Wrecked him? Damn near killed him.

As 2009 comes to an end, I find myself reflecting upon the year that has just passed. I accomplished many of the goals I had set for myself while unforeseen circumstances conspired to keep other goals out of reach. What I will take onward from 2009 is the evolution of my process.

Small daily accomplishments add up to major progress over the long haul. I have learned to stay mindful and aware of the daily opportunities that are presented and exploit them to the best of my ability. Despite significant physical challenges, I have not only found ways to stay engaged in my training, but also have progressed along avenues I hadn’t expected. The concept of the journey being more important than the destination has been reinforced over and over again this past year.

For me UBBT6 is not ending but rather continuing on into the Live Like a Champion Project. I am still a work in progress and the journey continues to excite and inspire me.

“When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life.” - Greg Anderson (b. 1964)

Simplicity

The Copenhagen Conference has ended without any major progress toward addressing the global climate crisis beyond an agreement to keep working on a solution. Keep working, haven’t we been doing that for decades? Why are we even surprised when you consider there was the Kyoto Accord that was never adhered to. The time for working on a solution is long past, it is time to instigate action.

Whether or not you believe global warming is a man-induced phenomena, it is impossible to ignore the fact that the earth’s resources are depleting at an alarming rate. Sure technological strategies like carbon capture may reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (let’s not even talk about the possible catastrophic ecological ramifications of pumping that stuff underground) but this approach does not address our depleting resources. We are consuming our resources at an unsustainable rate. What I find obscene about the whole debate is that while the developed countries continue to try to protect their precious standard of living, people are starving needlessly.

Why can’t we live simply, consume less, and become aware of the things that really make us happy before it is too late?

Richard Colvin - Living Hero #8

I have always believed the parliamentary system to be the most democratic system of government available. Unfortunately the way the system is exploited by politicians to serve their own personal needs as opposed to the will the people, it can border on a totalitarian dictatorship. Canadians tend to reinforce the self serving agendas of our politicians by accepting their behavior without demanding representation or accountability.

Richard Colvin is a Canadian diplomat who has sacrificed his future career in the foreign service by testifying before the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan that detainees turned over to local authorities by Canadian soldiers were subsequently tortured. While being attacked personally and threatened by his own government, Colvin has not wavered in his commitment to doing the right thing by bringing the truth to the Canadian people and taking a stand for Canada.

The Conservative government denies they were ever aware of the issue and have since implemented illegal and dirty tactics to suppress evidence to the contrary. Despite great personal sacrifice and hardship, Richard Colvin remains committed to his belief that the war in Afghanistan has gone badly wrong because of poor political leadership, which has endangered Canadian and Afghan lives. He also feels the same view is widely shared among his colleagues who have been silenced by their superiors.

I can only wonder what changes would be possible if everyone was willing to take a stand like Richard Colvin has. I would think that at a minimum we would have a system where our representatives in the House of Commons actually cast their votes for the will of their constituents as opposed to the whim of their party leader.

“Counter-insurgency is an argument to win the support of the locals. Every action, reaction or failure to act become part of the debate. In Kandahar, Canada needs to convince local people that we are better than the Taliban, that our values were superior, that we would look after their interests and protect them. In my judgment, some of our actions in Kandahar, including complicity in torture, turned local people against us. Instead of winning hearts and minds, we caused Kandaharis to fear the foreigners. Canada’s detainee practices alienated us from the population and strengthened the insurgency.” - Richard Colvin (b. 1969)

Romeo Dallaire - Living Hero #7

It is impossible to forget the images of the Rwandan genocide I saw on the news in April 1994. Man’s inhumanity to man front and centre. This situation was so inconceivable it was impossible to make sense of such atrocity. How could the world stand by and let such a thing happen?

Romeo Dallaire was the Force Commander of UNAMIR, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda when the genocide took place. While battling international bureaucracy, Dallaire is credited with saving over 32,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus from death despite being undermanned, under equipped, and under empowered.

Since retiring from the Canadian military, Romeo Dallaire has become known for his humanitarian work and as an activist for human rights. Romeo Dallaire currently sits as a Senator in the the Canadian government and his lectures and writings continue to shake many out of their lethargic daze and inspire people all over the world to speak out and take action.

“The genocide was brutal, criminal, and disgusting and continued for 100 days under the eyes of the international community.” - Romeo Dallaire (b. 1946)

UBBT 6 Retrospective

As I approach the end of my first Ultimate Black Belt Test, I realize how short the amount of time is in a single year. I have been reflecting upon the past eleven months and whether or not I am where I expected to be when I started this journey back in January. At a moment like this it is easy to become caught up in everything I haven’t accomplished rather than reflect upon the evolution that has taken place within me over the past eleven months. While a single year may be incredibly short, it is amazing how much opportunity is encapsulated within that year.

The list of what I haven’t accomplished is vast. My goal to study under a lion dance master has been postponed until my knee/leg issues improve. These issues have also prevented me from realizing many of my physical goals. Form reps, sparring rounds, and BJJ are more casualties of my condition. I am looking forward to the opportunity the Live Like a Champion Project will provide me to knock off these goals.

Adaptability. That has been the key to my successful UBBT journey. The value in this past year has been found in the personal growth and self discovery that have transformed me. The time I spent in Alabama with my students, Master McNeill’s visit to my school, and the Thich Nhat Hanh retreat in Colorado were all significant experiences I hadn’t expected or even considered when I began my test. I guess I should be grateful for my physical challenges as I may not have noticed all the other opportunities before me if my UBBT had gone perfectly as planned. Such is the value of the no quitting requirement.

Above all, I am grateful for the relentless push the UBBT provides. Everyday is a day of accomplishment and discovery.

“Aging wrinkles the body. Quitting wrinkles the soul.” - Douglas MacArther (1880 - 1964)

Barack Obama - Living Hero #6

Yeah, it is probably not cool to choose a politician as a living hero, but after living with what had gone on in the world for the eight years prior to his mandate, Barack Obama has given me hope for the future.

I won’t get into the multitude of reasons why many feel he would be a poor choice. No one is perfect. My specific reason for admiring Barack Obama is his ‘dialogue first’ approach to diplomacy. If the world’s most militaristically powerful nation is not willing to engage in dialogue, there is not much hope for resolving conflicts. Dealing with conflict by imposing your will upon your enemy only prolongs and escalates a conflict over the long term. There is much damage that Barack Obama will have to repair before his attempts at resolving some of these conflicts bear fruit, but I have no doubt he is on the right path.

