NATURE IS THE BEST MEDICINE, IT NURTURES MIND AND BODY!
This is 2022 spring, we just went on two fishing day trips, hiking and kayaking.  We try to get outdoors as much as we can with family and close friends.

Addiction to Nature therapy started early on growing up in Nepal. I went trekking a lot with my parents and we are not talking small hills. Mom taught me how to grow fresh, eat fresh, garden, cook, be kind to people and animals and all gods creation.

She loved nature and had a green thumb, she taught me a lot when I was young.  She went on many trips like this with us when she was with us in TX.  I had so much more to share with her so she could enjoy her golden years together here with us, she loved TX.  I miss her dearly and every trip reminds me of her and how much she would have loved being with us in nature.
Today, I always make sure to find even more time to be with my family in TX and close friends in nature.

I find it very therapeutic for mind and body. The vast wide open spaces and the beautiful parks in the US is breathtaking. Take TX alone, so many places to enjoy nature. All you need is to buy a park pass and fishing license and you are set.

We always made sure to take our son camping, fishing, hiking and really embrace the outdoors. He also learned to do garden chores very early on and enjoyed the fruits of labor. Lots of fresh veggies grew in our garden. Hard work but the result of hard work is amazing. Trial and errors are part of the journey.
We fell in love with kayaking and bought our own kayaks few years back.

Our good friends the previous court owners took us fishing and hiking. Spring Break we did not catch anything but last week we caught a bunch of bass. Brought it home and I love to cook fresh as much as I can.

My friend made fresh ceviche which was amazing and I made fish sautee with fresh veggies.

I have great respect for all that fish, it is not easy going deep into cold river water and maneuvering rocks and boulders, having the patience to wait for hours and hours.  But if you enjoy nature, whether you catch or not the experience I love.  It is like tennis, the journey is so fun, whether you win or lose matches, the court experience playing and teaching to me is amazing.  You come out feeling real good after a good solid workout no matter what the result I embrace it all!

Finding time to be my family and in nature has always been on top of my priority list and we always find ways to make it happen. It is a therapy better than anything. It also helps with my coping skills and refreshes me to clear my mind and ready for the next task. To blank the mind and forget everything, turn off all the white noise  is something else!  To me it is pure in its healing nature.  Grateful to live in TX such a beautiful state full of wild life and nature!  I do love Texas! Reminds me of many beautiful places in Nepal, the hills, the lakes, the rivers, hike and bike trails.  National State parks in TX are so clean and beautiful and so well preserved!  Hope to visit them all one day, that is on my bucket list!
Enjoy the photos.  Here is to all our health which is our greatest wealth and to finding ways to keep on marching ahead with tapping in to everything that is within our reach!
Cheers!
Coach

Third family member passed a week ago. My coping skills gets test again! Hope this Blog help all find their coping skills as I have continued to find mine!

WHY TENNIS? THIS IS WHY! I HAVE DEVELOPED VERY STRONG COPING SKILLS THROUGHOUT MY LIFE DUE TO TENNIS!
February 2022 has been a series of “when it rains it pours” month.  I know the saying “life is a rollercoaster ride” and how true it is. Cancer this time. Lost third one of my beloved family a week ago.  Then Venmo disaster and then nonstop rain with cancelled tennis classes but coping skills kicked in once again.  Made up all rained classes, cancelled Venmo, took a few days to reset and be with family.  Struck my family hard. Losing 3 beloved ones between 2021 to 2022 is too much.

My mom did not pass peacefully, she was taken savagely, unfairly, ruthlessly from me right in front of my eyes in February of 2021 in Nepal.

I keep it locked up in my mind as it was the most horrific month fighting for her losing the battle. I will never forget who was involved. Will never forget Dr. K and Patan Hospital, not in a good light.  Her medical files were burned, why? What was the truth? Isn’t it illegal? This and many questions haunt me forever, no answers, no justification, I have the truth on my side and close friend and her family witnessed until the very end, always by my side.  Everything that happened was so wrong, felt so wrong! Lost faith in a lot, lost trust.  Saw the worst of humanity and its very ugly side full of greed, control and power full month in Nepal. I was a wreak, broken!

