Minor, Ami - Breath

We are down to the last 11 weeks of the test and it's go time. With less than 3 months left, it's all feeling so surreal and the pressure is on. During this time it is very easy to become overwhelmed and stressed out (trust me I know), but now more than ever we need to remember to breathe. There are still 4 weeks in a month, 7 days in a week and 24 hours in a day. The days aren't getting any shorter, though it may feel as so, and the weeks aren't getting any longer. As school has started, time management is becoming more and more important. Looking at the big picture there is still so much to do and it seems like not enough time to do it. However, if there is anything that I've learned from my past black belt tests and the last 11 years of school, it is that all you need to do is to keep moving forward. Not so much of looking at the big picture but setting goals for each day and completing those goals. If you complete your daily goals, soon you'll find that your list of things to do is shrinking. Again, don't stress over the big picture, work week by week, make a list of all you want to complete that week and focus on those things not everything else. By doing this, you will be able to complete your to-do list in a timely manner, hopefully with less stress. Another thing that helps me is checking in with a friend, mentor, teammate, or instructor when you are feeling overwhelmed. To you, it seems like you're so far behind there's no chance you'll make it to the end when in reality, you have done everything you've been asked to do and more. We are often our hardest critics, and it seems as if we are barely staying afloat, when on the contrary, to our peers, teammates, and instructors, see so much more; all of the hours on the mat, practice outside of class, special training attendance, teaching time and so much more. Every once in awhile, check-in with that teammate or instructor and ask them how you're really doing, to your surprise, you're probably doing better than you think.
- Ami Minor
3rd Degree Black Belt Candidate 2019 

Comments

  1. Lia London, authorSeptember 10, 2019 at 9:15 AM

    "There are still 4 weeks in a month, 7 days in a week and 24 hours in a day. The days aren't getting any shorter, though it may feel as so." Oh my goodness, yes! This is a brilliant observation. When we're stressed everything can feel so compressed and rushed. Excellent thoughts here!

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