If the economy does not overshadow the world issues that should matter most, Barack Obama has the potential to change the world into something my grandchildren will be able to live with.

“Nonviolence is the answer to the crucial political and moral questions of our time; the need for mankind to overcome oppression and violence without resorting to oppression and violence. Mankind must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression, and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.” - Martin Luther King (1929 - 1968)

Either he's dead or my watch has stopped . . .

We’re in the middle of the H1N1 pandemic in Alberta right now and we are all feeling the consequences of poor leadership. Thousands of healthy people stood in line for a vaccine while the high risk population stood unprotected. Heck, even the Calgary Flames got to the front of the queue while children with cystic fibrosis stood in line outside in the cold rain for five hours to get their vaccine. While everyone questioned each other’s “take care of our own” approach, the real problem was a total lack of leadership. Without strong leadership, people tend to adopt the strategy of every man for himself.

After witnessing the chaos surrounding the first wave of vaccinations, one can only wonder what it would be like if the pandemic became such a crisis that Tamiflu becomes the hot commodity. You need to receive the medicine within 48 hours for it to be effective. I can only imagine the widespread panic and violence that would occur if the rolling out of the Tamiflu treatment is as disorganized as the rolling out of the vaccine prevention. Without strong leadership we’re only one mass crisis away from anarchy.

I’ve been thinking a lot about leadership lately and the vital role it plays in society. As a martial arts instructor I understand the value of leadership skills and I work hard at developing my school’s curriculum so that it reinforces this quality in my students. If we’re not producing strong leaders then we’re not maximizing our value to society.

“I don’t spend a lot of time studying stuff” - Ron Liepert, Alberta Minister of Health and Wellness.

Change is in the Wind

Change is inevitable. Our ability to handle change is a big factor in how we cope with stress. I learned a long time ago that it is much easier to accept a change, even one for the worse, if I have done everything within my power to prevent the situation from evolving to the point where change is necessary. I guess if my effort is there and my conscience is clear, I can see factors at play that are beyond my control and I have no choice but to accept and move on.

Some people consider me a risk taker. I know I jump into a lot of situations because my heart tells me to do so and I sort out the details as I go. As long as I have my long term objective in front of me, things always seem to work out for me. Even when things don’t work out the way I had envisioned, time always proves that it was still for the best. Who am I to argue with those types of results?

I am at a crossroads in my life. I guess I have been here for a long time but I have been fighting against the winds of change for so long that I have forgotten about the peace that comes with quiet acceptance. If one avoids something long enough, the stress of avoiding eventually far outweighs the stress of dealing with the situation.

Simplify, simplify, simplify. It has been my creed for along time and it seems that every November brings a fresh perspective to me that allows me to see things much more clearly. No matter how much effort I put into a situation that involves others who have their own agenda, a positive outcome is not in my complete control. It’s time to purge myself of a couple of sloppy situations that are taxing me and sucking my soul dry. Life is too short to fight against the inevitable.

Ahhhh, the sweet release of acceptance......

“Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, and remove yourself from the unacceptable.” - Denis Waitley (b. 1933)

David Suzuki - Living Hero #5

David Suzuki is a Canadian scientist and broadcaster who is a long time environmental activist dedicated to reversing global climate change through his organization, The David Suzuki Foundation.

“We’re in a giant car heading towards a brick wall and everyone’s arguing over where they’re going to sit”

David Suzuki’s academic accomplishments in zoology and genetics are well documented but it is his work in popularizing science and environmental issues that I feel define him as extraordinary. His environmental activism has caused many of us to rethink our values and self absorbed approach to living our lives. His daughter Severn Suzuki’s address at the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit stands out as a reminder of how long the climate change battle has raged on and how far we still have to go if our species is going to survive.

“The human brain now holds the key to our future. We have to recall the image of the planet from outer space: a single entity in which air, water, and continents are interconnected. This is our home.”

David’s book, The Sacred Balance, is a must read for everyone. How minutely we are all intertwined is so well explained you will never question your impact on the world around you again. Buddhists call this ‘interbeing’ and in my opinion the solution of the earth’s problems lies in our ability to embrace this concept. As David Suzuki points out, there is so much we do not know about our world, especially when it comes to our soil. What we do know for sure is that our atmosphere which provides us with a livable climate and air to breathe, is dependent upon the microorganisms in our soil. Perhaps we should reconsider our lifestyles rather than trying to preserve the unsustainable. Once you understand the concept of interbeing, you definitely will question the logic of developing technological solutions, like carbon capture technology that could upset the delicate balance of our soil, to solve what is ultimately a social issue.

“Our personal consumer choices have ecological, social, and spiritual consequences. It is time to reexamine some of our deeply held notions that underlie our lifestyles.”

It is difficult for me to accept that David Suzuki is seventy three years old. Anyone growing up in Canada has learned a lot about science and nature through his CBC television and radio programs that made those subjects so interesting and accessible to everyone. David Suzuki has been a constant voice of reason in a world straining from over consumption and I worry that there is no one ready to fill the void that will be left when he leaves this world. It is definitely up to you and I to step up and make our voices heard.

“In the environmental movement ..... every time you lose a battle it’s for good, but our victories always seem to be temporary and we keep fighting them over and over again.”

Kung Fu Pandamonium

With many of my school’s annual community projects coming online at almost the same time, the autumn season can be a challenge for me to keep everyone reminded of the pertinent roll these projects play in their kung fu training while not overwhelming them with all these extracurricular activities.

One of the most frequent questions I get asked by parents during their enrollment conference is: “Are we required to do any fundraising?” It seems that so many other activities their children are involved in have fundraising responsibilities attached to them to subsidize their enrollment. Since most parents are too busy to participate in these fundraising ventures, they tend to just associate the responsibility as an added expense related to the activity and simply write a cheque to discharge their responsibilities.
Another of the most frequently asked questions by parents is: “Will my child learn how to control the knowledge you are giving him?” No one wants their child to become an aggressive bully.

Control and compassion are byproducts of empathy. The most powerful tool I have at my disposal to teach my students about empathy is our annual Kung Fu Pandamonium Fundraiser. Children’s Ability Fund, Malawi Girls on the Move, Healing Hands of Katmandu, the Simon Poultney Foundation, and the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society will all benefit from our fundraising efforts but the real value in what we do is found in the awareness we foster. While money can assist in addressing certain matters, social issues are best addressed through public education.

