I woke up feeling good, happy, and blessed send out gratitude to everyone and everything that has shaped me. I know that we have a little over a month left of 2011, but so much has happened this year that has made me happy, sad, excited, frustrated. Every experience has made me look further into my future. I believe we have a tendency to give thanks during troubled or tough times, and that doesn't exclude me. 2011 has been a trying year for this hyperactive, overcommuting, fitness professional. May I share some events that has literally brought me from tears of anguish to tears of happiness and some thankful experiences.
- Loss of a 6 yr relationship + sale of my house: I love having someone in my life. I loved owning a home, especially in the Santa Cruz mountains. However, stress killed it all and now I'm single and living with my brother in a condo rental in South San Jose. The good? I'm having the time of my life!! I'm so much closer to all my friends and family and I love having my brother as my roommate. My commute to SF is closer.... I'm happy, happy, happy!
- Japan Earthquake/Tsunami: On March 11, I just happened to stay up late, 11:30p, browsing Facebook when my friend's status update changed to, "Earthquake!" Sendai, Japan was where I was born, where my mom's family lives.... Watching the Tsunami swallow up the coast in disbelief, I felt hopeless, anguish, sadness... From then on I was awake for 40hours straight..... During that time, I chatted with my cousin in Osaka since she and her brother were scheduled for an America visit, the day after. Only four days later, I found out that I had lost a childhood friend to the Tsunami.... This experience has drawn me closer to my friends and family. I cherish all my moments with them and I try not to work so much that it compromises the ability to see them!
- Advanced Instructor Module (AIM) Training for Les Mills. This training happened only two days after the earthquake and I was going to postpone it. However, I decided to go.... for my friend in Japan who got stuck at Tokyo Narita Airport who was supposed to be at the training and for the fact that there was really nothing I could do until more news was heard from my mom's family. My Les Mills family was the BEST! They let me cry and they kept me strong.... I achieved ELITE status for BodyPump, which is the highest distinction as a Les Mills instructor.... This allowed me to go on stage at a Quarterly the following weekend in San Ramon. In 7 days, I literally went from anguish and sorrow to absolute euphoria.
- My cousins from Japan were here for 3+ weeks!!! They were the shining light in the dark times... We had a blast and they were here long enough to celebrate my birthday with me. I got be a tourist along with them and that's awesome! I saw Alcatraz for the first time :)
- Trip to Japan in June/July: This was to continue to send my grandmother on her journey... It's been a few years since her passing but was also an important trip for me for healing my heart and soul and feel my motherland under my feet. This was the FIRST time I've traveled SOLO!! Wow... I don't do anything alone. I taught BodyPump and BodyCombat with my friend in Japan at Atsugi Naval Base (COOL to teach overseas!) and took some classes at Konami Sports Club (a very different gym experience) and was able to see my family and a couple of other friends as well.
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| San Ramon Quarterly - With Glen, Josef, and Ingrid (another Elite Instructor) |
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| In Nara, Japan |
- Job stress.... I love my job. My job loves me back. I help people, and they help me back. Fitness is the most rewarding career I can imagine being in. Unfortunately, the economy isn't helping and I am losing part of my job in SF.... Now I need to start all over again. However, when one door opens, another one opens!
- Facebook has reconnected me with friends from High School and my fitness family, especially Les Mills and U-Jam and Zumba.... It's such a great tool for connecting with people ALL OVER THE WORLD! I just went dancing with a friend I haven't seen in 18 yrs!
These are my biggest events of 2011. Gigantic THANK YOU for reading my blog :)
<3 always... Kimi
Yay Kimi!
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