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Bottle Top Kick Challenge

Leo took a crack at the bottle top Kick Challenge that was circulating on social media!

๐Ÿคฉ๐Ÿคฉ It’s not how you take the Bottle Top Off….๐Ÿพ
It’s about how you Celebrate ๐ŸŽ‰
As demonstrated here by Leo and his distinctively @HarrogateSpring Water for Health and Hydration … And kicking tops off ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ

Slow Progress Is Still Progress

The phrase “slow progress is still progress” basically means that even though we might not see big changes right away, every little bit of progress we make is still important. It’s like when you’re trying to lose weight or save money – you might not see a huge difference day by day, but over time, those small steps add up to a big change.

Sometimes we get impatient and expect instant results, but that’s just not how life works. Growth and development take time, and it’s okay if our progress is slow. The important thing is that we keep moving forward, no matter how small the steps.

And it’s also important to remember that success isn’t a race. We shouldn’t compare ourselves to others or worry about how fast we’re moving. Every person has their own timeline and pace, and that’s okay. As long as we keep making progress, no matter how slow, we’re on the right track.

So, bottom line, “slow progress is still progress” is a reminder to be patient, stay focused on our goals, and not get discouraged by the lack of immediate change. Every little step counts and will eventually lead to big results.

My Progress

I am being challenged. Do I give in or accept the challenge and kick butt?!!!

Have you ever wanted to quit something because it was too difficult to do?
Or maybe there was far too much effort required?

It’s September 2017 and I’m standing outside the door of of a senior medical practitioner at London’s St George’s Hospital.
That sweetened, putrid hospital smell, you know the one… a blend of antiseptic, disinfectant and urine…

The door says Dr C B…., Consultant Neurologist, Multiple Sclerosis… “EH?”

I’m a little confused as I believe I’m just here find out why I was feeling numbness in my left arm and leg.
A stroke has already been ruled out after my overnight stay in the hospital over a year ago….

“What the hell is Multiple Sclerosis?”
Phone out…. Google…. ” F-bomb! “
You know when you’ve been told really terrible news and you feel there has been a mistake?
That wasn’t me. You see, I’m the type of person that doesn’t accept anything until its given to me as fact, with evidence.

Dr. B opens the door. Now I don’t know how to describe people very well but this very pleasant lady wearing a floral dress just to her knees, strawberry blonde and very prominent lipstick. A very Smiley person, calming and probably from a well-to-do background.

Over the next 20 minutes, we go over the possibilities of what could be creating the symptoms and what needs to be done in order to 100% confirm.
I’m still not sure what’s occurring. And I have not heard “Multiple Sclerosis” being mentioned…

More Tests

A bit in the dark still, I’m agreeing to a “Lumbar Puncture” (Spinal Tap)which I’m already squeamish over. Firstly, I Hate needles and Second, I know what is required. Any ladies that have had an epidural…
The procedure is approximately the same, but generally an epidural catheter is left in your back so that you can get a constant infusion of medication for as long as your labour lasts, whereas a spinal is just one insertion and then removal.

I do not get on with needles. And I have an extraordinary resistance to anaesthetic.. You know what’s coming don’t you?

slow progress is progress

Now, I’m not alone in my challenge, there are some 2.4 Million people in the world facing their version of the same challenge.

Symptoms vary a great deal from one person to another. No two people have the same combination of symptoms.

According to the MS Foundation, symptoms can impact the mind, body, and senses in a number of ways. These include:

๐Ÿ”ธ blurred or double vision, or total vision loss
๐Ÿ”ธ hearing impairment
๐Ÿ”ธ reduced sense of taste and smell
๐Ÿ”ธ numbness, tingling, or burning in limbs
๐Ÿ”ธ loss of short-term memory
๐Ÿ”ธ depression, personality changes
๐Ÿ”ธ headaches
๐Ÿ”ธ changes in speech
๐Ÿ”ธ facial pain
๐Ÿ”ธ Bellโ€™s palsy
๐Ÿ”ธ muscle spasms
๐Ÿ”ธ difficulty swallowing
๐Ÿ”ธ dizziness, loss of balance, vertigo
๐Ÿ”ธ incontinence, constipation
๐Ÿ”ธ weakness, fatigue
๐Ÿ”ธ tremors, seizures

To add Insult to Injury, I have a positive for John Cunningham virus (JCV) which is a very common virus that is found in between 70 and 90 percent of people in the world.
The average person carrying the JC Virus will never know and is unlikely to experience any side effects.