We are living in a time where we are blissfully applauding the accomplishments of scientists who are working on making us all immortal while as a society we continue to consume and waste at a rate way beyond anything sustainable. There is this complete disconnect in our logic that allows us to stampede toward discovering a solution to aging while we ignore the fact that our environmental policies are totally destroying the long term viability of our entire species. Does this not seem somewhat insane to attempt to increase our lifespans to a couple of hundred years when our planet does not even have the resources to support our current population? Aging should be the least of our concerns when it comes to expanding our lifespan.

Our future lies in educating people about what is going on in the world around them. Starting with our children, it is imperative that we become personally engaged with issues and learn experientially that writing a cheque is not a solution to problems perpetuated by public apathy and indifference.

“The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.” - Alvin Toffler (b. 1928)

Rhaul Bharti - Living Hero #4

Rahul Bharti is an accomplished Nuad Phaen Boran teacher who lives in Kathmandu, Nepal. While he is famous worldwide for his teaching and practice of Thai Massage through The Healing Hands Centre that he founded, it is his humanitarian work for the homeless in Kathmandu that is extraordinary.

My school’s benevolent foundation contributed money toward one of Rahul’s mass feedings last year and then I had the opportunity to spend some time with him when he visited Stony Plain over the summer.

My personal experience with Rahul Bharti has been limited but his gentle, enlightened approach to healing the world is obvious to anyone who has the opportunity to spend even a minute in his presence. Rahul does not accept blind monetary donations to his cause. He feels, rightly so, that too many of us throw money at a problem and feel we have done all that we can. Rahul believes the only way to sustain lasting change is to get a personal, visceral commitment from people. People need to experience first hand what a difference their donations and actions can create in order for the decisions they make on a daily basis to become mindful, and as such consistently reflect the change they want to see in the world.

Rahul Bhati is a master at his craft and accordingly can chose to live anywhere in the world in a life of luxury. His heritage resides in India, his family is European, and he chooses to live a simple life in Nepal, helping clothe, feed, and heal the homeless.

“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go." - Mother Teresa (1910 - 1997)

Trichotillomania

In observance of Mental Illness Awareness Week, one of my black belts has asked everyone to research and educate themselves on a mental illness of their choice. Over half of us will be touched by mental illness at some point in our lives, either directly or indirectly. Despite this staggering statistic, mental health issues remain shrouded in taboo and as a consequence, many people suffer in ashamed silence.

Trichotillomania is a form of self-injurious behavior that can manifest in many ways for different reasons. Trichotillomania is characterized by the urge to pull out your hair. It usually starts with the eyelashes and eyebrows but ultimately spreads to the scalp hair and body hair. For some, hair pulling is an adopted strategy for handling stress and anxiety. By pulling hair and causing the associated pain, the brain releases endorphins that help numb the pain. With elevated endorphin levels we feel less pain and fewer negative effects of stress.

As is the case for most mental illnesses, the side affects of trichotillomania can be even more severe. Imagine only being able to cope with your anxiety and stress by pulling your own hair. It won’t take much time before you start to feel a little self conscious about your appearance. Before long you will adopt a strategy of avoiding going out in public - but the kicker is, if you do go out in public your anxiety and stress levels will be extremely high because of your self consciousness with your appearance. This just leads to more hair pulling and the reinforcing of the whole negative cycle. Clinical depression will soon follow.

Trichotillomania is extremely difficult to treat and unfortunately, most people affected with this disorder are so ashamed and confused about their situation that they never seek treatment. Once a person has the cycle of hair pulling, anxiety, social anxiety, and depression going, it becomes difficult to address one issue without causing a negative affect to another issue. We have to grease the squeaky wheel and suffer the consequences because whatever issue is at the biggest crisis level becomes the priority.

The key for successful treatment of any type of mental illnesses is early intervention. Sufferers tend to go through the phases of denial and embarrassment before they ask for help. By the time they have accepted their condition and seek treatment, their condition has often become more complicated and so their treatment strategy also becomes more complicated.

The real key to combating mental illness is raising awareness. If we can remove the taboo associated with mental health issues we will open up worlds of possibility for those who are currently suffering alone in silence.

“Mental health problems to not affect three or four out of every five persons but one out of one.” - Dr. William Menninger (1899 - 1966)

Interpretation vs. Intent

This week I was reminded of the the disconnect that can occur in communication when a person’s interpretation of something said is contrary to the message the speaker had intended to convey. There are many reasons why miscommunication occurs but I find almost all instances are instigated by an emotional response. Many times we hear what we want to hear and almost everything we take in is filtered by the paradigms we have constructed over the years, and our own self talk.

In communication, context is everything when considering intent. A solitary word has very precise definitions but once you put that word in a sentence with other words or a paragraph that defines the context, its relevance to the conversation changes. Stripping a word out of an entire conversation and ignoring the context in which the word was used will almost always distort the intent behind the word. Not to mention that the more ambiguous the word that is used, the more wiggle room there is for interpretation.

Anger management training is probably one of the most powerful tools a person can acquire to improve their communication skills. Not only does it teach you how to convey your thoughts in a non confrontational manner, but it also gives you the insights you need to open your mind to alternative interpretations of other people’s words and actions.

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” -George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

And the Monkey Flips the Switch

Once again the Alberta government is restructuring our healthcare delivery system. Their feast or famine approach to budgeting the provincial coffers continues to leave mayhem in their wake. By the time our healthcare system adjusts to the new corporate structure, the circumstances of the economy will have changed and so will their spending habits. This is why our healthcare system will never be as efficient or effective as it could be.

The US debate over healthcare reform has caused me to ponder. If you consider that the US public expenditure on healthcare is much higher per capita than most developed countries that have universal healthcare (Americans pay more in taxes devoted to medical care - not including insurance premiums, co-payments, fees, and other health care costs), it becomes disconcerting that the number of Americans that have zero healthcare coverage is fifty million - almost double the entire population of Canada.

What about the quality of healthcare? The arguments about timely access and current technologies seem to be invalid in light of the value the United States is getting for their healthcare expenditures. The US is one of the lowest ranked developed countries on measures of life expectancy, infant mortality, and reductions in amenable mortality (deaths from certain causes that should not occur in the presence of timely and effective healthcare).

So why is everyone so worked up about healthcare reform? I understand that a big part of this debate is that many are playing to the socialism paranoia response. But in light of all the public money that has been sunk into bailing out so many corporations and all the US government incentives rolled out to help people purchase cars and homes, I would expect a somewhat more tolerant palate toward the prospect of universal healthcare.

