Dennis was in a 5-day leadership course learning about the 4 major personality "colors" , which one he is, what his characteristics are and how to work with the other colors. It isn't about changing anyone, it's about recognizing who one is and going from there. Of course me being the curious type, I wanted to know my color and traits associated. Dennis is a blue, which means he a thinking analyzing type, LOVES details, and takes forever to make a decision. However, when a decision is FINALLY made it's backed by reams and stacks of documentation, facts, and whatnot. As for me, I'm a fiery red which means I'm a snap decision maker, HATE details (can recognize them, but don't bog me down), work on the fly, get easily distracted, and operate from my gut instinct. In this sense, Dennis and I are polar opposites and that works to our advantages especially when making a decision. Dennis will do the in-depth research, join forums, have discussions to provide me with a narrowed down list. I will look up long enough to go "that one" and go back to what I'm doing. Hysterically enough we often pick the same one and there have been times I've glanced at his list and said "none of those, yours is yet to surface, check back with me tomorrow" and sure enough "tomorrow" hails the perfect choice.
Okay so what does this have to do with Kung Fu? Well, I believe there are basically 2 phases of learning, especially when forms come into play. There is phase one: learning the form and then there is phase 2: ironing out the 500 layers of details. Yeah well, guess where I'm at and where I'm having issues. Yep, this fiery red has now been lambasted with details to fix and I feel like I'm about to explode with frustration. Now what? Enter a conversation with the thinking detail monger of a husband with the conclusion being to ask advice from a Sifu who is the same personality type as me as to how to proceed without self-explosion. Considering that "reds" are pretty much the lowest quadrant in the population, who would that be? Hmmm, I wonder, and I suspect he will be at Open Training.
Sure enough my target is there and I ask how he proceeded with his training so that the details are covered and he "survived". The response was "focus on ONLY one detail at a time, iron out that detail and move on." One thing only. Basically, keep it simple!! That brought relief not only because of a training solution, but also because I found someone like me. We chuckled when we said we loved pushups and situps because there are only 2 details (up/down), but got the aaaacccckk!! factor with forms because of detail overload. Comparing the fact of insta-distraction was a laugh as well. For me, I hit payload because I have a now have a kin-source to tap in to so let the tapping begin.
As for my daily training, I have scaled back for now because of a couple reasons: my right rotator cuff is cranky (I have stretches from AcuHarmony Deb to work on and have been) and I am focusing on what a day in my life is to look like. I had a big a-ha during a torch session yesterday. I have been "planning" that my torch sessions would be the big sha-zam!! empirical sessions so reserve day slots for that. However, the truth is that I can only go 1 to 1 1/2 hours for a torch session the most sessions I can have in a day is 2 because of the heat and focus factors. According to my calculations, that's 1 to 3 hours on the torch in a day. My whole day just opened up!! And I can slot in some torch time when I thought not possible!! Okay then, let's roll with ironing out the torch times, then insert the chocolate/baking times, and progress from there and yes I can sprinkle in some Kung Fu as well. The main point is for me to focus on one detail at a time! I had been taking everything and trying to shape it into something: didn't work.
What I am envisioning and am working on during my Quantum Leap program is to lay down a structured schedule that has flow and that I can move through with grace and ease instead of a sense of panic. At the end of the day/week/month/year, I can look back and see my accomplishments in all of my passions and still have energy to burn. Overwhelm and burnout be gone!
Sherri Donohue
Hot Torch, Room Full of Glass, and a Kung Fu Kwoon
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