I was left all alone (but for my dear friend in Nepal) to take my mom from hospital to crematory to temple and wash her remains in Sacred Pashupatinath river, I stayed until the very end and brought her back with me to Austin, TX.
I came back and I could not have gone forward if it had not been for my family, close friends and TENNIS.  I buried myself doing what I love.  Without tennis I would have gone under.
Depression is real and coping is very hard but I had tennis, I fully focused on it and worked, worked, worked.  Teaching and family makes me happy so I sought to reach for any slice of happy wherever I could find keeping the waterworks at bay.  I cried when I could, when no one watched but I showed up to the tennis court everyday and served and served up the best tennis. It made my students happy and in turn it made me happy!

February 18th, 2022, here in Austin, I went with one of my best tennis friends (she lost her father same day as my mother in the exact manner while I was in Nepal she was here in the US, we leaned on each other talked every night). On this 1 year anniversary we spent the day to remember and grieve together as well as celebrate our loved one’s memories.  We offered roses to all our loved ones, prayed, comforted each other.

We talked, we hugged, we cried and we laughed together, remembering all the great memories as we lunched in the sun and went for a short hike to the duck pond. We enjoyed the calm and peace of nature that both our families so loved.  I am so grateful to have such a dear friend. Thank you, CA, love you friend!

We must find ways to cope otherwise we go downhill and quickly. We must reach out and help each other and find ways to heal and move on!

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone is different but this is how “I” have always used coping skills to push through, heal, get stronger. Hopefully it helps others!

• First, this is my theory, never be shy to reach out to the right people in your life that are good people who are always willing to help you because you have always helped them. Can be close family, very dear close friends that have become family. They will always be there for you no matter what!  When we are ready to talk that is when the healing begins.
• Mom was a very energetic, kind, loving and fun soul.  Growing up in Nepal, she taught me everything from cooking fresh, gardening, growing your own food, how to boost immune system from inside naturally, caring for family, friends and serving other humans and all gods creations and so much more.  She really had a great sense of humor and was a ton of fun, loved to sing, dance, laugh, joke and boy she could party all night every New Years eve here in Austin with us.  She always taught me to do the things I love that makes me happy.  She was my son’s biggest tennis fan, she came to so many of his tennis tournaments and mine, she visited us often and stayed for 6 months at a time.  I miss her dearly as I had so much more to share with her, so did my husband and our son.
  

  Mom cooks Nepali food for the whole tennis team going to Nationals in Palm Springs, 2015

  

  We made it to Nationals in 2015. What a great experience with my awesome team mates

  She cooked for our whole tennis team right before we went to Nationals and they loved her because she was such a light.  She loved on my husband, my son and me always supported us. She was always proud of me and was a big fan of my tennis and my small business and kept encouraging me with, chase your dreams and don’t let anything or anyone take you down!
  So, each day I pick something fun to do that makes me happy: I tend to cook a lot at once and fix home-made packaged meals to take to my son to college (one of my favorite things to do nowadays), or garden, or walk my dog, or workout, teach/play tennis, or workout indoors or outdoors, or meet a friend, or clean the house, or paint, or do photography and web design, anything I love,  something productive and purposeful.
  Finding Just one thing a day that makes us happy and making time for it goes a long way. Every day if we start with a purpose to be productive in some way helps!

