Arts in Boston, MA.

Evoking My Inner Hero

If you were a Superhero...

1.What would you be “called” (Your Super­hero name).
2.What attrib­utes — phys­i­cal, men­tal, emo­tional, spir­i­tual (what­ever feels pertinent) — would be your strengths?
3.What would be your great­est chal­lenge? Your “Kryp­tonite”? How would you strive to over­come that?What would your cos­tume look like?
4.And how will you apply becom­ing the Hero, in your own life?

I recently pondered these questions as part of an essay contest for the launch of the Clubbell Hero Evolution fitness program. My answers to the questions are below.
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I do not wish to be called Super­man, or Spi­der­man, or Bat­man, or any­thing of the sort. Me? I choose to be FAMILY MAN:

• A man with the men­tal dex­ter­ity to deal with the simul­ta­ne­ous mul­ti­task­ing of a thou­sand parental and spousal duties: clean­ing the laun­dry, mak­ing lunches, pay­ing the bills, and clean­ing the dishes, while main­tain­ing enough “brain mat­ter band­width” and phys­i­cal endurance to be present and engaged with every mem­ber of the family.
   
• A man with the emo­tional and spir­i­tual for­ti­tude and peer­less char­ac­ter to be an out­stand­ing role model for his chil­dren and a rock for his wife when­ever times get tough.
   
• A man who pos­sesses the phys­i­cal strength and prowess to be the ulti­mate fam­ily pro­tec­tor, with the will and abil­ity to van­quish any and all who dare to threaten those whom he holds dear.
   
• A man with the vision to lead and serve in his com­mu­nity with com­pas­sion, vision, and cre­ativ­ity: help­ing those in need by orga­niz­ing food dri­ves, park clean-ups, neigh­bor­hood crime watches, and more.

In short, I want to be a HERO in the eyes of my fam­ily and my com­mu­nity. And a hero needs to have a strong PHYSICAL lead­er­ship PRESENCE that inspires CONFIDENCE in others.

FAMILY MAN is a man with the endurance and longevity to shine proudly in life’s great­est moments:

FAMILY MAN trains now — mind­fully and with an inten­sity known only to other super­heroes — so that some fif­teen years from now he has ample energy to keep up with life’s ever-increasing pace. (I turn 40 this year. Ten or fif­teen years from now I want to play tackle foot­ball with my son, now just one year old. I want to be able to dance with a spring in my step at my daughter’s wed­ding – she turns 5 this month. And I never want to “retire” from the activ­ity I love the most: mar­tial arts. I’ve seen too many of my mar­tial arts seniors have to cut back due to injury, wear and tear of the joints, poor health, or just plain “old age.” THIS IS NOT THE PATH I CHOOSE.)

FAMILY MAN does not hide behind a mask, but he has cos­tumes for every sit­u­a­tion: cargo pants and old t-shirts for paint­ing and spack­ling; shorts and a wide-brimmed hat for yard work; khakis and a but­ton down shirt for the desk job; and sharp-looking suits for romanc­ing the wife. FAMILY man pos­sesses the men­tal, phys­i­cal, and emo­tional flex­i­bil­ity to adapt to any situation.

FAMILY MAN’S great­est enemy is ENTROPY: an invis­i­ble foe who man­i­fests as toys on the stairs and weeds in the lawn. An insid­i­ous mas­ter of dis­guise who unex­pect­edly shows him­self in such ways as leak­ing hot water heaters, bro­ken down cars that rob the fam­ily of vaca­tions, aging par­ents, and the atro­phy of bod­ies that don’t main­tain an aggres­sive work­out rou­tine to build and main­tain strength, endurance, and sup­ple­ness. Worst of all Entropy reveals itself in the com­mu­nity as neigh­bors who do not know or care for one another.

FAMILY MAN faces Entropy wher­ever it appears with grace, dig­nity, and humor.

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This blog is part of the Ultimate Black Belt Test Program, which is an undertaking of The 100., and a part of Emerald Necklace Martial Arts in Boston, MA.

Learn more about Sensei Jason Gould

Sleep!

If you've followed my journey for any length of time, one thing I'm sure you know about me is that I'm constantly (perhaps chronically) exhausted from a profound lack of sleep. So is my wife, Joy. It's not that we have trouble getting to sleep; no, we just have trouble getting sleep. With a 14 month old son and a young Type-1 diabetic daughter who requires blood sugar checks in the middle of the night, it's tough for either of us to string together more than 3 hours of complete downtime. We know it's not healthy, but it's the job any parent would do for their children.

