No Excuse Sunday! šŸ˜¤

the muses of men

Author

Dominic Henry
December 10, 2023

Second Sunday,

Itā€™s been a whole week since Iā€™ve posted. But for good reasons (not really).

Iā€™ve just been busy and lazy mentally for the end-of-the-year season. There is a lot of rapping up and a lot of goals being completed. So this will be two weeksā€™ worth of highlights and content.

šŸ§ Thought(s) of the Week

ā€œJourneying to the peak of Taekwon-do doesnā€™t invariably mean we stop learning. Black Belt indicates proficiency but definitely doesnā€™t indicate that we stop learning, and improving. Training with the various masters and instructors has taught me there is more on the horizon. Masters and Instructors continue to learn and grow their teaching methods as masters of the art. Therefore, I donā€™t expect Black Belt to mean stagnation, but rather it means to utilize the tools of the fundamental art, along with new teachings to become a more complete athlete and human being.ā€

ā€” Snippet from my essay on ā€œWhat it means to be a Black Beltā€

I truly believe all that Iā€™ve written, has come from my lived experience and training years towards achieving a black belt. I cannot bullshit what I truly feel.

Iā€™ll release further snippets potentially in future newsletters, and through tweets on Twitter/X.

ā¤ļø Weekly Highlights

1 - My grandmother died āš°ļø

Iā€™m indifferent.

If you remember, months prior I had spoken about death and my grandmother.

She had been in and out of the hospital for some time.

I hadnā€™t thought of the possibility of her dying ā€œyetā€.

It felt sudden to me.

Potentially due to me being so focused on progressing in life.

Even with all the visiting I did in her last days, it never occurred to me.

But I have no regrets.

Probably why I havenā€™t shed a tear.

My general outlook on life has probably shaped my ability to contain my emotions my general outlook has seen me look at life such that I always see the silver lining.

Pessimism and negative energy have no place in my mind.

I have no time to feel sad. All I can do is remember the love and care my grandmother gave to me.

Death is just a by-product of life.

2 - Black Belt šŸ„‹

It only took me 12 years. The exam wasnā€™t that nerve-racking, and honestly, Iā€™ve trained a lot over the last 1 year and quarter, to handle all that came. There is still a lot I need to improve, but Iā€™m glad I made it to this point. I never thought I wouldā€™ve even done this art again.

But now it has become a lifelong journey. More content to come on my journeys as a black belt.

šŸ“šInteresting Content

1 - Canā€™t take yourself seriously at the top. Life is a game, so you have to have fun.

2 - The animal kingdom is quite unique.

3 - We blame our health on genetics. 

We have a greater stake than we think, when it comes to health.

4 - People want a perception of doing good.

5 - Iā€™m free

šŸ”– Word(s) of the Week

  • Hyperaware: To be very aware.

  • Liaise: cooperate on a matter of mutual concern.

  • odyssey: a long and eventful or adventurous journey or experience.

  • Banal: obvious unoriginality

  • Invariably: always

  • Abject: something experienced to the maximum degree

  • Myopic: short-sighted

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