Martial Arts Are Not For Me
I never planned to become a martial artist. So, before you start thinking that I was a woman determined to take on the world, the truth is that I had no idea what I was getting in to. It was my husband who suggested that we go to our first martial art class together a year after we were married. He learned some martial arts as a child and still had an interest.
Looking back, I hated the first class. It was uncomfortable because I had no idea what to expect and I didn’t know what to do. Plus, this martial art practice broke all the rules I ever learned about my role in society as a woman. It involved hitting, punching, kicking, yelling, breaking and throwing which is basically everything I was ever taught not to do.
As you can guess, I managed through that first class and many after. Even though it was not my original idea to attend and although I hated that first class, martial arts eventually became a personal endeavor and a great personal achievement for me. I found focus, power, and grace and applied all of that to my daily life. There is a mystery to it all, and each practitioner finds their way like blazing a half-revealed trail in a corn maze. You know you are headed in the right direction but there are a lot of paths and even a few wrong turns, before you ever reach your destination.
The Maze
Life, too, is like the martial art practice and the corn maze. Trying is the first key to success. You can never find your way out of the maze unless you create a path for yourself and continually choose a direction until you find the right one. You might stop at some point and ask yourself, “Where am I going?” Does this question sound like a question you ask yourself in life? I frequently remind myself that if I never tried martial arts, I would not be who I am today. I made choices along the way that brought me to where I am. I found my way through the maze.
Life is full of twists and turns, but if you travel a purposeful path, you end up exactly where you belong. If, however, you give up along the way, or you let your dreams and goals fade away, you find yourself in the middle of a maze asking others how to find the way out. You abort your mission. You never know for sure if you would have succeeded if you had simply kept going.
Big Goals Realized
A couple of years ago, I had a big goal of getting a poem published in a greeting card. I researched what type of card would use my poetry. Five days a week for a year and a half I sent in a few poems. I knew the chances of publishing were slim. The website said they only publish 4% of all submissions. Poem after poem was rejected. Finally, I put my poetry pen down for good and shifted gears to other writing projects.
I believe that things happen for a reason. Good or bad, everything comes full circle. More than two years after submitting the poems and receiving rejections for each one, I unexpectedly received an e-mail from the greeting card company. They decided to buy two of my poems from all those years ago for an upcoming card line. I was in shock and so excited!
I am so happy that I pursued my goal, even though I did not know what would happen. I would never have three poems published in greeting cards if I had not. My goal was met even after rejection! Taking action in life is the only way to ever find success or reach your goals. They may not come to fruition for a long time, but when you plant the seed for success, it blossoms in one way or another. Push fear, rejection, and criticism aside. Only you know what is in your heart. The action you take today has a direct impact on your tomorrow.
My initial martial arts classes literally scared me! Finally, I realized that everyone begins knowing nothing about what they are about to learn. I was not alone. Even better, I was surrounded by people who wanted me to succeed. I learned that although martial arts seemed contrary to my societal upbringing, they were as naturally a part of me as any other actions in my life.
Just Try
Try something, even if you do not know what will happen. If it does not make sense, you can always change direction. Life is an intricate maze with alternating paths and opportunities. Unlike the corn maze, however, success is not seasonal. It is not confined to a certain period of your life or a certain age. Success is about the here and now.
Don’t wait for it. Create it.
Andrea
_____________________________________________________________
Check out my inspirational books:
Pick up my motivational books and listen to my podcast here:
The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ
Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy
How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB
The Martial Arts Woman Podcast: https://anchor.fm/andrea-harkins
