Author: chungwipff

The Simplicity Experiment

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Confession: Once in awhile, I fantasize about selling EVERYTHING I own and taking just the essentials in a backpack and trekking across country.

Reality: I’m a mom of two teenage girls and a 6 year old dog. I’m also a wife and a teacher. I have too many responsibilities. But I’ve always been a fan of simplicity and this year, as I approach 50, I’m more determined than ever to pare down every part of my life to the bare esssentials. Why? Because – and I’m speaking for just myself here – I believe living a minimalistic life is a path to true happiness.

Biggest Challenge: I have a family. I can’t – and won’t – get rid of their things.

Method: I’m a fan of slow. Slow and sure. Every weekend, I fill a bag or two of things to donate. I’m careful with grocery shopping. I freeze excess and rarely throw anything away. I’ve been purchasing books on Kindle and in thrift stores. My bookshelves contain only the books I am passionate about.

Whenever I download “stuff,” I feel so light and free!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Perennially Radiant

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The flower does not ask for anything. She simply looks up to the sky and drinks in the sun. She absorbs the water that comes her way. She gives so much: pollen to procreate, nectar for the birds and bees and beauty for all to see.

Can you imagine the flower complaining? Or arguing? Or gossiping?

Do not succumb to insecurity or ugliness.

Be brilliant. Be brilliantly, bravely, unapologetically you.

 

 

Sunday Study

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I’m reading a synopsis of the book Unleash the Warrior Within. It’s written by a former Navy SEAL Michael “Mack” Machowicz. Obviously, he’s quite a self-disciplined, productive individual: host+ producer of Discovery Channel’s “Future Weapons”, author of Develop the Focus, Discipline, Confidence, and Courage You Need to Achieve Unlimited Goals and he possesses multiple black belts in martial arts.

One surprising piece of advice he gives (considering he’s a former Navy SEAL!): pursue your objective at 80%, not 100%. Why? Because you can’t give 100% long-term. You’ll burn out. This made me relieved because that is what I already do.

Yay! I’m not a slacker!

 

 

 

 

 

Breast Reconstruction

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Seven years ago, I was diagnosed with early stage I breast cancer. I had the cancer removed (a radical mastectomy) and breast implant surgery at the same time. Actually, I had expanders put in when they removed all of my breast tissue. For those of you who don’t know what this means, basically, expanders are hard balloons that get placed UNDER your chest muscles and saline is injected every week or so to create space for your implants. This is a very painful procedure for the entire duration until the expanders are replaced by silicone or saline implants.

Six surgeries later, I went from a 34A/B to a full 34C. It felt like The Reward for all the pain that accompanies a cancer diagnosis. Why so many surgeries? One of my suspicious masses was too close to my chest wall for a needle biopsy, so I had to have a surgical biopsy. I had a defective expander (this is very rare, I am told), I had an infection; I had a defective saline implants and then one of the surgeries was because my doctor thought silicon would look better than saline.

Did you know you’re supposed to replace them every ten years? So that means at 50, 60, 70 and 80 (should I live that long!), I need to replace the implants.

I’m thinking that perhaps, at 60, I may opt to remove the implants altogether. Will I be courageous enough to do that? I live in Arizona where it’s 100 degrees Fahrenheit for five months of the year. I have a pool. I like to wear a bathing suit. I know there are inserts you can wear, but I’ve heard stories of them escaping your suit and floating in the pool.

In any case, these are the issues involved with breast cancer and reconstruction. I am grateful to be living in these modern times with amazing technology. In the 1800s, breast cancer was only treated when it manifested itself physically (really, too late for treatment) and they had mastectomy surgeries without anesthesia. The ladies just bit down on a bolt of cloth while the surgeon used a hot iron to cut it out.

