Geeky Martial Arts

So yesterday I had my belt testing for Cho Dan Bo pretest #1. This means that (provided I pass) I am one year away from testing for my black belt! One of the things we are tested on are the Tang Soo Do "Ten Articles of Faith". Here they are:

1-Be loyal to your country
2-Be obedient to your parents
3-Be loving between husband and wife
4-Be cooperative between brothers
5-Be faithful between friends
6-Be respectful to your elders
7-Be faithful between teacher and student
8-Know the difference between good and evil
9-Never retreat in battle
10-Always finish what you start

I love these. One of them though particularly stands out to me, number ten. "Always finish what you start". Probably I take it so much to heart because I am one of those people who struggles to finish or follow through on things in general; projects, lifestyle changes, journals, jobs....you name it. Not that I am not dedicated or lack motivation, on the contrary! Somewhere along the way though a voice in head tells me I am not worth it. I ask myself "What do you think you are doing?Do you really think you will manage to do this? Come on!".

Eventually, earning my black belt (which is actually midnight blue to symbolize that even at that level you keep learning) will mean a lot to me because I will have proven to myself that I have the ability to actually finish something. Although in reality it will be the start of a new journey. I will not quit. For my children. For myself.
 

Belts I earned so far

Our Master and Kyo Sa Nim always tell us it is not about the belt, the belt only helps to keep the pants from falling, and that anyone can buy it for ten dollars. To me it is about not giving up. It is about following through on something and hoping that this will shut that voice in my head once and for all. What a wonderful lesson I am teaching my two mini-geeks too!

So to you "voice", I dedicate this clip :