• Second, keep working out! Keep up your exercise routine going and find the time, make the time.  It helps to boost energy and keeps the immune system strong, allows stress release and is good for the body and mind. In every instance I pushed myself to get outdoors, garden, teach and play tennis, cook and always surrounded myself with close loved family and friends.   I never stayed indoors too long at a time.  I buried myself in work teaching 6/7 hrs on court nonstop as soon as I got back form Nepal and another 4/5 hrs at my desk running the business.  I closed out Facebook, Twitter and closed all channels of communication with those who did not matter in my life and focused on those that did and always cared.  I focused on self-care and healing, getting heart rate up with gardening, digging, planting, working out.  I wanted to be strong for my family here and my tennis students.  I had people who loved me, I had a purpose to fulfil and carry on, mom would have said come on lets go, you can do this!  She always got back up!
• Sleep: I made sure to get enough sleep.  Very important get minimum 6 hours straight sleep. 7-8 hrs would be better.  It helps body and mind refresh.
• Proper nutrition: I cooked fresh a lot. When we are stressed, we tend to not eat or overeat. Stick with a balanced meal. Repeat.  After the balanced meal treat yourself, doesn’t hurt you.
• Hydration: I always drink a ton of water every day.  Keep drinking lots of water to flush out the bad toxins in your body and replenish.  Water hydrates and keeps you healthy.
• Get outdoors get sun, Vitamin D: I have always relied on fitness, health and nutrition throughout my life.  I take tons of walks.  Walk your dog, garden, go out with friends, get sunlight & greenery. It is free, we are surrounded by it.  Mind/ body gets quickly recharged
• Allow yourself to grieve, cry, mourn let the emotions out with close family and friends and talk it out:   This was hard for me but with time I was able to talk to very close loved ones.  I allowed myself to cry whenever wherever except on the tennis court. The waterworks knows no right time, a song or a movie or a beautiful painting, or nature can trigger it. We must let it go and let it flow.  It is part of body and mind’s way of healing
• Now make a plan: Write a check list and start to go down the list and tackle one thing at a time with a clear head that needs your attention.  I always have a checklist daily. Exercise if on top, selfcare is always on top.  Like they say put your mask on before you help the one next to you in any flight, I believe in selfcare first.  If we don’t care for ourselves first,  we can be of no use of help to our loved ones and others around us.  If we are not healthy we can’t care for others.

I get my strength from my mom, she was the toughest yet the gentlest soul, beautiful inside and out.

She endured a lot but always got back up every time, every challenge tried to take her down. She taught me to be honest and kind and do it with integrity.  She taught me to always try to do the right thing and do right by people but also to stand up and never be a pushover.  She loved nature, wildlife, photography and always helped people, animals, bird, rescued many and I followed in her footsteps.

She believed in growing your own fresh food, eating healthy, outdoor exercise, gardening, cooking fresh all to boost immune system from inside out and she taught me all this which I follow religiously.  We are what we put in our bodies, she believed it and I always did. Nature is the way always first!

Through tennis I promote wellness of mind and body and teach all young and adult how much fun tennis brings but also arms us with the strongest coping skills!
I am well aware no one said life is easy, especially when you lose your loved ones, but I am also aware many are in the same boat as me.  My purpose and calling in life has always been and will continue to be to make people feel safe, healthy and happy on court and off court and teach young and adults the value of tennis and how it relates to real life coping skills.

Every challenge I kept teaching nonstop, kept at it outdoors, it helped me through the healing process and still does today.  Tennis gives a lot of joy but at the same time it arms you with the strongest coping skllls .  For just a few hours I get to help others forget their daily stressors and worries and help them feel good about themselves and have fun while learning tennis.  Recreational tennis or competitive tennis I am there for all.  This not only makes my students happy but in turn makes me happy.  I have a job/ small business I created, going on 18 years now, that I love so much.  It has been a blessing helps me in life while helping others.  I have taught my son tennis since he was very young, I have taught my husband tennis, I taught my mom how to play, I have taught and continue to teach thousands. I have the best job ever, I get to serve and touch lives every day!  Sometimes life takes us through very very tough challenges, it

is not easy, it is a lot of hard work and takes a lot effort to push through, but with determination, self-care, reaching out, pushing through with coping skills, but always worth it and can be done with time.  With my family, close friends and tennis love and support I have learned to and laugh again and make others smile again!  Time is valuable, it takes time to heal, always make and take time for family and close friends!