Whenever we can, my wife and I choose one of us to "take the bullet" and be on watch for the evening so the other can get some rest. Last night we put both kids in our bedroom with Joy, and I trotted down the hall to sleep in my daughters room. No midnight feedings, no blood sugar checks, and no glucose monitor alarms to worry about. I lay down at about 8:30 PM, and I was out in seconds. I vaguely recall Joy coming in at some point to turn off the light.

My eyes popped open at about 5:30 am, and I noticed immediately (for the first time in a long, long time) that I felt completely rested — that more sleep wouldn't do me much good. So I lay there for a few minutes, just breathing mindfully and enjoying the liminal state between sleep and total wakefulness. I reveled blissfully in a world of no distractions, no worries, and no sense of urgency. And when I felt I was ready, I sat up. Once out of bed, I read for a few minutes from Thich Nhat Hanh's "Be Free Where You Are," and then I spent a few minutes going through a comprehensive mobility drill, moving all of my joints in succession to get my blood flowing. Fully awake alert, and energized for the day — but not yet in a state of planning and preparing my list of to-do's — I went straight to the cushion and sat down for 15 minutes of alert meditation practice.

I'd love to start every day like this —

I'd be unstoppable!

The lesson for me is clear: A good night's sleep and a mindful start to your day makes a HUGE difference in my energy level, mood, and outlook on life.

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This blog is part of the Ultimate Black Belt Test Program, which is an undertaking of The 100., and a part of Emerald Necklace Martial Arts in Boston, MA.

Learn more about Sensei Jason Gould

Back in the Swing of Things

A while back, I reported to my UBBT teammates that I'd somehow lost my mojo. I was exhausted, stressed out, and completely unmotivated. I was dropping weight, feeling lousy, and generally down in the dumps. I needed a break, and I took one. I dropped off the map. And now, things are different.

Maybe it's the change in the weather. Maybe it's because we're finally about to close on the house. Maybe it's because I've changed my routine at the dojo so I can spend more time with my family. Or perhaps its a combination of many factors. In any case, I like what I'm seeing:

• I'm blogging more
• I'm meditating daily
• I don't feel as stressed
• I'm sleeping a little bit better (not MORE, but better!)
• I'm training harder
• I'm smiling more
• I'm getting more reading done

At the start of the year, I weighed in at 187.4 lbs. Four months into the year, I'd dropped below 180 lbs for the first time in a decade. (The bad news was, I wasn't trying to lose weight!) Today I checked in at 182.8. I'm slowly putting some muscle back on while focusing on joint mobility and flexibility.

 

 

 

I'm feeling better and better, even as the dojo enrollment continues to drop, and "staying in business" is getting trickier and trickier. Somehow, though, I'm not concerned. I'm letting go, and that feels right to me, because one of the outcomes is that I'm enjoying my time in the dojo more. I'm feeling more creative and I'm having fun teaching again.

 

Perhaps, as I approach my 40th birthday, I'm feeling a bit of an energy surge -- call it an "eye of the tiger moment," if you will. I don't care. I'm riding this wave all the way to the shore!

Thoughts On Leadership and Solitude

With the first few spare minutes I've had in a long time, I took a few minutes to read this wonderful article on leadership and solitude. It resonates deeply with me.

Solitude and "alone time" for thinking is critically important. Having spent the last few months absorbed in far more projects, critical tasks, and personal crises than I can reasonably handle, it's easy for me to see that I've lost some of my edge, focus, vision, passion and drive as the "Chief Instructor" at the dojo. Keeping too many plates spinning has left me just spinning plates, totally forgetting why the plates are on those damn sticks in the first place, and without any sort of plan for what I'll do as soon as my current personal maelstrom comes to an end (as surely it must).

But the rain is letting up now, and the clouds are thinning. The sky is getting brighter. The sun isn't quite poking through the clouds just yet, but the "down time" forecast for next month is looking up. Perhaps then I'll be free enough from the "urgent" stuff to be more able to get some "important" work done.

