Martial Arts Life

May 27, 2019 I know this needed to be done a while ago but better late than never. Right? I have just been pushing off writing these blogs, but I am pushing my self to start writing them. I guess I will start with the blog about how we are only as fast as the slowest person on our team. On May 5th (Cinco de Mayo) SBN Samantha, Ami, Michele, and My self went on a 5-mile jog. We each paired up SBN Samantha, Michel was one group the other was Ami and my self. SBN Samantha and Michele went at a steady slower pace. While Ami and I went ahead of them at a faster pace but then we had slow down every now and then so SBN Samantha and Michele could catch up so there was not so much distance between us so we could talk. This happened for almost all of the 5-miles. This shows that since Ami and I had to go back, that we are only as fast as the slowest person on our team. This is a valuable lesson to remember because we will be dealing with teams throughout our lives and have to learn to go at th...

May 11, 2019 was one of the most memorable days of my life. One of my goals this testing year was to break a brick.  On the Thursday before the big day KJN Jeremy worked with our team on the technique of breaking.  Stacking up four shields he taught us foot placement, the importance of twisting our bodies and allowing all our physical weight to drop into the strike.  At one point he went to the back room and carried out a concrete paver we would be breaking and set it on top of the stack of shields.  My goal was to break that?!  Open mouth insert both feet!  What was I thinking?  For the next 24 hours it was all I could think about.  Would I break it?  Could I break it?  Was I going to injure myself breaking it?  Am I crazy to try this?  WHAT AM I DOING???!!!!!!!!!  Saturday May 11th we celebrated DMS's 2 year birthday and during that celebration the black belt candidates and support team were going to do their breaking....

Over the past four months, I have been in the midst of my 3rd degree Black Belt test. This is something that I have looked forward to ever since attaining my first degree black belt in May of 2014. My first degree test is a test I will never ever forget, 100 days of grueling workouts, pain, sweat, sleepless nights, homework, sparring rounds. That test was one of the hardest things I have ever done, there were times when I wanted to give up and walk right out the door and never come back. However, being part of such an amazingly supportive made all the difference. Though we were all at different points in our life, we all had the same goals, pushing ourselves past out limits, mentally breaking down walls ,and supporting each other along the way. During those 100 days, I learned so much about myself and just how strong I really am. It wasn't a walk in the park that's for sure, but having a great team by your side makes all the difference. You were never alone, you always had team...

If there is one lesson that I've taken away from this past week, it's been , it is totally acceptable to say No. Mind you this is coming from someone who suffers from a severe case of "Yes man" syndrome. I strive from serving others, it's something that i've always loved and come naturally to me. If there is ever an opportunity to volunteer my time wither it be with children, adults, or my peers, nine out of ten times, you can count on me being there; serving others was and is still very much a moral in which I have been raised up by. Serving others has been part shaping me into the person I one day hope to become. Though "Yes man" syndrome, is dangerous to the fact that burnout is a long term effect, I would never trade any of the opportunities I have had. I have been so blessed with many once in a lifetime opportunities and  experience; for example, in the 7th grade, I had the chance to travel to our Nation's Capital with my class too see and ...