I'm a White Belt!

 This week I took one step closer to realizing a childhood dream: getting a black belt.  This is something I'm wanted since I was in elementary school watching Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and other martial art movies, but with dance, piano, clubs, community theater, and the price tag, the black belt goal wasn't practical at that point in my life.

But now it is.

When I received my belt at the beginning of class this week I was told there's two things you have to do to earn a black belt: Get a white belt and don't give up.

I've got my white belt.

Now I just have to not give up and persevere.

Goodness, and I need this more then ever, being as out of shape as I am.  I'm competitive by nature, though I've lost some personal drive as of late, but I like goals and working towards milestones, and the path to black belt has many, many milestones.

One milestone I have to achieve is flexibility, which terrifies me because I'm naturally inflexible!!!  No joke.  When I did dance back in my younger days, despite attending ballet, jazz, and tap (you don't need to do the splits to excel at tap, which is why it was my strongest dance genre, that and my awesome rhythm skills . . . ), I tried to do the splits, practiced night after night for months, and one night in the 7th grade I did it.  I did a full side split!  It was amazing.  The next day, despite warming up, etc, I was an inch from the ground.  I was so discouraged I gave up.

Well, now that I'm older and in my 30's, I've just put myself in a situation where I have to attempt this flexibility giant.  It's a process, but I'm not getting younger, and I want to feel good.  I'm tired of the word "never".  I'm going to believe I can grow and accomplish these goals and milestones.

And I can't wait to learn the staff weapon.  That's going to be fun.

If I don't quit, and advance in belt ranks each quarterly test, I can earn a black belt in 3-4 years.

And even though I'm learning Japanese, I actually choose the Korean martial art of Taekwondo.  I like how there's an international standard to the belt testing, and that it's an official Olympic sport.  I also like the style.

You guys, I'm going to get healthy and fit!!  And learn self defense and great skills in the process.

And achieve a childhood dream.

I've already attended two classes.  It's overwhelming.  I'm nervous and intimidated.  But I will do this.

And I've decided to stop focusing on the number on the scale, my weight, as a representation of my health.  Instead of making my New Years resolution to lose this or that amount of weight, my goal is to get into a size 10 pant.  Since I got some Christmas money, I went to Costco and bought several pants in different sizes from the same brand.  (Size 10, in different brands, don't mean the same thing.  Sometimes a size 10 in the same brand doesn't mean the same thing.)   I'm currently a size 16, but with these changes I've made in my life, this is a very attainable, realistic goal.

I can, and will, do this!!! :0)