“The welfare of each is bound up in the welfare for all.” - Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)

Fat, I Ate Fat

I’m twenty four days into my vegetarian challenge, a challenge that I hope to make a permanent part of my lifestyle, and a complication has manifested. I couldn’t help notice that within the last two weeks I have lost some muscle mass in my upper body, arms, and shoulders. I had this same issue with my legs late last year and so of course I am a little concerned as to what may or may not be going on.

I figure there could be a couple of things at play. I have completed fifty thousand pushups over the past eight and a half months. Could it be I am not giving my muscles enough recovery time and thus am actually breaking down muscle rather than building it? Or could it be that with the increase in physical activity that comes with challenging the UBBT, my daily caloric intake may not be sufficient? My biggest concern is that maybe I am not taking in enough protein as a vegetarian and thus am not feeding my body what it needs to maintain my increased muscle mass. Or could it be something more sinister and systemic that is still lurking below the surface. With what happened with my legs earlier, a guy has to wonder.

Regardless of what this turns out to be, I have to admit that I feel the best I have in years. Sure my legs are giving me issues but my chronic shoulder problems have all but disappeared. My metabolism is such that I can think of a number and within a week my weight is right there. I have cleared up many bad habits that I didn’t even realize I had. It’s been a great year.

“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” - Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

Interbeing

Friday was the first anniversary of Travis Panasiuk’s death. It took so long to put that event behind me and now I find that even though it has only been a year, it seems like he has been gone for ten. For weeks prior to this day, I agonized over whether or not it was appropriate to contact his family. There was no doubt that the day was going to be an emotional one for them. Would my interference make the pain worse or would they welcome my sentiments? Ultimately I decided not to impose myself and so I let the day pass without contacting his family directly, but my thoughts and prayers were with them.

I spent my Friday thinking about Travis and how much he continues to influence and inspire me. Travis’ passion for his kung fu was infectious and I have used his inspiration to fuel my drive as I push myself to new limits. It does bring a smile to my face when I realize that Travis continues to live on in all of us. The fourteen months that he was in my life’s sphere will always be a part of me. His influence is reflected in every student I teach and in every person they meet. Travis’s soul has become imprinted upon all he has met, he is a part of our collective DNA.

“They are not dead who live in lives they leave behind; In those whom they have blessed, they live a life again, And shall live, through the years, Eternal life, and grow each day more beautiful As time declares their good, Forgets the rest, and prove”
- Hugh Robert Orr

Franticness

Franticness. I watch a lot of franticness every week. People franticly trying to accomplish their tasks, people franticly trying to fit in. I know people who find it impossible to sit through a movie at home without needing to get up and do something in the middle of it, their minds trapped in a perpetual frantic commotion. Other people jump franticly from one experience to another, declaring each time that their latest experience is life altering and yet they never stop searching. So much franticness is applied to our lives in some sort of quest to build the life we wish to live that we tend to forget to actually live.

The fact is, everything is constantly changing and nothing is permanent. We will all be different people when we go to bed tonight than we were when we woke up this morning. Any notion to the contrary is a reflection of our own self esteem and arrogance. My decisions, my values, and my accomplishments are all based upon my experiences and influences, and thus every experience, no matter its magnitude, is relevant to who we are and who we will become.

May I have the wisdom to remain flexible in my views and recognize that truth is found in life, not dogma. If my humbleness is such that I recognize that others change as I do, I will become less judgmental, allowing me to listen and experience with an open heart, and become more receptive to the miracles life has to offer in the present moment.

“Present-moment living, getting in touch with your now, is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives.” - Wayne Dyer (b. 1940)

I Am Project - In Training

I am currently in Estes Park, Colorado attending a mindfulness retreat under Thich Nhat Hanh. As with most things in life, nothing has gone as planned.

My first flirtation with disaster was when the airline misplaced my luggage. I didn’t think that was possible when you have a direct flight but it turns out it is. I say misplaced because their computer showed that both me and my luggage got off the same plane but my luggage somehow did not make its way up to the claim carousel. The airline’s lost luggage department could not contact the baggage department because no one was answering their pages or phone calls so I was stuck until an incredibly nice lady went through extraordinary measures to help me out. She said I was making her feel guilty for being so patient and respectful (acts of kindness are really paying off). She took the time to close her desk and make a trip “to the dungeon” as she described it, to look for my luggage. Thanks to a big cat name tag my daughter had put on my suitcase, my luggage was found amongst a conglomeration of other plain black suitcases caught in airport travel limbo.

It has been a lifelong dream of mine to spend at least six months studying Zen full time, but life is such that some things are destined to stay only dreams. The next best thing to studying Zen full time is to have the opportunity to attend an event like this with a Zen Master. I was obviously disappointed to learn upon my arrival that Thich Nhat Hanh had been hospitalized in Massachusetts with a lung infection and would not be able to attend this retreat. Yes I was disappointed yet things, it seems, always work out for me. I realize now that I came here for all the wrong reasons. If Thich Nhat Hanh had not become sick and had attended this event, his presence would have defined the event for me and I would have possibly missed out on one of the most significant opportunities of my life.

Anyone who has not felt the presence of God has not experienced walking meditation in complete silence with one thousand other people. I have never been a social person and crowds make me uncomfortable, yet here I am sharing an intensely personal experience with one thousand complete strangers and not only enjoying it, but relishing it. Alone with my thoughts, and concentrating on staying in the moment, I felt an incredible connection to everyone around me yet the only sound in the mountain air was that of our treading footsteps, the wind rustling through the trees, and the singing birds. Words and conversation would have only ruined the experience. Sometimes the best things in life happen in those moments of noble silence.

This experience has given me great hope for the future of mankind. I think often of how many of our great leaders are coming to the end of their lives and I wonder if there will be anyone ready to take their place when the time comes. Seeing Thich Nhat Hanh’s monastics in action this week, and sharing this whole experience with one thousand other like minded souls, leaves no doubt in my mind that our potential is strong.

“The miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth, dwelling deeply into the present moment and feeling truly alive.” - Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

I am Project - Engaged

As I prepare for what is usually my busiest time of year, I have been spending some time reflecting upon my goals and progress.

It seems impossible that I am over half way through my Ultimate Black Belt Test. It seems like I just started and am still building momentum. My UBBT journey to date has been one big paradox. While there hasn’t been a minute of any day that has passed that I haven’t been totally engaged with my test and working toward my goals, I have not accomplished nearly what I had expected considering the sweat and effort I have been applying. I have to admit though, this has been the best year I have ever had for personal growth.