Because so many of our loved ones love us, many rely on us each day, we must keep pushing through arming ourselves with the best coping skills we can draw each day. Our work has to continue to be purposeful and has to have meaning because we care for them as much!  Never give in to the dark, always fight to move towards the light!  We cannot save the world by our selves but we can play a small part in helping each other, our families, friends, neighbors, our communities each day by touching just one life be it human or in nature, pets or wildlife.  That is the best we can do and that is good enough as each family is going through something in their lives.
Be kind and always “ask first” before you judge a book by its cover!  If anyone sucks the life out of you, it is time to change the people around you, be with people who motivate and cheer you on, be with people who have a positive outlook in life, be with people who inspire you, push you to do better and have fun.
Back on court, sun is out and looking forward to seeing all everyday having fun playing tennis!  Always a blast seeing all my tennis students!  I look forward to class every day!

Excuse the grammar and the blog itself and spell check, that is the least of my concerns these days. Wearing many hats, doing what I love I choose to spread myself thin and I have a very good reason but I love everything I do with a passion and I always make time for my family, close friends and my community!

Cheers!
coach

February 2022 ice storm hits Austin. Sun came out and 4 courts were perfect to teach but the wind screens were down. Quarries immediately fixed it but they keep coming down, power of nature.

The 1 private court part of court was frozen, so had to cancel a few classes.

Went and tried to crack the ice and then push water and then squeegee but was a tough one with the ice being very slippery.
Finally, day before yesterday ice thawed a bit and got to run junior lil one’s classes on partial court. Have to thank Andrew our student parent for helping push the ice and water while I taught. Thank you Andrew!
Student parents are all so amazing, always ready to offer help.

At home, trying to keep my mind and body busy as my mother’s passing Feb 18th, 2021 anniversary is coming.
This month last year I was in Nepal from end of Jan to Feb 2021, the worst time of my life which will never be the same because I saw the horrors and the torture she went through and was taken unfairly so the wound is raw and it sits with me.   But I have gathered the strength and coping mechanisms through tennis and fitness throughout my life.  My family in Austin and close friends I call family are my rock!

So I stay very busy all the time, doing things that lifts me up, challenges me, makes me happy.  Making others happy makes me very happy, getting on court and teaching is my favorite.  No matter what the day is once I am outdoors everything is like hitting a reset button.  I love my job so much.
Getting it done gradually.   I cook a lot on certain days and pack fresh food to take to my son to college, he loves it when mom & dad visit and this makes us happy.  No matter how old they get, we miss our kids whether they go far or near.
This year my focus is on getting our TennisBuddys website updated and getting creative with more ideas to make tennis better and better for all.  Galleries was making progress but after a computer crash all files gone.  My tech support guy (my husband) is at work so I have to figure this out myself.   Well, must start from scratch but will be ok, good thing I backed everything up from 2004 to now. Word Press Media gallery not very friendly in file organization especially when it puts all bulk image files in one place and will not let you cut paste images or videos into different folders. Downloaded an app but still did not work. Any WP experts in our tennis program do give me a few pointers;)  I love a challenge but sometimes I too get stuck!
I always run to my ex coworker buddy who is a wiz in this sort of thing, Jeff is the go to guy for help.  He has helped me throughout the years figuring any kind of web work out, especially in the coding and backend forms department.  Glad to have great friends and resources I can always count on, thank god!

My cat, Cashew really knows how to relax and get Vitamin D so I did the same between piles of deskwork. I thought for a minute she was dead! Oh no, she is alive and kicking just rolling in the sun. My dog Soda had enough of the ice so he is hibernating. Our furry pets sure are therapeutic. Computer crashes or any kind of frustrations or grievances  just talk to them, they will listen and make you smile!  Pets have that health boosting benefit they give us unconditionally!

Weathering the storms, they come and go everyday, expect it, accept it and keep marching on forward because we can with a good support system and the will power to reach for the light anywhere we can find it daily.  Time to get out and get some vitamin D and get a workout and refresh my brain.  That always does the trick for me!  That is all for today!
Cheers!
Coach

Hello everyone!
Check out our “galleries” link as we update photos and videos from 2004 to now.  Our policy page “How to Sign up” link also updated.  Full year’s tennis schedule also updated for your convenience for each program.  Yes, big task but am up for the fun challenge and loving focusing on our website!