Weight, Weight, Don't Tell Me

"Have you lost some weight?" It's a question I've been hearing a lot lately. And while that question is usually meant as a compliment (as in, "Hey, you look great! Have you lost some weight?"), that's not so in my case. I have lost weight. My wife has noticed. My parents have noticed. (Actually, I think they're a little concerned.) My boss at work has noticed. And in a recent Skype call with Coach Tom, the first words out of Coach's mouth were, "Geez, looks like you've lost a few pounds."

I've noticed, too: I'm swimming in shirts that used to fit perfectly. In training, I feel lost inside my gi. I'm using the next-tightest hole on my belt to keep my pants up. Folks, for me, these are not good things.

Not my waistline! :)

I usually hover around 186 lbs. This is a good weight for me based on my fitness goals and the demands of my practice. I'm no bodybuilder, but I carry a little more muscle than the average person as the result of the weight training that I do. I didn't need to lose any weight at all. In fact, In the beginning of this year, in an earlier blog, I noted that I weighed in at 187.4 pounds — with the specific goal of gaining a few pounds in lean, functional muscle during the course of 2011. Reaching 195 lbs by the end of the year, I thought, would be terrific.

Well, it appears that a lengthy personal illness at the start of the year, plus a ton stress, aggressive physical training, a profound lack of sleep, and a combination of missed, skipped, and interrupted meals is really taking its toll on me: I'm running on empty, it seems. I just weighed in at 179.6 lbs — Yikes! I've lost almost eight pounds!

I haven't been under 180 lbs since 1998. Back in my U.S.M.C, days, when I used to hover at about 176 lbs, I ran 3 - 5 miles 3 - 5 days a week, with little to no strength training beyond basic calisthenics. So being about 10 lbs lighter back then made a lot of sense. These days, I'm not exactly as gaunt as a marathon runner, but I'm clearly heading in the wrong direction!

I need more rest, less stress, better eating, and smarter training. It's time to right the ship (before I disappear!).

Some Stuff I've Learned in the Last Few Weeks

Some really cool stuff I've learned in the last few weeks (and you thought I was just a kurotty teacher):

From The Go-Giver:

The Law of Value: Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.

The Law of Compensation: Your income id determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.
The Law of Influence: Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people's interests first.
The Law of Authenticity: The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.
The Law of Receptivity: The key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

From The Instant Millionaire:  

• If you want to succeed in life, you have to make sure you have no choice in the matter.
• True genius lies in simplicity.
• Life give us exactly what we ask from it -- if you don't ask for anything, you won't get anything.
• All events in life are a mirror image of your thoughts.
• Expand your mental limits and you will expand the limits of your life.
• When imagination and logic are in conflict with each other, imagination invariably takes over.
• I refuse to die without having had the courage to do what I wanted to do.
• Tranquility is the greatest manifestation of power.
• You must find work that is satisfying to your heart.

Okay, I've just summarized and gift-wrapped a LOT of distilled wisdom that was hard-won by other people, over many lifetimes. What are YOU going to do with this gift?

 

 

 



Keeping Up A Pretty Good Pace

So far this year, I've been keeping up a pretty good pace when it comes to my physical training. I'm feeling good -- and sleeping better, too! Our dojo just completed week four of our annual six-week fitness cycle, wherein we focus on bodyweight exercises, calisthenics, ab work, and aerobics. Each week, we either add exercises, increase repetitions, or lengthen the duration of the training, so that by the time we get through the end of week six, we're all in pretty good shape. The coming week will be a tough jump, but I'm ready: I've been getting in some extra training with weights and extra kata reps here and there.

I'm slowly working through my reading list and taking in all kinds of new and interesting information. One of my students pointed me to the free "peace ambassador certification course" on the Monks Without Borders website, which I completed a week or so ago. The peace education material is so wonderful, that I've decided to make completing the course a requirement for all of my adult students advancing to purple belt. At this stage in their training, I ask my students to complete self-directed work in peace education, nonviolent communication, anger management, and/or conflict resolution. The MWB course adresses all of these subjects and is a great launhing point for more study. And did I mention it's FREE? This course seems like a good warm-up for the more involved Peace Education course offered by Teachers Without Borders, which I'd like to tackle some time soon. One thing at a time!

I've started filming a series of videos for my students that I call "tokonoma-side chats." My original intent was to share these little clips only with my students at the dojo, but since I've not gotten any response or feedback from them, I've decided to share the video posts with anyone who will care to watch. I've had too many wonderful experiences in the martial arts to keep these stories to myself. Enjoy!