I have completed 42,105 pushups, 37,617 sit ups, and 888 acts of kindness, My other numbers reflect the struggle I have had with my leg issues. My BJJ mat time has been kept to only 15 hours and promises to stay at that number for the duration of my test. The knees just can’t take the strain of the grappling. My form and sparring have both also suffered from my ailment coming in at 233 reps and 144 rounds respectively while I have been able to only accumulate 634 kilometers of running/walking. However, I am thankful for the opportunity my ailment has provided me. I have adjusted my goals to reflect my leg limitation and have broadened my test’s scope to include many organizational goals as well. I am definitely getting a great return on my investment with the UBBT.

For the first time in a couple of decades, I feel able to concentrate on my own training. This spring I got to spend few days with Master McNeill learning some of his cane system. I learn a lot every time I get a chance to talk to him. I can’t believe how fortunate I am to have the opportunity to hang out with someone like Master Dave. I have been accepted to study under lion dance master Yiu Tai Tung in Hong Kong. My legs won’t allow me to begin this training for a few more months, inevitably after UBBT 6 ends, but I am really stoked about achieving this goal in 2010 or 2011. Next week I will be traveling to study with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, one of my living heros. I am giddy in anticipation. What a year this has been so far!

“In the present circumstances, no one can afford to assume that someone else will solve their problems. Every individual has a responsibility to help guide our global family in the right direction. Good wishes are not sufficient; we must become actively engaged.” - Dali Lama (b. 1935)

I Am Project - Rational

The level of apathy and indifference I see in the world can overwhelm me at times. The absolutely insane things people and societies can rationalize boggles the mind. As a group, maybe it’s time for us to slow down, take a deep breath, and think about the rationality of our actions.

As of 2010, the province of Alberta is banning weed and feed lawn products. The herbicide-fertilizer combination contains a chemical called 2,4,-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) that is highly mobile when it runs off lawns into storm drainage systems and drains into creeks, rivers and ultimately our water supply. With Alberta’s abysmal environmental record, you have to figure that the water supply must be significantly damaged or at risk for the government to take such action. In response to the pending ban, garden suppliers massively stocked up on weed and feed in anticipation of the public doing the same thing. As predicted, everyone is now sold out of the toxic chemical but well stocked consumers will be continuing to poison our water supply for many more years to come. All in the name of a green, lush lawn.

Where are we heading? If our group response to the banning of a toxic chemical is to stock up on that chemical, can we ever be trusted to make rational decisions for the sake of the planet and future generations?

When I am rational, the argument concerning global warming and environmental awareness is irrelevant. Conspicuous consumption and prioritizing the economy above the environment are relevant issues that have us on the brink of disaster. They must be addressed. From my perspective, these problems are not that difficult to solve. We just need to think things through.

“The conspicuous consumption of limited resources has yet to be accepted widely as a spiritual error, or even bad manners.” - Barbara Kingsolver (b.1955)

I Am Project - A Warrior

I grew up in a Canada that had the international reputation as a peace keeper. Up until Afghanistan I had never experienced war in my lifetime. Now Canada has been at war in Afghanistan for so long that there are hardly any children in the country who can recall a time when we were not at war. War is the norm for them and their impression of what it means to be a Canadian is vastly different than mine.

Support our troops. I am bombarded by this message a hundred times a day via bumper stickers. Support our troops. I am always carefully censoring myself when I express my opinions out of fear that I may be interpreted as not supporting our troops. I have nothing but respect for my country and even more respect for anyone who is willing to die for what they believe in. Our troops have my complete support and there is not a day that goes by that I do not reflect upon the sacrifice they are making.

125. That is the total number of Canadians who have died in Afghanistan while serving our country. At some point we all must ask ourselves the big question: What exactly are they dying for? Of course there are all the standard reasons: “They’re making our country safe”, “They’re fighting terrorism there so we don’t have to fight it here”, “They’re protecting our rights and our values”, “They’re standing up for what Canada believes in”, there are plenty of reasons. Support our troops. How do I best support our troops? Do I blindly throw my support into the war and not question the ultimate logic of waging an ideological battle without dialogue or negotiation? Does it really support our troops if I do not question the long term consequences of trying to solve a problem with a gun and an eye for an eye philosophy? Are my great grandchildren going to be expected to support the troops of their generation while they are fighting in a war being fought over the hatred our wars of today are creating? Maybe the best way I can support our troops is to ask the question - HOW? How does waging this war make my country safer? How do our actions and conduct at home and abroad reflect our values? I often wonder what the families of fallen soldiers are thinking when they see the country their loved one has died for, violating the rights of its own citizens and neglecting the very values that we are supposedly fighting for.

A warrior is someone who knows how to fight. A warrior has many means at his disposal to achieve his goals. Beyond the total annihilation of one’s opponent, a war very rarely resolves any conflict over the long term. It may suppress the conflict for a length of time but it does not resolve it. A warrior recognizes and utilizes the best method to achieve his goals. Sometimes the best method is not the brutal imposition of your will.

The best way we can support our troops in Afghanistan is by enforcing accountability at home and demand that our leaders uphold the laws and values Canadian men and women are dying to protect. It’s time to stand up and be counted.

“I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 - 1969)

I Am Project - An Activist

I’m angry, frustrated, and ashamed. We live in a society that is structured to exploit the planet and its citizens by promoting consumption to support an economic model that is based entirely on greed. This greed has blinded us and is not only preventing us from noticing how we are destroying our values that we wage wars to defend, but bringing our entire species to the brink of extinction.

The city of Edmonton has been annexing prime farmland to support economic growth and urban sprawl for so long that there is no longer sufficient usable farmland to produce enough food to support the city’s population. The municipality is now totally dependent upon imported food.

While Alberta has had a huge budget surplus for many years, the provincial government has not invested anything meaningful into diversifying the provincial economy to stimulate economic growth outside the oil industry. We continue to rape the environment to exploit this non renewable resource without stopping to consider the actual cost in water, wildlife, public health, and quality of life.

One of the things that spoke to me about the 100. and the UBBT was the huge potential these organizations possessed in facilitating change. If Wal-Mart can be convinced to support the organic food industry because their sales history reflects a consumer trend in that direction, the proof is there that every individual has power and influence. Can there be any doubt as to the impact a few enlightened martial arts teachers can have on the planet?

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” - Howard Thurman (1900 -1981)

I Am Project - Intrepid

I’m not much of a talker or socializer. I prefer to listen to a story than tell one of my own, and new experiences have always been a social challenge for me. Ironically, all my growth and personal successes have come about through intrepid decisions that have taken me way out of my comfort zone where I have exploited the opportunities that have presented themselves.