Hope all are staying warm and staying safe with the freeze that started yesterday on February 3rd, 2022. One day the temp is 70’s and the next day it is all white out.  No this is not the fun fluffy snow but very slippery frozen sleet with temps dipping down to the 20’s.  Tennis is cancelled but those having to drive to work including my husband, all stay safe out there on the roads. Our dog Soda in the photo who is 16 years old now can’t see or hear was slipping and sliding outside but he did good, he loves the cold weather.  Our cat Cashew just sat by the fire not wanting to get up.

After taking myself and our business off of Facebook and Twitter, the amount of full focus and extra time I have is incredible, zero distractions, a sense of tranquility and full concentration on the here and now. The best decision in 2022 as a New Year’s resolution I made.  Family has always been my first priority so that never changed but business side there always was a lot to do.  With zero censorship I am able to post and give tips to all students with visual aid right here about fitness, wellness, tennis and health.
We are what we put in our bodies. This is why eating healthy, hydrating, getting proper sleep, exercising and meditating to get away from daily stressors in our busy lives is so important.  Meditation can be in the form of “ME TIME”. Gardening, playing tennis, going for a short walk, cooking, going window shopping, just sitting out in the sun, taking your dog for a walk, brushing your dog or playing with your cat, listening to music and breathing, just taking some time for ourselves in any way is very important. It can be just 15 min of pure “ME TIME”.  Children or adult we all need that outlet for ourselves to refresh.
Building healthy families, healthy neighborhoods and healthy communities is where I see my calling.  Through tennis I continue to be able to serve health, nutrition, fitness and more as our samll business tennis program gets into its 18th year.  I am grateful for this job I truly love that allows me to serve all!

I have taken this time to focus on my business, especially our TennisBuddys,LLC website which has not been updated in a long time.  Getting back to doing web stuff has been very nice which I have missed.  Gardening will come soon once the freeze season is over so I will be posting some great gardening tips for all.  I have had the pleasure of teaching thousands of children and adults, watching them grow from beginners to competitive levels has been a joy and many have kept playing just for fun and health while some have entered the tournament scene and enjoyed.
All these photos and videos will be posted on our “GALLERIES” link so keep an eye out as I take some time to post them.
Taking all our videos and photos on to our website, updating our Testimonials page and keep on adding blogs here on workout tips, health and nutrition (cooking and gardening) tips, how to save money on tennis shoes, tennis rackets, strings, grips, athletic wear, some fun pet videos and more will be coming soon to brighten your day.
Life is a roller coaster ride full of ups and downs, always be ready as we never know what is coming.  Hold our loved ones close, give time our time, and most importantly encourage them to EXERCISE!  Our children are the most precious of all and we need to protect them, keep them safe and healthy and keep providing them outlets to destress in the outdoors in fresh air with friends, with family.
Working out had gotten me through a lot in life through many years as well as tennis playing and teaching, it has become a part of me. Working out in any form helps us to clear and calm our mind, get rid of the all the bad toxins in our bodies and helps us breathe and refresh to be able to take on another day.  Exercising helps us boost our immune system and keeps us healthy as well as gives us a boost in strength and energy from inside out.  I practice what I preach because I am a huge believer in health and wellness, always have been since I was a teen.
Growing up in Nepal, my parents encouraged me to go on walks, get involved in school sports and then introduced me to tennis.  I got hooked on tennis and the rest is history.  My mom taught me the value of proper nutrition with home cooked meals and how to cook fresh, always adding fresh ginger, garlic, turmeric, onions, always fresh into every meal.  She taught me how to garden and grow my own food.  Gardening is therapeutic and a great workout and I am hooked on it as well.  We as parents can teach our children a lot, it is a beautiful thing.

I am excited and looking forward to a wonderful tennis year ahead.  I truly enjoy watching my students laughing, smiling while learning tennis, getting a workout, meeting new people, making new friends and progressing.   I am working on some exciting new ideas and some new prototype design for tennis and some on court enhancements to give our students more, so, they continue to enjoy tennis. Will share once it has come full circle and I have finalized.

