Pieces of the Puzzle

Every experience in my life has been a piece that has brought me to the place I now find myself.  Every challenge, heart break, injury and decision has helped shape me into the person I have become.   These trials have taught me many lessons and strengthened and prepared me for things to come in my future.  Somethings in life I can look back at and understand and accept why they turned out the way did and even be grateful.  In others I may never know why my life took the longer harder path but need to be confident that it was for a purpose and with lessons I needed to learn along the way.

Each one of our journeys are different, some with more detours than others but if we can change our perspective on what each moment means we could greatly alter the outcome.  I could revisit or dwell on many things I wish I would have… or I shouldn’t have…, but the truth is its all these things put together that were the pieces that have built my path that has led to this moment.  Each piece plays a part in my destination. How you view each event in your life, your challenges, fears and regrets along with every joy and moment filled with laughter, will determine the value of the lesson in the end.  

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca

PJ's or Uniform?

Tuesday night rolled around and as 8:00pm closed in I found myself looking at my PJ’s on one pile and my uniform neatly folded and ready to go on the other.  How easy it would be to justify choosing jammies saying to myself ‘next Tuesday’, knowing full well that I can find an excuse to put something off once easily enough and that every time after it only gets easier.  With that in mind sparing it was.  For the week prior I hadn’t felt any anxiety about the thought of sparing after such a long time that was until I was on the floor.  All of a sudden I started to sweat, my mouth went dry, I started to feel paralysis in my legs, okay maybe not paralysis, but definitely anxiety and trouble breathing and I hadn’t even started anything yet.  How is it that a person can forget how to breathe?  Does the body not just automatically do it without me having to think about it and constantly remind myself? 

The truth is that sparing has never been my absolute favorite thing to do and I have avoided opportunities that would allow me the chance to overcome this.  What better way to conquer a fear or to get better at something than to meet it head on gloves a blazing, well not blazing YET!  What growth will come by running in the opposite direction? 

As I looked at my fellow students Tuesday night I felt a calming.  I have known most of these people in one capacity or another for quite some time.  There truly wasn’t a safer or more controlled place to get in some much needed rounds. I’d like to thank Sifu Sharida Csillag for answering my call for girls and for the rest of the guys who were extremely patient and took it a little easier on me. It was a great night and I can honestly say a great time! 

Thank you again,

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca

Raise Em' Up

So often I look at my kids and think ‘where do you get that from?’  Sometimes it’s the witty comments or the mischievous look when they have been up to no good but then there are the moments they display compassion and empathy to a complete stranger, the leadership qualities they demonstrate or the commitment, determination and follow through they show towards goals they have set for themselves.  Then I take a look at the environment they have been raised in and realize they are a reflection of us as parents, grandparents, friends, teachers, coaches etc.  What I have done, how I have behaved and the words I have used have all been a part in building the foundation that have made them the young men I see before me.  They have confirmed for me that as a parent I have a huge opportunity and responsibility to influence change.  

I look at Kayden and I see how he dedicates himself to things he enjoys and is passionate about.  I see how he gives it his all in what he does, always striving to do the best he can and beyond. I admire how he stands up for what he believes and continues to lead by example in a world that is not always so receptive. I then look at my oldest son Brandon, who in his second year of college has received honors and scholarships for the hard work and continued dedication to his studies. He has stepped up into leadership roles at every opportunity given and acts with compassion, patience and kindness towards everyone along his path. I see him writing in his journal the km’s he has run, the strength training he has done and the food he has eaten every day and I stifle a giggle, poor guy he is just like his parents! His complete commitment and perseverance every day in order to reach some pretty major goals in his passion of ultra –running while balancing school, work and life totally wows me!

