No Road to Follow But My Own

I once read this great article (but for the life of me can’t remember where) about a guy who felt like time was flying by him and he wanted to slow it down. He proposed two techniques to do just that; the first was to do as little as possible, because when you do nothing at all, you become bored out of your gourd and time feels gruelingly slow. Tick tock tick tock. However, what he found was that instead of making it feel slower, time actually sped up because there were no significant memories or experiences to help anchor it down in his mind. It was just one big blank. So he tried his second technique. This time, he decided to step outside his comfort zone, continually putting himself in strange, uncharacteristic situations that would test both his concept of safety and challenge his fears. By doing this, he found himself in so many memorable moments and incredible experiences that he actually felt like he had experienced every moment, which made his concept of time slow and made his life more fulfilling. (Hope I didn’t massacre the story too horribly bad!;)

And so this is my new challenge for you and for me! (Those of you who know me best know how much I adore challenges, but it’s not about who wins or loses, but the journey along the way). My goal is to cram-pack life so full of crazy, brilliantly exhilarating, moments, and experiences that time feels like a puddle of cold molasses!

It’s time to break out those list people! Tally up those fears, pay attention to those moments where that nasty little voice in your head whispers: “can’t, can’t, can’t!” Those moments you find yourself ducking behind inanimate objects or coming up with all sorts of lame excuses, and instead of letting fear walk all over you with its big, nasty, fungi filled feet (because fear grows like fungi ;), it’s time to grab these moments, jump on that dance floor, wear that silly hat, climb that huge mountain, and say: “I can, can, can!” (or “up yours fungus feet!”;)

And so here is my list of fears to conquer in 2011 (in no particular order):

• Public bathing
• Traveling solo
• Real dancing
• Serious swimming

(I’m not even adding explanations or excuses for why, because….there are no excuses anymore)

And so 2011, I would like to kick you off with…duh duh dumb…an Ajuma Scub!!

In addition, I am initiating wiggling Salsa dancing Wednesdays in Seoul AND Hopkido Tuesday/Thursdays (just in case someone tries to put all kinds of hurt on me ;).

(For all those wondering about this home grown Korea tradition: an ajuma scrub is the process in which you get stark naked (in a Jimjilbang or sauna aka public bath), lie on a plastic table with two older Korean ladies (ajumas) dressed in black bras and panties, who scrub you within an inch of your life…and I do mean everywhere. Their motto should be “no place left untouched”, while mine should read, “scared out of my skin”…literally).

Also, I will be moving to Thailand in March! Can we say hello beautiful beaches, sand between my toes, daily Thai massages and meditation, and the best food in SE Asia?! What more can a girl ask for?! I have one month left with all my beautiful peeps here in Korea, so let’s live it up ya’ll!

P.s.
Visitors welcome in my tropical Thai paradise! 😉