Always happy to hear from you all, leave your comments and let’s share the good as we have had plenty of bad news and we have all endured a lot these past few years.  I know as I have been through a lot of personal tragedies in 2021 along with you all who have shared.  We have the ability to bounce back, we as humans are resilient.  Together we can lift each other and be there for one another on court and off court. Let’s keep on marching ahead with a positive outlook and we got this!
The sun is coming out today, it always does eventually after rain, snow, sleet, storms and sometimes we see a rainbow!  We just got to hold tight and hang tough!
See you all tomorrow, bundle up and send your kids in layers of clothing they can peel off.  Tell them coach said you cannot come unless you take a jacket, blame it on me;) I know how kids do not like to wear long pants and jackets, I have a kid too I know how they like to roll;)
Cheers!
coach

 

Wishing all a very Safe, Healthy and Happy New Year 2022!

We deleted our Facebook and Twitter accounts due to their unnecessary censoring of our video and photos, captions of purely tennis and health posts.
2020 will bring more focus to our website where we will have all our videos and photos and tips and tricks all housed on our Galleries link.  We will update all our videos and photos, testimonials page, galleries and coaches corner will be a spot full of fun tips from coach herself through her personal experiences.   This page will include blog posts, videos and photos from coaches corner, everything she practices and preaches.  From tennis, fitness, nutrition, sleep, hydration, pets, gardening, cooking and more that all ties to our personal mental and physical health and well being.

2020 we went through lockdown and shutdown for 6 months and we found a way knocking on doors to continue teaching.  We thank all our students who followed us everywhere.  Now we are at 2 venues with the highest number of tennis students in 17 years since our move away from the city of Austin and since our small business went independent.   We hosted two of our very first tournaments at the Quarries and all had a blast and want more.  We will do more in 2022.  All classes from age 5 yrs all the way to adults ran full force and more kept coming and bringing more to our very small tennis program that has kept growing each year.
With zero cases coming from our program we kept our tennis racket distancing that we started in 2004 and continued which kept all safe, healthy and coming out to enjoy tennis nonstop!  We will continue racket distancing and our safety protocols which in turns takes care of everything.

2021 has been a tough year with very personal tragedies and loss of loved ones within my family and within many families, this has been the toughest year of all.  Throughout both years I have found family, close friends and tennis to be my savior.  Tennis has allowed me to get out and serve others the best of fitness and wellness and make children and adults smile on court, this is turn has made me smile again and continue strong doing what I love so much, Teach!  Giving all an outlet to come out and purely enjoy the game of tennis, be it recreational or competitive has always been my passion and it shall continue. Nothing is more important than our health.  HEALTH IS WEALTH!  When we have our health and our family has their health we can overcome any hurdles but it takes determination and consistency to embrace and practice and build good habits.  This is where I come in.  Helping others helps me and I shall continue on this path to bring joy, hope, fun and learning through the beautiful game of tennis that can be played for life!
Here is to looking forward to seeing all back on court in 2022 outdoors continuing to play tennis in a safe, healthy and fit environment! Thank you all friends, neighbors, students, parents, court owners, our whole community that has been supporting our small business because they love coming to learn from us!  Very grateful to all!
coach Aruna

Son training (super champ) honing in on his inside out forehand.

I try to work on one key element at a time, keeping training short and sweet but really focusing on making a difference on enhancing that particular shot so it becomes a weapon for success.

Preparation is key!  Here you see him moving forward and backward from deep balls to short balls, high deep topspin recovery shots, to approach to finishing off points using quick feet movements.  Knowing when to hit what shot and how to place it, is very important at tournament level.  When to keep the ball consistent and when to attack and take risks is a key element to successfully winning matches.  Practice always makes progress!

 

Blog post 101, Nov 30th, 2016:

Here is a fun drill coach and son demonstrate for intermediate to advanced tennis players on a mini tennis court.  You can get a great workout and at the same time build a high level of concentration, quick feet, hand eye coordination and great control and consistency.  You don’t have to go to the tennis court, setup a rope or a net anywhere you can find a strip of concrete and off you go.  Grab a family member or student.  If you are at beginner level start with transition balls, Red or Orange, first with one ball and gradually go two balls going at the same time.

As you get better, start with one regular tennis ball and then advance to two going at the same time!   Now go out there and have some fun!