However, for a small percentage of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The JC virus can be activated when a personโ€™s immune system is compromised because of disease or immunosuppressive medication.

The virus can then be carried into the brain. It infects the White Matter of the brain and attacks the cells responsible for making Myelin, the protective coating that covers and protects nerve cells. This infection is called Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy (PML) which can be disabling, even fatal.

Solution?:
Giving myself small challenges and doing something to complete them.

๐Ÿ”น I do not like running.
But I still have a lot of use in my limbs.
So I run.
๐Ÿ”น I am very indecisive by nature.
But I am capable of making choices.
So I try to make Wise ones.
๐Ÿ”น I used to be able to do over 60 push-ups in a minute.
But that was in my 20’s
So I will train myself to achieve it again
๐Ÿ”น I get very tired from teaching all the classes.
But I do not have a team to help me.
So I will just get on a do it. That’s what I need to do.

These little challenges and the steps I am taking to WIN are slow progress, but it Is Progress. Every day I can still walk, run, jump, kick, drive my car, eat and drink unaided.
โ˜‘๏ธ They’re all wins.

And when I get 60 push-ups done in 60 seconds done, knowing that I have made good choices and good decisions and managed to drag myself out of bed in the morning to run round the park one more time than the last…
โ˜‘๏ธ they are all wins.

I’ve kind of run out of things to say at this point. I’ve rambled on a bit and probably veered off the original topic somewhat.

Think for a minute:
There are many people around you and throughout the world facing challenges and you are not aware of. Challenges that you could not even imagine. Problems that you might not be capable of dealing with yourself.

Never give up.
I’ve finished this mammoth post….
โ˜‘๏ธ that’s a win

Original Facebook Post 11th July 20219

Discipline

The image of the iceberg you see symbolises my Knowledge and my Experience of the Martial Arts. The Black Belt 6th Dan is a significant marker in my Martial Arts career.
A level I honestly did not think I would achieve.

Since being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2017 (and then Googling the damn thing!) I was ready to Give Up.
Note to All:
Never, Ever Google Anything Medical!!!
In my mind, MS was bigger than me. It’s incurable, the therapy may work but there is an increasing risk of PML (brain pop) the longer you use it.

Look at the image again.
Does it represent your life right now?
Can you think of a time in your life where you faced some struggle?

It Doesn’t matter how big or small, we have all faced difficulty or struggle at some point. Mini icebergs.

The iceberg, or ice cubes, could represent something you wanted to achieve in life; A place you wanted to visit or a course you wanted to attend or even an exam at the end of a course.

Perhaps my Premier Dojang Tribe have recently come to realise, with the Reintroduction of the Stripes System, that there is so much more to my teachings than just Kick Punch Punch.

Like Daily Life, there is so much more beneath the surface that is not immediately obvious. You cannot get through life without facing “icebergs”. How do you get round this huge structure? If you’re lucky enough to have a boat or a helicopter, maybe this doesn’t apply to you.

What am I talking about?
I’m talking about Discipline.

Premier Dojang is about life-learning skills. An environment for Children and Adults, Men and Women to learn How to Learn – yes that’s correct; “Learn How To Learn”. Great skills come from Great Practice. But a Practice must be a Habit, not just momentary recollection of something you had to do, perhaps, maybe, could do if you “had the time.”

“Every day of your life is another lesson. If you learn the lesson well and apply it, whether positive or negative, you determine what happens in your tomorrow” ~ David Kofi Awusi

Premier Dojang is a place to learn how to be more confident, be more courteous and it also provides a platform for you to demonstrate to others how they might become more like you – The person You want to become.

This takes work. This takes time. This takes determination and the ability to overcome.

The student that never tires of learning. The student that displays humility and respect to their fellow students, instructor, teachers and parents.

The student who helps others and thinks of others so that we may all become greater versions of ourselves.

There’s a quote by Les Brown goes “It’s not over until you win”
But I believe
“It’s already over if you haven’t the Discipline to try.”

Switch the TV off. Table, Phone off.
Enjoy life. Ohโ€ฆ..
And go practice ๐Ÿ‘Š ๐Ÿงก

Original Post on Facebook >> https://bit.ly/2VSas0u