The biggest factor holding many of my students back is their fear of failure. So many avoid anything too far removed from familiar ground. Sure they have other excuses like “I’m too busy” or “I’m too broke”, but in almost all cases the reality is that most of us will find any excuse to avoid the stress that is associated with situations that induce anxiety.

Opportunity only knocks so many times and life is too short to let these windows close. When I look back at my past, I have more regrets for the moments I never seized than any actions I have taken. The best lesson my father ever gave me was when he advised me during a crossroads in my career. He said: “Jeff if you don’t take this chance, you will spend the rest of your life wondering what if.” I have kept his advice front and centre and it has never failed me.

When I am intrepid, I create opportunities for personal growth and open myself up to new experiences and new people. If I had never contacted Tom Callos about the 100. I would never have made my first trip to Alabama where I met Master McNeill. These two great teachers have given me so much over the past two years and their influence has fueled my resolve to challenge myself to the fullest so that I can honestly say at the end of every day that I am a different person than I was when I woke up this morning.

Whether it be a seminar in forms or chi kung, if my students are intrepid they will value the opportunities that cross their paths and become the martial artist that they want to be.

“When I look back now over my life and call to mind what I might have had simply for taking and did not take, my heart is like to break.” - William Hale White (1831 - 1913)

I Am Project - An Artist

I own an old VHS copy of Grand Master Ed Parker teaching a seminar at a martial arts school in California. The video is 80’s vintage, shot with a video camera of the same era so of course the quality is poor. There is a portion where GM Parker is explaining the force vectors associated with executing the high rising block and how it corresponds to the theory of orbital motion. His forty minute explanation is thorough, so thorough in fact that if one of my black belts were talking for that long during a class, I would have been quietly reaching for the big hook to pull them aside to tell them “less yak and more smack”. Yet when I watch this video, and I have over and over again, I find myself completely enthralled with every word GM Parker has to say and as he speaks I feel my mind opening up to his ideas and my fascination growing. Such is the power of passion.

Like any art kung fu has technical, physical, emotional, and spiritual components. Above all kung fu is an art and I am an artist. My passion will fuel my work.

“Traditionalists often study what is taught, not what there is to create.”
- Ed Parker (1931 - 1990)

I Am Project - Disciplined

A requirement of all my black belts and black belt candidates is weekly journalling. I have learned over the years that writing out my thoughts helps me organize my mind and give me insight into my faults and motivations. It is a tool that I encourage all my students to use.

Sometimes it can be difficult to concentrate or even organize my thoughts to the degree required to actually record them in some sort of comprehensible manner. At times like that it is easy to put off my journalling efforts until gumption, opportunity, and inspiration happen to intersect. Without structure and discipline it is easy to fall behind and let time slip by without even noticing I am not fulfilling my commitment to myself until it is too late. To top it off, if I do not journal I am not completely reflecting upon my motivations and actions and thus I tend to react to things in my life without truly understanding the situation that I am reacting to. Makes for hasty decisions and bad choices.

My first trip to Alabama was a real eye opener for me concerning the value of structure. It had been a long time since I had experienced a prolonged situation where my time was structured to such a degree. I really excelled with this imposed structure and I felt more focus and thus experienced more efficiency than I had for years. This gave me insight to the value of discipline in my journalling.

Since I do not have complete control of my gumption or inspiration, it is important for me to exploit the one thing I can control - opportunity. Sunday is my down time, I know that at some point during the day I will have the time and opportunity to journal. If I am disciplined and adhere to the structure of journalling every Sunday, whether or not I have anything to express (like today for instance), I will fulfill my weekly journalling goal and further imprint the discipline of journalling upon my weekly structure.

I know it provides comfort to me when I read my UBBT teammates’ journals. What they write is not as important to me as the fact that they did take the time to write. There is something soothing about knowing they’re out there and traveling on the same path as me.

“He that cannot obey, cannot command.” - Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790)

I Am Project - Exuberant

I had big plans for the Exuberant portion of the I Am Project. I had envisioned a video entry that opened on an open field. Off in the horizon a figure would appear running toward the camera (picture Michael Palin’s “It’s” man in the opening credits of Monty Python’s Flying Circus). The figure would turn out to me me and basically I was going to be jumping and screaming in front of the camera in an exuberant fashion. Thought it would be an easy, fun entry but then the leg issues hit. Hard to look exuberant when you move like Quasimodo.

The longer I absorb myself in my training and the challenges of the UBBT, the more excited I get about the journey. I have run into so many roadblocks and obstacles in the first six months of the test and yet my personal growth has been exponential. I know that I probably will not complete everything I set out to do when I started this but at the same time I would be questioning how high I set the bar for myself if come February 2010 I had achieved everything. Kind of like asking $5000 for the car you are selling while hoping you will get $3500 only to find the first guy to look at it gives you the $5000. You’re definitely going to wonder if you were asking enough. It seems like I have been moving on my requirements at light speed with my cape billowing in my wake and yet it is going to take something miraculous to happen for me to complete everything I set out to accomplish. Hence why I’ve already enrolled for next year too.

My twenty student members have been a real asset to me on this journey. Their involvement has kept my accountability factor high and their excitement has fueled my own. I had not noticed how much of my time is spent keeping them on track and motivated, and the mental toll it takes on me, until I received a surprise letter from England this week. The letter, arriving after he had already returned, was from one of my black belt students. You never really know how much a positive word can affect you and your outlook. The fact that he took the time in his travels to write me this note really fueled my soul. It’s funny how those close to you can sometimes do or say exactly what you need when you aren’t even aware that you need it. I am definitely exuberant.

“Nothing ever succeeds which exuberant spirits have not helped to produce.” - Friedrich Nietzsche (1844 - 1900)

I Am Project - An Institution

Over the past twenty two years that I have been teaching, I have promoted sixty six people to black belt and out of that number forty two are still active students. It is always difficult to keep people engaged in their training after they endure the ordeal of their black belt grading. It seems that the final six month push where they eat and sleep kung fu twenty four hours a day almost always induces a self imposed sabbatical where the newly promoted black belts wish to reclaim some spare time. It’s unfortunate because it can be very difficult to get back into the swing of things after any length of disengagement from training. So I guess forty two out of sixty six after twenty two years isn’t such a bad number.

A lesson, or philosophical outlook, I give every black belt candidate on the day of their grading is the hierarchical priority of the student, the school, and the art. I try to instill a perspective within them that stresses the importance of the school over the student and the art. For without the school we would not have the student and without the student the art will become extinct.

