Chosen Hardship

It’s been a long week.

Six days straight of revisiting two Wushu forms — Baji Fist and Xuan Wu Quan. Both physical. Both demanding. Both unwilling to let you hide.

I’ve loved the narrow focus. There’s something powerful about stripping everything back and committing fully to just two forms. But the truth is, it’s been tough turning up day after day to the same intensity.

The body feels it.

And yet, I wouldn’t change it.

Going through these forms a second time is like seeing them with new eyes. The details that were invisible the first time now stand out clearly. Angles. Transitions. Intent. Things my body simply wasn’t ready to understand before.

It’s humbling.

And necessary.

If I ever plan to teach these forms properly, to embody them rather than just perform them, then this process isn’t optional. It’s required.

As the week draws to a close — with tomorrow a half day — I can feel the fatigue settling deep into the muscles. The mind, too, needs quiet.

But it’s the good kind of tired.

The kind that makes you smile when your head hits the pillow.

Chinese New Year is approaching. Soon the school will shift energy — colour, noise, celebration. The most important holiday in the Chinese calendar is nearly here.

Life feels rich right now.

Challenges are everywhere, for everyone. But when the hardship is chosen — when you step willingly into it — even the toughest weeks feel meaningful.

Hard or easy, each day feels like a lesson I needed.