 

 

 

 

Self-Publishing Update

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Working through CreateSpace (Amazon’s answer to self-publishing) includes the following phases:

  1. Create
  2. Setup
  3. Review
  4. Distribution
  5. Sales & Marketing

Esther, Mia and The Stars is now in the Distribution phase. This is my first book, so I’m very excited! I’m enjoying the process immensely, even when things go wrong.

I’ve been meditating an extra minute every morning. This morning, I meditated for 11 minutes and tomorrow, I will meditate for 12. What I mean by meditating is concentrating on my breath and not thinking. Why is this important? Because the mind can work in overdrive and  interfere with inner peace. Meditation has (already) helped me keep calm during challenging moments. My sixth graders were very loud and obnoxious today, but I was fine. My illustrations scanned at a dpi that was too low and I had to re-scan and crop them all over again, but I just did it and didn’t feel anxious or upset at all.

I’ve written my book description:

Esther and Mia are best friends. Esther must come up with a creative solution when she discovers that Mia is being bullied. Together, they overcome this painful event and tell their story in English and Spanish.

My “About the Author” blurb:

Caroline Chung-Wipff delights in working with children who are often much wiser than adults. She lives in the desert with the love-of-her-life (Willey), her two amazing daughters and Opal the Dog Wonder.

Amazon tells me:

Your book files are still being reviewed. A final print ready cover file is needed to continue to KDP. You will be e-mailed when the review is complete.

So I wait.

Please ping me if you have any questions about the process thus far. It’s so fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tae Kwon Do

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When I was a teenager, my sister, brother and I studied Tae Kwon Do with the late, great Chung Kim. It was one of the most challenging endeavors I’ve ever done because the studio was very “old school.” Classes were not designed to entice kids to join and have a “good time.” It was all about self-discipline and focus. We had to do knuckle pushups if we made a mistake. We free sparred grown men. We practiced, breathed, and lived according to the tenets of CIPSI:

Courtesy (respect)

Integrity (ethics)

Perseverance

Self-Control

Indomitable (unconquerable) Spirit

I remember the physical pain of knuckle push-ups, sparring, and sit-ups. I remember silently crying because I failed a belt test or failed at something else. It was more painful than not. It was more frustrating and frightening than not. But in the end, my siblings and I earned our 1st degree black belts.

There was a hearing impaired couple – man and wife – who were practicing in the studio. I watched them, mesmerized. It was already so hard! How did they do it? People are amazing. If person set goals and believe 100% in themselves, they will accomplish their goal. I saw this first hand in the dojang and I see it every day in my students.

Every important lesson I’ve learned in life bloomed in that stinky studio. Focus on what you’re doing. Control your mind and your body. Visualize your goals. Work hard. Never quit.

Never quit!

Master Kim, thank you for leaving such a valuable legacy.

 

 

Unsolicited Advice

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I went rollerskating today. It’s one of my “flow” activities: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi defined flow activity as being in the groove or “in the zone.” It’s when you’re so utterly absorbed in what you’re doing, that time passes without regard.

I’m skating and happy when an older gentleman gestures for me to come to him. I relent. I’ve seen this guy before, he’s a good skater. He looks like a slender Santa Claus – easily in his 70s. I’m curious.

“When you move forward, move your skates outward, not backward. Do you know why?”

I answer, “I’ll go faster?”

By now, I’m miffed that he’s telling me how to skate better when I’ve been skating for nearly 40 years. But I listen. I’m curious.

I consciously skate outward. It works!

“When you turn, bend your left leg. Lean into the turn. Don’t lift your right leg.”

This takes me a lot more focus. I realize I have a hard habit. But he’s right. My upper body is much more stable. It feels better.

My resentment is just a whisper now. But it’s there. He hangs back. I smile in appreciation.

He doesn’t try to talk to me for the duration of my skate. I focus on my newfound skills and realize…after 40 years of skating, I learned something new!

If I had gotten defensive and refused to listen, I would not have learned.

We need to be receptive in order to accept constructive criticism. And this receptivity is in our control.