It is always a risk when I send one of my black belts off to train in another art. You hope you have established yourself and your school as an institution of such importance that their perspective for the significance of their original school is never questioned. It can be so easy to take your old art and training mates for granted when the new art you are studying is providing new stimulus every class that you share with a whole new batch of training mates who have the same infective enthusiasm of beginners. This is why most schools I know do not permit their black belts to cross train despite the benefits this extra training would provide.

I have worked hard to establish my school and myself as an institution of excellence with a reputation of community activism and compassion. In my school we consider each other as family, and as Master Dave says: “family comes first”, so my students should never forget their loyalty to their original school, no matter where they are currently training. I trust them completely to continue to make decisions that reflect a passion for what their family stands for.

“When you leave here, don’t forget why you came” - Adlai E. Stevenson (1900 - 1965)

I Am Project - A Beacon

There is something that crosses my mind ever so often has really been resonating with me since Master McNeill’s visit last weekend. We are only given so many opportunities in our lifetime and it is important that we seize these opportunities and make the most of them.

When you consider the mathematical improbability of meeting a specific individual on a vast planet of six billion souls, this improbability borders on impossibility when you factor in our short lifespan. If you take that one step further and consider how few of our species are truly evolved human beings, the importance of each meeting and the opportunities it provides is accentuated.

The thought that consumes me at times is: Who is in the wings to replace these evolved individuals when they pass on? The leadership and inspiration of a Thich Nhat Hanh, a Dave McNeill, a Pamela Dorr, a Tom Callos, a David Suzuki is priceless. If we are not developing people of quality and character who can fill the shoes of the leaders of today, our society will surely suffer a massive loss.

I know I am blessed to have the opportunities that kung fu has given me. I exploited one such opportunity this past weekend and spent three days with Master McNeill. This experience has caused me to ponder every single student that has crossed my path over the years. How many have I failed to inspire to pursue their training? Perhaps they were potential leaders who may not fulfill their full potential because I failed to reach them. I recognize that my kung fu has made me a beacon that can draw many people, and thus many opportunities, to me and my influence. This is an awesome responsibility.

If I keep my experience of last weekend in front of me, I know I will not forget my role as a beacon and I will make the most of the opportunities that come my way through the people I meet.

“He who influences the thoughts of his times, influences all the times that follow. He has made his impress on eternity.” - Anonymous

I Am Project - A Student

If we are truly judged by the company we keep, I rock. I just spent the entire weekend with Master Dave McNeill and it was one of my best weekends ever.

It’s funny how quickly we can lose the knack of being a student. Of course I have never stopped learning but my learning adaptability skills are definitely rusty. When you have been training with the same people for so many years, you tend to develop a mental and spiritual connection with those people that makes communication, interpretation, and comprehension effortless. I realize now that I have been taking this ease of learning for granted.

Master McNeill is one of the most genuine, engaged people I have ever met. I am not the most socially adept of people out there but the ease I feel when I am around him is amazing. Yet despite being well within my social comfort zone with him and having most of the techniques he taught completely compatible with my kung fu system, I struggled to comprehend and grasp everything he was teaching. My mind tends to work in a nonlinear fashion and is inclined to dwell in the abstract. I usually can get away with this when I am learning from my long time instructor and training mates but I found myself falling into several Spaceman Spiff moments this weekend. On one hand I feel some frustration with not making the most of my opportunity to learn from Master Dave, but on the other hand I am totally stoked about the whole experience. What a great feeling to be a student at this level again. This journal posting could have just as easily been I Am Exuberant.

I can’t express enough gratitude to Coach Tom Callos for all the opportunities and motivation he has given me over the years. None greater than this weekend I have been privileged to share with Master Dave McNeill. I owe both this men a lifetime of gratitude.

“When you love people and have the desire to make a profound, positive impact upon the world, then will you have accomplished the meaning to live.” - Sasha Azevedo (b. 1978)

I Am Project - Proactive

I have twenty student members participating in the Ultimate Black Belt Test with me. While they were free to choose their own personal requirements, there were two requirements that I made compulsory for them if they wished to be a part of the program - a weekly public journal, and the no quitting requirement.

As a team, I have been immensely proud of their journalling efforts. Their insights into themselves and their journey have inspired and motivated me throughout my own personal journey. However with any team effort there are always leaders and there are coattail riders.

I had to question certain members of my team this week as to whether or not they have chosen to quit, despite their no quitting requirement. The fact that I had to ask that question speaks volumes. The UBBT is a public journey and if your own team member can’t tell whether or not you are even participating anymore, obviously you are not keeping your test public through your physical efforts or your journalling efforts. If your teammate has asked you this question and you have not quit, you must ask yourself if your actions are matching your words.

While I have struggled with leg problems since November, I have not struggled with my motivation or passion for the UBBT. I have been very proactive in ensuring I stay engaged in my training and thus even though I am behind on certain physical requirements because of my leg issues, I am staying on track. As Coach Tom said to me last week, I am adapting.

Looking forward to the Live Like a Champion Project in 2010!

“If you're proactive, you don't have to wait for circumstances or other people to create perspective expanding experiences. You can consciously create your own. " - Stephen R. Covey (b. 1932)

I Am Project - Participating

I had a conversation with my mom earlier in the week that has really got me thinking about some things.

If governments of the past were able to run the country without income tax revenue, why does our current government feel it is so necessary to reduce social funding and implement privatization while promoting their free market model? Income tax was implemented to help pay for the war and to create social programs to assist those who had their butts kicked by the great depression. Yet today we all seem to accept these social cutbacks without questioning where all the tax revenue is going. Is it not ironic that the money temporarily collected to pay for the debts and social consequences of one war is being used to fight another war at the expense of social programs almost a century later? What about the massive spending our government justifies for private consultants to complete studies and produce white papers on behalf of the government when the majority of the Members of Parliament, whose job it is to run our government and make decisions that best reflect their constituents’ wishes, sit impotent and forced to cater to the will of their party leader? Why are we not questioning these things?

With so many people on the planet going to bed hungry each night, why are we pursuing bio fuels that affect the food supply and at the same time continue to promote environmentally unsound practices? Why does it not occur to us to reduce our consumption rather than search for alternatives that will allow us to continue our unsustainable lifestyles?

If a black belt is supposed to epitomize discipline while setting an example for others to follow, why do so many of us not honour our commitments? The UBBT is a very public endeavour and thus if we fail, our failure is very public. What value are we bringing to the world if we are not taking our own responsibilities and commitments seriously? Who are we inspiring by our public failure?