I look at these two young men and can’t help but feel proud and hugely inspired. My boys are confirming for me that in pursuit of overcoming mediocrity in my own life I am also impacting how they view the world around them and how they choose to live their own lives.  They weren’t born with or lucked out with these qualities; they were surrounded with them, encouraged and taught from an early age on. In all I do, I am passing on qualities (the good, bad and unfortunately ugly) that will help them in their own paths towards mastery.  The decision to be a part of the I Ho Chuan team isn’t one to take lightly.  It is a decision that whatever your accomplishments are come the end of the year, affects not only you but trickles down to all around you in one way or another.  Choose to live a life with character and integrity, one you want to see your kids, friends, neighbors, coworkers, team mates etc. mimic. So as Keith Urban said on my run last week “Raise em’ up trophy high, raise em’ up to the sky, raise em’ up tall and strong, raise em’up right from wrong.”

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca

Lifestyle and Appreciation

We choose and develop a specific type of lifestyle based on what is important to us, what we appreciate and what we respect.  I think for most of us as we look over the years we will see that our lifestyles undergo change as we grow and move through different stages of life.  This past week I have been confronted with a couple of situations that have caused me to reflect even further on the fact that I am guilty of taking many of my blessings for granted.  I have certain things and people in my life that are a part of my every day in one way or another and I have failed to give them the continued every day appreciation that I truly feel and that they deserve.  My lack in verbally expressing or consciously thinking how grateful I am for what I have and what I have been able to be a part of is really not because I no longer see how valuable they are to me, but rather because I have gotten so use to them always being there, part of my life, making up my ‘lifestyle’. I have allowed the routine of life to blind the fact that I neglect to show the appreciation I feel towards those that make my life so complete.  I have relied on them always being there and have overlooked the fact that in a blink of an eye they could be taken from my life.

This week had me looking at many parts of my life in a different light. I have become aware once again that I have somehow lost track of time with being busy, been easily side tracked and have lost opportunities to show my appreciation towards many people and opportunities. I have realized just how many times I have not lived in the moment, breathing in every smell, truly seeing every view, hearing every word because I have taken those moments for granted and assumed they would be there again tomorrow. I don’t want regrets in my life.  I want those around me to never doubt what they bring to my life, how much I appreciate and value them. Wake up each morning grateful for every breath and take every opportunity to show gratefulness and appreciation to those in your life who are deserving of it.

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca

A Time and Place

I have been attending the Tai Chi classes for the last year and a half (minus the summer months) and to be honest have struggled more than a little right from the beginning. When I first started I found that I had the hardest time with relaxing and slowing things down. To first off transition from move to move without clenching a fist or having my body at attention seemed impossible.  It didn’t seem to matter how many times I would say ‘relax, relax, relax…’, my body would not listen.  Add to that the concept of slowing down.  Life is hectic and I do have a hard time slowing down at the best of times, always thinking about how much ‘stuff’ there is to get done. Even when I feel that I am going extremely slowly, I have found myself way a head of the rest of the class. My favorite form is 18 temple motions; I love the slow movement that allows me to use my breath and to feel the 6 harmonies.  So I have had a hard time understanding just why I am struggling with the slow, relax movement of Tai Chi. 

The past couple of months I have had a few revelations.  I have caught myself feeling what I believe I am supposed to.  I have had moments of actually feeling myself slowing down and complete relaxation. So what has changed?  It has been a slow process for me but I have figured out that it lies in the proper time and place.  I have discovered that a chaotic environment does not work for me at this point.  This goes beyond just the place I choose to practice and includes the state I come into that place.  Running into the kwoon 5-10min before a class starts or trying to squeeze a repetition in between projects, is not ideal for me.  What works better is to come in a little earlier, strolling in with an attitude and feeling of calmness.  Second I find slow, soothing music to help me get ‘in the mood’.  I have found if I focus on the music my body movements slow down and my shoulders drop.  The moment I tune out the music my mind may wander, my shoulders go back up to my ears and speed increases.  Thirdly I have found lighting to change how tense my body feels.   Florescent or artificial lighting is not really my friend.  If light is in the cards, the feel of natural sunshine on my face is of more benefit to me.   I have also played with near to or complete darkness.  Maybe it’s the lack of light that stimulates my body that it’s almost bed time and time to wind down, but it does seem to help me relax and slow my movements.

