Ready, set, go?

The year of the Monkey is 8 days away.  Where did the time go? 

Am I ready?   I have prepared by creating my tracking tools, starting to blog weekly, working on identifying and increasing Acts of Kindness, working on my personal goals, modifying schedules to increase time availability. I solidified my hand and weapon forms and I am so excited about being a part of the Monkey team.  I am ready!

Wait a minute, I am sooo NOT ready!  I have not rolled out of bed to start doing my push ups and sit ups.  I think about getting on the treadmill.  I have a new form to learn before I start my 1000 reps.  I am hoping everyone will forget that I challenged myself to do standing rolls before my next grading, because grading starts tomorrow and I have not succeeded at this challenge (have I failed before I even started?).   I ponder the posts from the Sheep Team and occurrences that delayed progress.  This makes me wonder how do I jump into my push-up commitments without re-injuring my shoulder and thus affecting my performance on the dragon team? How do I make the fitness portion become habit? How do I make the choices that will lead me down the right path?  Do I know my ability and my limits? Questions with no clear answers.

Being a part of the Dragon dance, I start the Monkey year with an advantage from new I Ho Chuan members as I have been exposed to the program and what people can accomplish individually but especially within the team.  I have gotten over the nerves of stepping into the kwoon (where do I bow in, where do I stand, what should I be doing, am I in the way?).  I have seen how the Sheep members have been inspirational and supportive to their teammates. I also start the Monkey year with a disadvantage of a net new member as my optimism has been tempered with realism.  I have seen the struggles of the Sheep team and individuals within and know that this will occur in the Monkey year but when. I know that this will be the most challenging year I have encountered, as it will be for many teammates, as it has been for many before us.

I am 8 days away and the nervousness creeps up again.  This is a leap of faith, placing trust in a team to help when I struggle, to trust that the program will work.  But I know that I can be there to support others and for that I am ready! Have I already set myself up for failure, absolutely not!  The path to the year of the Monkey has taken it first curve, but lets see where it will lead to.  Ready, set, lets go!