I never understood “passion” until I wrote my first martial arts article.  When I wrote that article, two passions collided, writing and martial arts.  I realized then that I had passion all along, I just never embraced it.

That first magazine article was a story about teaching martial arts in a rural community.  If you haven’t guessed, it is the story about my family and the small martial arts program we teach in our own town.  Writing this first article took a long, long time.  I wanted it to flow, make sense, and be as perfect as possible.  After all, it was going to be published and more than 20,000 readers would lay their eyes on it. I didn’t have a lot of confidence writing it but I knew in the back of my mind that the magazine would not have accepted my query if the article did not have merit.

It was an opportunity of a lifetime, to be published.  Even greater for me was knowing that a magazine editor saw me as a talented writer.  My passion was ignited.   Combining my love for martial arts and writing was not something I had considered until I read the advertisement in the magazine that was seeking “martial arts writers.”  I gave myself a chance, and it worked. After that, at the insistence of a friend, I started my blog.

In just a short while, my passions moved to the forefront of my life.

What is your passion and have you explored it? There is no need to wait for someone to validate your talents, as I did.  I could have engaged opportunity a lot sooner.  I wasted a lot of valuable time not giving myself any credit for what I felt compelled to do.  I pushed a creative outlet aside over and over thinking I was not good enough.

What I discovered and what is very important for you to know is that passion has no criteria.  There is no list to check off that identifies why or how or if you should be passionate about something. Each person has a passion and a purpose. Each has talents, too.  When you finally unearth them, you learn so much about yourself and you find personal fulfillment.  For what are you waiting? Find a few moments in your day to pursue your passion, whatever it may be.

Write a quick poem. Draw a picture. Smell a flower. Bake a cake. Read a book. Travel. Smile. Dance. Practice a martial art. Give of yourself to others. Volunteer. Act. Sing. Listen. All the things that you push aside, that you think are not important, are more important than you think.

Obviously, I allowed years to go by and did not take the time to recognize or accept my passions.  If someone thirty years ago had  asked me, “what are you passionate about?” I would have responded with the standard answer, “I don’t know.”  In fact, that was my answer to a lot of questions about myself.  It was a trite, boring, non-committal answer.  This answer was fueled by fear of rejection, which always controlled my responses and my reactions.  It is unfortunate because I hid from my own talents and passions because I was worried about what others might think.

Martial arts are a perfect example of how I always waited to be encouraged or invited before trying something new.  It took the prompting of another person to persuade me to enter the dojo. If it had been up to me, I would be too worried about not being accepted by the other students, or too fearful of making a mistake. I would have never tried.

What I learned shocked me.

I learned that martial arts were perfect for the “mistakers” (yes, I made up this word) like me.  They  welcome students with flaws and bad habits, difficult lives, negativity and lack of self-confidence. In fact, that is the best starting point for any martial artist. As if standing on the very bottom step of the escalator, there is only one way to go, and that is up.  The doors to the dojo swung wide open when they saw me because I had every insecurity and fear about learning a martial art that I could have.  It was the perfect place to start. I was a white belt, a lost soul, a non-believer in myself, but I was there.

I melted into the rows of students who were already familiar with the protocols and stretches and momentum of the class. Surprisingly, we all looked the same, except for belt colors, beginner to experienced, as we stood in an attention stance.  At that moment we were only separated by experience, but in every other way we were the same.  We all had fears.  We all had dreams. We all had sadness.  We all had hope.  We all had frustrations.  We all had joy.  Each and every emotion already filled the dojo and mine just blended in.  Whether joyous or discouraged, I had a place.

This is how you start to recognize passion.  It feels right.  You have only “up” to go. You feel it in your blood. You cannot deny it.  One day, you find yourself at the top of the escalator and realize how much help you had getting there.  The escalator from white to black belt gave you the tools and steps that you needed to rise to the occasion.

Soon, as a martial artist, you grow and learn and share it.  You don’t worry about others judging you anymore because you know that each student must interpret his martial art in his own way.  When I decided to stand in the midst of the sea of gi’s, I never felt more accepted or more accepting of myself.  It helped me rid myself of the fears of ever trying new things or of being ridiculed.  I was a part of something passionate, and integrated with other passionate people.

Then, the years flew by.  For those of you just starting your martial art journey or are just figuring out your passions, think ahead  twenty-six years and where you might be.  If you continue your journey, you will land on two strong feet with wisdom you never expected.  Martial arts led me to professional writing, but more than that, I learned to enjoy that about which I am passionate. It is similar to success.  You must look first, set yourself up for it, prepare for it, and then, enjoy it.

For many, passion sits layers deep, pushed aside because of life, responsibilities, and other commitments.  My writing sat dormant for a long time.  My other passion, martial arts, brings my writing alive. That is how it works.  One passion builds upon another, from a base to the next layer.  Goals and dreams are built upon passion, but only if you allow them.

Two of my sons are passionate about playing sports and another is passionate about music.  My daughter is passionate about her dog and animals.  I hope that I can be the example that they need to always keep passion in their daily lives.  Passion creates fulfillment and internal peace.  It allows you to shed the obstacles,or at least forget them for a period of time, and every person needs that mental break.

Any passion gives you the opportunity to explore and navigate your life based on what means the most to you.   Both martial arts and writing allow me to escape from the daily grind and excel at personal accomplishments.  I don’t compare myself to others.  I don’t care about that.   A passion that took root twenty-six years ago is still center stage in my life and has stemmed outward to teaching, writing, and connecting with others of a similar mindset.  Even further than that, I’ve learned to apply martial art principles to my life and I always deal with a burden by reminiscing about a martial art accomplishment, such as a board break, black belt exam, or defining moment in my training, as a way to pull me through.

Negativity in our world can be diminished if people pursued their passions and used them in their daily lives.

You are not limited to one passion, but it’s a good place to start.  From that you can build a life that really means something to you. You can shed your fears about what others may think, or fears of failure.  No one can deny you your passion. Don’t wait forever. Don’t push aside that which should emerge from within. Like the martial art yell, or “kiai,” you should push passion out from your lungs with effort and power.

Passion does not require perfection. It does not need to be documented or explained. It is yours and yours alone. You must, however, take the first step.

Start by looking within to seek the person you’ve always wanted to be.  What do you see? Are you living through worry and fear, or allowing your purpose to emerge?  My advice is simple because there is not much to it.  Today, slow down for a moment.  Take a look inside. Once you have done all of that, there is only one more step…

Pick your passion.

Andrea

 

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