A Day In The Life

Today I woke up at 5:15 a.m., dressed, did my make up and hair and started the hour drive to my day job.  I arrived at 7:00 a.m. and worked a full day.  On my lunch hour, I finished the blog about three obstacles women must overcome in order to learn self-defense.  I pushed it out to a few social media groups and went back to work.  I drove the hour back to the YMCA at the end of my work day, where my family teaches three karate classes on a Friday night.  After stretching classes and directing students in technique and skills, I walked around with my iPhone to take some video highlights to post on Facebook.  After classes, I helped pick up equipment and gear, and headed home.  At 8:30 p.m. I sat down with my computer to brainstorm about a new blog.

I’m not superwoman, although by the sound of my day I think it sounds that way.  I’m not a super high achiever on purpose; it just sort of fell into place.  Circumstances made it such that I must dig deep to create a life that is creative and unique, but also productive.  While I don’t know what my future holds, I feel fairly certain I’m cultivating success  in the midst of chaos.  I have a strong and intuitive martial art mindset that relentlessly drives my ambitions.

My ambitions include you.  I teach time-honored traditions in martial arts and share truths about overcoming obstacles by using a positive outlook.  Perhaps those things will never land an extra dime in my pocket, but they are valuable.  I believe success filters through our lives through our deeds and I believe that my mission to help you find your own positive outlook will personally bring me many rewards.

It was last March when I friend suggested I blog.  I decided to switch around my volunteer gigs to write from home instead of volunteering elswhere, to spread a positive message.  Now, writing my blog as “The Martial Arts Woman” is such a part of me it cannot be ignored for long.  I can be anywhere when a new topic pops into my head.   I’ve created a presence and an image and it’s starting to make sense, sort of like a puppy growing into his paws.

Timing is everything.  If it had not been for my personal struggles along the way, and the application of my martial art mindset to my own life, I wouldn’t have a single thought to blog about.  I had to live through some  difficult experiences (saving a pregnancy, putting out a fire, living in a half-built house)  in order to get where I am today.  I’ve learned that my readers enjoy knowing that I am genuine and sincere.  I don’t think I could write and share as much as I do if I did not reach down to review my past decisions, failures, and difficulties, and how I pulled through.

The Audience

Who is reading The Martial Arts Woman Blog?  Well, I’m still defining my audience, which is a big part of successful blogging. Some are moms, some are middle-aged women, some are men, some are martial artists, some are friends, and some just need some inspiration. It is all based on the topic of the blog post.

The common denominator for all readers is that I am a female martial artist with a unique voice.  I am a woman who has persevered in a predominantly male culture.  This intrigues every category of reader.  Perhaps experts would say that my audience is too wide, that I cannot write something that crosses broad categories of people, but I feel that is exactly what I am doing.  My overall mission to motivate and inspire through martial arts is reaching readers from all walks of life.

The more I blog, the more readers I get.  Consistency and good, intruiging content is everything.

There are the readers who disagree or try to discourage me.  There are negative thinkers.  All I know is that this is my chance to say the words I want to say and share the thoughts I want to share, and I do believe them to be positive and encouraging.  Will I always be correct, always use proper grammar, or never make a mistake, or not offend someone? No.  I wish I could because that would be ideal.  The best I can do is…well, the best I can do.

My message to the negative responders is that the blogging world is open to everyone, so feel free to sit down for hours, write out your own thoughts and share them, hoping to make a positive difference in another’s life, but not knowing if you will be accepted or criticised and condemned. That is the real challenge, not the writing itself.

My voice is unique and it is mine  and mine alone.  I don’t apologize for it; however I will always listen to what you have to say. My opinion, like everyone else, can be changed. I’ve been in the martial arts half of my lifetime and that is long enough to see what is good and what is not so good in the industry, in my humble opinion, of course.  I’ve also directly applied a strong martial art mindset to my life and so I know that it works.

Topics

I can be anywhere when a blog topic pops in my head.  “Hmmm…that almost rhymes,” I think to myself when a couple of words start melting together.  It’s almost like poetry in motion, the way thoughts start to form.  Call it a gift or call it a nuisance, but when the words and thoughts start, there is no turning back.  If they are not written, they rattle incessantly in my brain.

It’s always been that way.  Words have been a huge part of my life since early on.  Songs, poetry, little stories that require a lot of editing, but have the right intent.  I never dreamed that those past writings would infiltrate my life years later and lead me to a karate and motivational blog site.

If I do get writer’s block, I don’t let it stop me from writing.  I just start with a sentence or two to see where it leads.  From there, I build a paragraph.  And on it flows.  Many blog posts have been revised 50 times or more.  Without a proofreader, some posts get published with a flaw or two which I update when I notice or when someone points it out.  For all you perfectionists out there, just know that getting it right is not very easy, but I do strive.

I don’t think I’ve ever sat and not come up with a topic.  If I have nothing particular to say, I find an inspirational moment to share or a personal story.  Believe it or not, there is a lesson to be found in every minute of your existence.  I know, deep down, that if not for the really difficult times in my life and my magical connection to martial arts I would not seem nearly as inspiring. It is the unique combination of sharing personal stories and insights, teaching karate, and writing that make up “The Martial Arts Woman.”

Martial arts have been a guiding force in my life for many, many years.  I knew when I started that it would not be a passing phase.  I knew I had a space in my life for it.  A few classes and I was in for life.  Sometimes it just works that way.  I’ve seen students come and go, but rarely do I see commitment.  Some take it for recreation, fitness, or sport.  Only a few treat it as a lifestyle.  Only a few recognize that in the long run martial arts are an expression of self that evolves as much as a personality, but only if it has time, even years, to form.

Because of martial arts, I have found a voice and a purpose.  I’ve been able to share examples of overcoming hardship, being patient, and finding forgiveness.  I’ve had the opportunity to describe why karate is so important, why self-defense training is imperative, and how martial arts can make you a better person inside and out.

It’s simple, friends.  When I get up each morning, with an incredibly busy day ahead of me, I have one thing to look forward to, and that is opportunity.  Opportunity to help, write, become, share, learn, know, and strive.  I may rise at 5:15 a.m. only to end my day 15 hours later, but I rely on opportunity to carry me though.  You have the same chance.  Follow what you believe, become who you want to be, say what you have to say, and see where it will lead.  It’s time-consuming and takes tremendous effort, but you will be on the track to true self-fulfillment.

Such are the musings of this female martial arts blogger.  You never know what to expect from my blog post, but that’s part of the allure, isn’t it?  In what way will The Martial Arts Woman help me better myself today? What does she have to say?

Keep on reading and I’ll keep on writing and we can help each other Win at this martial-art kind of life.

Andrea