So although it has taken me much more time than some, I am slowly feeling progress in my Tai Chi, which I am finding exciting and in turn is making me want to practice more.  I would like to send a huge thanks to Sifu Dennis and Sifu Vantuil who have been incredibly patient with me and my questions and who I am sure have had to stifle wincing when watching me on a regular basis.  I am definitely a work in progress.

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca

Patience and Wisdom

 

Just over a year ago our family dog tore a tendon in her back leg running into our retaining wall while chasing crows. In a matter of seconds this dog who was use to running 10km a day with the energy of a puppy was unable to walk or even to stand up on her own.  Her vet told us that our best hope was that she would eventually walk short distances with a limp and be extremely restricted to what she was able to do.  This was my km maker, my peaceful buddy for my walks and the furry family member that went anywhere possible with us, so this was devastating news for all of us.  The routine we had was out the door and I found myself having to sneak out of the house with my running shoes, ducking as I went by the windows, only to return to her look of  ‘I know where you went and you forgot me!’  Unwilling to accept her prognosis and determined not to give up, we set up a slow rehab routine for her.  It started with lifting her 90lbs down the 3 stairs so she could use the bathroom to slowly walking only to the bottom of the driveway and back to eventually after a couple of months being back up to 5km a day with no limp! The process was slow and frustrating for her but in the end gave her back a life she loved.

All this to say that there is so much to having patience and progressing wisely when dealing with injuries.  I seem to be learning about this continually in my training, usually the hard way.  There seems to be a fine line as to how far to push yourself. Go too far and you go back 3 steps from the 1 step forward you just made, or never push yourself past what is comfortable and safe and you will never get better or progress to your potential. This whole process can be frustrating, discouraging and full of learning curves, but it’s in these moments where you can learn an incredible amount beyond just the physical injury, if you are willing and open. So as I try to figure out a couple of issues at this moment I am trying to have patience, I am fighting the frustration, I am trying to do all I can to take care of the issues and at the same time not stop or give up but make wise decisions as to what to do and how far to do it.  Oh so much to learn!

Alana Regier                                                                                                 

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca

Deadlines

Ten o’clock on a Saturday night and I fall into bed exhausted.  Surely I will fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.  Wrong!  I fall into bed alright but instantly my mind starts racing.  The end of March on my mind, the date to have version 1 of our weapons forms ready.  Yikes!  So instead of sleep I found myself trying to visualize just what I could do with this weapon.  Trying not to wake Darcy by flopping around with a pretend bokken and scared that by morning I wasn’t going to remember these cool midnight thoughts, I got up and stumbled in the dark for a piece of paper and an pen and scribbled what I was sure was true brilliance! 

Well morning came and as I tried to decipher my own writing and grabbed my bokken, things didn’t flow and work together quite as well as they did in the middle of the night.  Okay, back to square one, that’s alright, it’s a process.

Not that I can afford to or like losing sleep, but deadlines work for me.  Having a date set puts intentions and plans into motion and gets things done.  Knowing that I have a team that is holding me accountable helps light the fire a little hotter.  I believe in order for goals to be successful a date or deadline is needed.  Any open ended plan gives room for excuses and kills motivation; making plans, goals and intentions easy to put to the side for later or permanently.

Most of this year’s team are returning from past years and know that this is just the beginning.  The expectation isn’t to have this perfected and final product but rather the opportunity to show that we are following through with our commitments and are engaged with what we have set out to do this year. With a team this size each having their own unique, imaginative and possible ideas, I look forward to seeing each one of the roosters version 1, especially those frying pans!

Alana Regier

http://alanaregier.blogspot.ca