Training Good; Diet Bad!

I've really enjoyed my workouts over the past couple of weeks. We've been training really hard in the dojo — our annual "January fitness cycle" with its focus on exercising with ever-increasing intensity and duration over a 6-week period has got me feeling pretty good. I feel stronger and more alert, and I'm sleeping better, too. All good news.

And I've been doing additional physical training, too: I teach a "combat conditioning" class one night a week, and I fit in personal sessions wherever and whenever I can. I've been stretching, hitting the heavy bag, and doing my TACFIT Warrior bodyweight exercises. (I still really need to do some planning to maximize results.)

One thing that has been really slipping over the past week, however, has been my diet. My over-hectic schedule has led me to eat poorly, in a rush, and at odd times. There's been way too much pizza on my plate in the past week, and more than once I found myself eating in the car — a BIG no-no — just to make sure that I had enough calories in my system to keep myself from being ravenous. I have a general rule to not eat after 8:00 PM to allow my body to "rest, not digest" overnight, but more than a few times lately, I've sat down to dinner at 8:30. Even worse, I've found myself eating really late at night: after 10:00 PM upon returning home from the dojo.

This simply cannot stand. I KNOW better!

I've been reading the book Savor, by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung. It's sitting here on my desk as I type this. Clearly, I need to do a better job of practicing the art of mindful eating. I went to the grocery store this week with the specific intent of grabbing some healthy, portable snacks — granola, fruit, nuts, etc. — to keep me from starving throughout the day. Just purchasing healthier food and re-establishing my mindfulness around what I put into my body really changed my attitude.

2011: Two Weeks Down, 50 To Go

Time flies, whether you're having fun or not. Sheesh, where did the time go? I shot the video that's embedded below about a week ago, and it's taken me this long to get it off my camera. I've got lot's of training and "inner work" ahead this year. I've been working with the TACFIT Warrior materials while also engaging in a lot of physical training at the dojo.



So far, it's been a little tough marrying the relentless TACFIT Warrior training schedule with my LIFE and my regular dojo workout routine, so I've got to do some planning and smart thinking so I don't over- or under train. We got over a foot of snow here in Boston yesterday, so the two hours or so of shovelling that I had to do counted as yesterday's workout. Now, I need to spend some dedicated time stretching and resting as well as working hard and sweating.

Last week, I was at 187.4 lbs, with a BMI of 24.8 (healthy). So, I shot these embarrasing photos so that come June (halfway mark) and December, I'll have something to compare:

2011 -- Week 1: When you're going through hell, keep going

The new year has been off to a bit of a rough start so far, but as the saying goes, "When you're going through hell, keep going."

I've been sick for the past couple of weeks (apparently the chronic lack of sleep has finally caught up with me), so it's been very difficult to train and the holidays were a little rough, but last night — my first night in a gi in a week and a half! — I taught three consecutive fitness classes as part of our dojo's annual 6-week fitness campaign. Lots of pushups and ab work. I'm pleased to report that today, I'm not feeling the after-effects too badly! Tonight, I'm running a "combat conditioning" class at the dojo — now, that should be fun!

I'm anxious to get moving on my commitment to use the TACFIT Warrior program as my primary fitness and goal-achieving platform this year. I earned myself a 3rd place in Scott Sonnon's video challenge with this entry, which earned me a refund of the purchase price of the program. I re-invested part of the refund in a new digital watch with an interval timer so I can more precisely execute my tabata sessions without needing to look up at a clock. Look for more TACFIT updates from me soon!

Outside of training, I've added to the series of videos on bullying prevention that I've committed to producing throughout the year to benefit the community with a review of Terrence Webster Doyle's "Why Is Everybody Always Picking On Me?" I posted the video on Boston Self-Defense, the community self-defense resource guide I created, and I'll be sending a link to the video to the local school principals. I also created a new series of videos that I'm calling "tokonoma-side chats." These videos will be for dojo members only, but you can see the intro segment here.

One of the main things I'd like to accomplish in the coming year is to be more mindful, and to keep myself more focused on truly experiencing the present moment. On my current personal development reading list: Savor, Mindful Eating, Mindful Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung and The Soul of Leadership by Deepak Chopra.

We've had a wee bit of "family drama" in the past month, so I've got some relationships in need of mending. But that is the work, no?

Looking forward to it all.