Construction Zone

“The spirit of a child is a lot like wet cement.  It doesn’t take much effort to make an imprint.  Any time you see your child go skipping by, you’re in the presence of a construction zone and ought to ask yourself, What is being built here?  Is there anything I can do to advance this cause?”

This paragraph from an article I read this last week, so simply but perfectly, puts the affect our actions and words have on the children in our lives. 

With abnormally warm temperatures the past couple of weeks I’ve noticed an ‘offness’ for some of the kids I’ve been surrounded by.  The thought that they are stuck inside while the sun is shining and puddles are a calling makes staying focused on something inside exceptionally hard.  I’ve found it hard to maintain my own kids focus and routines and am getting a lot of practice perfecting patience.  Although it may be frustrating at times, I have to remind myself that although discipline and routine are important, there are some moments I may need to relax a little, enjoy the moment and see that there may just be an opportunity in front of me to build on something bigger, something different than I had originally planned.  J

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca

 

Remembering the Skipping Rope

This week I was reminded by a friend of my long lost skipping rope.  I remember when I was little (a long time ago), skipping with friends every recess, lunch hour and till it got dark with friends outside.  Those were the days when the rope was a toy, meant for entertaining and games, and used without the feeling that I had expended a whole lot of energy after an entire day.   Things are a little different now.  Saturday morning my calves felt a little tender, a good tender though, and I found myself moving a little more careful.

A year and a half ago I had incorporated skipping into my daily workout routine.  I wasn’t extremely graceful and my toes seemed to stick out a little too far every now and then, but I found it a great addition to improving my cardio and my coordination.  Somehow as I started focusing on other things, the skipping rope got pushed to the side.  So as of Friday I have added skipping back into my routine, thanks to the friend who got me restarted!

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca

 

A New Year

New year = new book.  Before becoming a member of the I Ho Chuan, I had never kept a log book.  I had seen Darcy consistently writing and adding up numbers as a member of the UBBT but from an outsider’s perspective, never really saw value in it or thought of giving it a chance myself. 

 Signing up for the Dragon team, I bought a log book; not because I wanted to or had yet seen the value, but because I was told I had to as a requirement.  I don’t think it even took a week before I realized just how valuable a tool a log book was for me.  When I first started, I recorded my form reps, sit ups, push ups, km’s and RAK’s.  As time went on I started to include things that happened that day that might have had an effect on my numbers, like weather, injuries, holidays, work, illness, classes attended and what was covered etc.  As I continued to add my numbers I found it pushed me to see if I could do better and if I could beat the required numbers for the year.  At the same time, it showed me where I was behind and where I needed to pull up my socks.

I’ve found having my log book where I continue to see it throughout the day, has done wonders for me as well.  It has a permanent spot on the kitchen counter, not because I like the clutter look, but because it is the one place that I am sure to see it several times a day which reminds me to first get my numbers done as well as to write them down. 

Although I’m not part of the upcoming Horse team, I am going to continue to log, just as I’m going to continue with my push ups, sit ups, km’s and RAK’s.  I have found the value in it and have discovered it as a tool that truly works for me.  Before deciding it doesn’t work for you, make an honest effort to try it. J

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca