Join my new Project: Build a Ku Body

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No. Ku isn’t slang for being cool.  But it’s part of it.

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want out of my life and how I want to live it.

See, I’m naturally a happy person.  Growing up I had a couple nicknames I went by – Smiley and Sparky.

I believe you should always try to look at the positive side of things but there are times where we come to a point where it’s a challenge.  Even the happiest people have their bad days, but there’s no way to live without happiness.

Many who know me, know that I’m very proud of my Native Hawaiian heritage.  I have the tattoo to show it – special Mahalos to Uncle Keone Nunes for spending 4 hours tapping my kakau and to my brother, Isaiah, for stretching my skin to make sure the taps didn’t go in too deep. There’s definitely more to it than having a kakau, but when you meet my family you will know exactly why.

So, What is Ku?

In Hawaii, Ku has many different meanings all of which goes into my new project. Ku is defined as – to stand tall, strike, exist, achieve, transform, and rule.  Ku is also mostly known to the Native Hawaiians as the god of strength and war. Ku often accompanied warriors as they went into battle and would also be displayed during competition to bring strength and courage to everyone who participated.

What does this all mean to Aipa?

One of the biggest meanings of Ku for me is ACHIEVE. John Maxwell, a well known author on leadership, mentioned the difference from achievement and success.  Everyone wants to be successful. When you think about successful people, you  see what or how much they have accumulated over a period of times; the money, cars, houses, businesses, all other material things.

But sometimes, those “successful” people come to the realization that it’s not enough.  That’s the difference.  Success benefits ourselves while achievement is for the benefit of others.

My Build a Ku Body project has become a lifetime project and I’m hoping you will join me.  My main goal is to make a positive impact on peoples’ lives by helping them live happier and healthier. I will be sharing my experiences of both success and failures during my journey on achieving a Ku Body. Yes, I’m still in Ku training as well.

Why would I share my failures? Because people who’ve achieved a lot are successful in failing as well.  Without adversity, it’s just luck.  And you learn nothing.

This is a new concept that I’ve been thinking about over a couple years.  I am not looking at only achieving a Ku body physically, but also mentally and spiritually in all aspects of life.  I don’t know all the answers, no one does.  I’ve learned how to swallow my own pride and ask for help.  Something I thought I never needed.

This holistic approach came as I looked at what I want to achieve in my lifetime and leave behind when my time has come.  Wow Aipa, that’s kind of a sad thing to think about.  It’s not sad, it’s life – so what do you want to do with it?

Too many people focus on one aspect of their lives while paying none or little attention to the others.  You may become successful in one area, but still feel underachieved because something was missing.  If you have become financially successful, maybe you lacked in your health.

In my case, building a Ku body physically is not a problem and I intend to help as many people as possible to achieve their strength and fitness goals.  But I know for sure I lack in other areas.

What’s Build a Ku Body?

The first step to a Ku Body is this Hawaiian Value, ‘Imi na’aua0 - seek enlightenment, wisdom, and education. – Aipa

Physically Ku Body

To build a Ku body physically here are the areas we all need to focus on:

1. Exercise and physical activity – Building a strong body is very important to me.  Exercise is my life, and I intend to do it until the day I die.  With a stronger body brings confidence and pride for the work done.

2. Healthy nutrition - too many people lack in this area, and they wonder why they can’t reach their fitness goals.  The saying, “We are what we eat,” is very true.  Health eating will make your body feel healthy and strong.

Mentally Ku Body

1. Positive Thinking – This idea is everywhere and I am a true believer of it.  If you change your perception on life, you will live a much more fulfilling one.

2. Achievement – What do you want to achieve? What’s your purpose? It’s never too late to find what your purpose is.  I’ve heard hundreds of stories of supposedly successful people who left their corporate jobs because although they were making a lot of money, they still weren’t happy.  For instance Joshua Fields Milburn and Ryan Nicodemus left their corporate jobs and started a blog called, The Minimalists, where they talk about living a meaningful life with less clutter.

3. Influence – Great leaders influence. If you cannot create a positive change, you cannot lead.  There is a leader in all of us.  It’s not about being the first one, loudest one, most knowledgeable, or holding a high position.  ”He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.” – unknown

I could go on forever about building a Mentally Ku body, but I think you know where I’m going.

Spiritually Ku Body

1. Nature - We all need to pay more attention to nature.  When was the last time you enjoyed the sunrise, or took a walk and saw a butterfly.  We rush from place to place without taking the time to look around and enjoy the surrounded.

2. Give, Give, and Give – The more you give you will receive back ten-folds.  The more I can help people the better I feel about what I’ve achieved.  But you want to make sure you get something in return right? You will, patience my friends.

3.  Higher Purpose - We all have a higher purpose in life, we all have a message we can share with the world, and we all need to look outside of ourselves to reach that higher purpose.

In my journey towards building a Ku body, I’ll be writing about how I will be living a much more meaningful life by influencing myself and other.

Join the movement and please share your thoughts on areas you want to achieve in the comments below. I strongly believe we are all here for a specific reason and have a message to share with the world.  If you know your message, don’t be afraid to share it with others around you.  I would especially enjoy hearing your message.

And if you are still searching for it or haven’t even thought about it, this is a good time to take a moment to yourself and ask this simple question – What do I want out of my life; physically, mentally, and spiritually? Write it down, look at it often, and live that life.

Aloha, Mahalo, A hui hou!
(Good-bye, Thank you, Until we meet again)

Let’s all Build a Ku Body together. Who’s in?