When I am participating I am truly engaged and mindful of my progress. When I am participating I not only accept my potential in promoting change but I hold myself accountable for the state of the world around me. When I am participating I become a voice of reason in a world of chaos and I provide an alternative to mediocrity and apathy. When I am participating I am a black belt.

“There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.” - Art Turock

I Am Project - A Leader

I have been thinking a lot lately about the concept of leadership. I’ve spent the majority of my life enabling people to become leaders through the principles of empowerment like self realization, empathy, and accountability via kung fu. As a teacher it is impossible not to have your chest swell with pride when a student is excelling in all aspects of her life because she has learned to apply excellence in all her endeavours.

Empowerment is really, well, empowering. Once you have mastered it, it can become easy to take it for granted. The most difficult task I face as a teacher is keeping my students, especially the younger ones, cognizant of everything that goes with empowerment, especially the gift of influence. While studying the martial arts empowers us in all aspects of our lives, our studies only give us the tools of leadership. To apply these tools requires you to have a voice that is heard. This is why the gift of influence is something to be cherished and should never be taken for granted.

Learning kung fu has allowed me to excel in all facets of my life and has given me the opportunity to develop my voice and my passion while instilling a sense of responsibility in me that compels me to take action wherever I can make a difference. However, teaching kung fu has given my passion a voice and has given me the opportunity of influence so that I have the insight and confidence to recognize that there is nothing, absolutely nothing, going on in this world that is immune to my influence.

“Be around the people you want to be like, because you will be like the people you are around.” - Sam Reichle (b. 1979)

I Am Project - Meditative

It is easy for me to lose sight of what is important when I become too overwhelmed with my schedule. I have been very lucky to have the UBBT to keep me grounded and engaged in my training. So much so that I have already enrolled in the Live Like a Champion Project for 2010.

I am just finishing the best week I have had for a long time. I have not accomplished anything spectacular, nor has anything overly interesting come my way. The week has been all about the important things that happen when I am meditative and appreciative of the here and now. Simple things like the beauty of the moon as seen through an open window, flying a kite in a clear blue sky, sharing a moment of clarity and innocence with a child, laughing at the funniest training mishap story I have ever heard, experiencing the serenity of my fish pond, listening to Handel’s Passacaglia, or just absorbing myself with the one I am with.

When I am meditative all is well.

“Meditation is the tongue of our soul and the language of our spirit.”
- Jeremy Taylor (1613 - 1667)

I Am Project - Conscious

As Stephen Harper fights a Federal Court judge’s ruling that he must “comply with a principle of fundamental justice” and press the United States for the return of Omar Khadr to Canada from Guantanamo Bay, I am left flabbergasted by many Canadians’ reactions and in many cases, lack of reactions. It is a dangerous path we tread if we allow our Prime Minister to decide which of his citizens deserve the rights guaranteed by their passport and which do not. Even if you ignore the fact that Omar Khadr would be considered a child soldier VICTIM in any other war, allowing him to remain beyond the seven years he has already been held without a trial should be something every Canadian should oppose with all their might. What have all our soldiers died for in Afghanistan if not for our freedoms and rights? What about the torture that has allegedly been inflicted upon a fellow Canadian citizen? When we start ignoring our rights and values in a war that is supposedly being justified in the name of those rights and values, have we not lost our way?

I often wonder if our leaders are even conscious of what the wars are really about. At times it feels like the post 911 conflicts are more about revenge and testosterone fueled posturing than the protection of freedoms and homeland security. From my perspective Canada is much less secure since we became involved in Afghanistan than before. At the end of the day does anyone really think invading someone else’s homeland is going promote long lasting friendship between two nations? Do we really not think the hatred we are currently creating is not going to be passed from father to son and mother to daughter for many generations to come? We are quite possibly creating the foundation for a future retaliation against our citizens who are yet to be born. They literally will be inheriting a conflict whose initiators will have long since passed on. When is it going to stop?

By staying conscious of the diversity that exists between two cultures, perhaps we can learn to reflect as opposed to react and quite possibly learn that the gap between two points of view is only reduced through communication, not a bullet.

"I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity." - Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890 - 1969)

I Am Project - Resourceful

While the world continues to react to the global financial crisis, I can’t help but notice the incredibly improvident decisions our leaders continue to make in shortsighted attempts to stimulate the economy while limiting their deficits. Our society’s rate of consumption has been at a completely unsustainable level for years while our environment has been continually raped to fuel yet more economic growth. So many of us were oblivious to what was happening as long as we were making a buck. Now that reality has set in and this house of cards our whole economic system has been based upon has collapsed, we seem determined to reestablish this illusion of prosperity rather than learning from our mistakes. We need leaders with vision who are resourceful enough to use this crisis as an opportunity to retool and rebuild our economic strategy into something sane and sustainable that ensures our species is viable over the long term.

So much has happened over the past couple of years that has convinced me that Ed Stelmach and his provincial government is totally clueless as to how to proceed. On one hand they have been completely uninterested in addressing the ecological disaster perpetuated in the oil sands because of the revenue these projects generate, and on the other hand they are frantically spending money and effort in an attempt to convince the Americans that our oil is not dirty and that we care about the environment.

It is projected that by 2030, between 32 and 86 percent of the Alberta government’s income will be dedicated to funding healthcare. It is a proven fact that prevention is much more economical than treatment so you would think promoting a healthy lifestyle would be a strategy the government should invest in. Yet when this economic crisis hit, after the ruling party gave itself a 30% pay increase, Ed Stelmach has cut back chiropractic funding and is talking about cutbacks to healthcare wages. The biggest cost in healthcare is salaries and the biggest cost in salaries is sick time and overtime. Wouldn’t it be more resourceful of the government to actually increase funding for chiropractic and other preventative treatments so that sick time is reduced in the work force and thus so is overtime?

I have found that when I am resourceful, I see opportunity within crisis and am able to grow and evolve even in the most challenging of situations.

“The conservation of our natural resources and their proper use constitute the fundamental problem which underlies almost every other problem of our national life” - Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919)

I Am Project - Quiet

The past few months have been interesting, eventful, and never boring. The stresses of my personal, professional, and business lives have all converged to form the perfect storm. The racket of the franticness that has surrounded me has been building into a cacophonous symphony of agitation.

I recognize the need to quiet down this growing frenzy. If I can quiet the noise that is pulling me in every direction at once, I can focus on the tasks necessary to permanently reduce the commotion that is surrounding me. When I am quiet I can see things for what they are and recognize that there are some I cannot change. Rather than continuing to try and control these things, I must eliminate their influence.

“A quiet mind cureth all.” - Robert Burton (1577 - 1640)