Do martial arts make me a positive person?
Martial arts give me the confidence and conviction to step out and share what I know and what I’ve learned. There are times when I take my black belt for granted. I concede, somehow, that it is not that important. That is because I forgetfully wipe all the hard work and memories away and all the years that lead up to it because I began such a long time ago. But then I remember the journey, and I am renewed in knowing that I did something that personally was very extraordinary.
I took the very basic version of who I was and transformed into something more and that is not an easy thing to do when you think of your life as mostly ordinary.
What I know is that martial arts give me attitude. I’m not talking about the bad kind, not the ego-driven, maniac, holier-than-thou attitude. Martial arts and my black belt journey give me an attitude of positive expectation.
I expect that I will always try my best. I expect that I will make every effort to turn negativity around. I expect to help others understand why martial arts are so beneficial. I expect to be diligent about proclaiming positivity. I would not have any of these expectations, if not for my martial art practice.
Make part of your expectations be that you can overcome any limitation in your mind or body. Every day, I practice something related to my martial art to help me overcome my personal negative expectations or my perceived limitations. I might work on mindset, flexibility, or my physical martial art practice. Every one of these actions, no matter how big or small, give me a grateful attitude and a sense of improvement.
I also consider failure as I ponder expectations and attitude. If you attempt something once and it does not work out, do you consider it a failure or a learning opportunity? Failure is what you expect others think about you. You call it a failure because you worry that others will see it that way. This negative expectation hinders you in all you do. What you think other people think creates your failure, when in fact it is only a chance to learn and grow.
If you feel a sense of failure setting in, ask yourself if you base this feeling on how you feel, or what you think others think about you. Expectations and attitude go hand in hand. What others think is not as important as what you think and is not as important as your own expectation of growth through learning.
Your actions are important and valuable. Don’t take yourself for granted. I am thankful that martial arts turned me around because before I started I was not positive and I didn’t have very high expectations for myself. My attitude was less than exemplary. Today, I step out to try and share the positive messages that I’ve learned through martial arts.
To answer the question that I posed in the beginning, if martial arts make me a more positive person, I will say this. Not everyone likes what I share or praises me for it. But I still move forward with my mission and purpose. As long as I continue, I do not risk failure because what matters is that I stay true to who I am and continue steadfast in my journey.
I do not expect failure. Instead, I create positive expectations.
xoxo
Andrea
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Links & Info:
The Martial Arts Woman Podcast (Interviews of fascinating martial art women all over the world): https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins
NEW BOOK: How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program – COMING SOON!
Really enjoyed this post, Andrea! There’s a lot to be said for positive expectations and a positive attitude while keeping our feet on the ground. You highlighted this so well, thank you!
Thanks so much, Claire!
Beautifully written. Being a martial artist goes so much further than technique.
Thank you, Melanie. It really does!
Hi Andrea,
I am in TaeKwonDoe and I haven’t been to class in a while, so I decided that, after reading your ‘The Martial Arts Women’ book that it would be best for my mental health to try and get back into it.
I myself, am suffering from bad mental health and I really think getting back into some type of martial art will help me through this tough time.
You may know my father, (He interviewed you in his Martial Arts Podcast.) And you are definitely one of my role models and idols. You are just amazing and push through anything that gets in the way.
You kick ‘through’ the target instead of bouncing off of it!
Anyway, I really think you are an amazing person and I loved your ‘The Martial Arts Women’ book!!
~Jaida
Hi Jaida, Thank you so much. Everyone has a different martial art journey. I am sure you will find a journey that will empower and strengthen you, mind, body & spirit.
xo