We Are A Team

 I made the decision to join the I Ho Chuan for many reasons. One of those reasons was being part of a group and getting to know new people. I can honestly say I didn't give a lot of thought to being a team member and what that meant at the time. I did wonder though how I would fit in. My primary focus was the daily requirements and I was overwhelmed by the thought of 50,000 of anything in one year. Add push ups onto the end of that number and wow!! I  remember thinking what the ____ have I gotten myself into?

The computer set up and journaling has been one of the hardest tasks to do. I am a very private person and usually only share under the right circumstances or with some one I trust. When I would journal the process could take hours and whatever I was currently feeling caused thoughts and emotions from the past to surface. A lot of fears resurfaced and the biggest for me was and is a lack of self worth. I remember thinking, holy smokes I've signed myself up for a year long intensive self improvement workshop! If it had been presented that way, I'm pretty sure I would have said thanks, but no thanks. So I started to feel like I didn't belong on the team and I worried that I wouldn't have anything to contribute.

Many months have now passed and we have all been learning and talking about being a contributing member of the team. Just like at work we are helping each other out, working together with a common goal, jumping in where needed, teaching and learning together and we treat everyone with respect.

There are always going to be other commitments that keep some of us away at various times. Work is the biggest obstacle that some of us struggle with. Being a good team member is more than just physically being here. When team members are away they are missed but it can also create difficulties. These same difficulties create opportunities for growth, learning and adapting. We all learn from the experience no mater where we are. Just remember if you are here or away please journal as it helps us to learn more about each other and helps to create a bond between team members.

We are all on our own journey and the experience will be different for everyone of us. As we travel together on this journey we are not alone. And when we travel and work together as a team we are stronger and can accomplish so much more.

Michele Ward