TKD On My Mind

I think my mojo is finally coming back. The last couple months I have not been feeling it. It's been a struggle to stay motivated. Which is even more frustrating because I can remember how easy and fun it all used to be. TKD is bringing it back.

TKD is what I'm thankful for today. The first tournament of the season is tomorrow, and I am excited. We had such a blast last year. We get to see our TKD friends, watch some awesome competitors, and push ourselves. Plus, we get to break boards, which is my favorite part. I'm a little nervous about getting my break on the first try, but I'm going to think positive and practice, practice, practice.

Taekwondo has been a life changer. I love watching my kids grow in ability and confidence. It's a huge change from year to year, and I'm so proud of them. We have a great time practicing together, too. I'm so glad that I started taking classes and that we can train together. So much fun.

Practicing - the only time they can fight without getting in trouble.

I've been training for almost a year and a half, and it's made me a different person. Breaking a board with your foot will do that. It's a great confidence booster. I love that TKD is all about personal development. The only competition is with myself. I love doing patterns because we spend a long time perfecting each one. The pattern I'm doing tomorrow, I have been working on for a year. There are still things that could be improved. There's always room for improvement. It's been really good for me. I tend to want immediate results. TKD makes me slow down and focus on the little details. I'm developing patience.

The people are wonderful. The class is supportive and not judgmental. My kids and I have made some great friends through TKD - especially my TKD twin, Michelle.

Our first tournament - one year ago!

The black belts at the tournaments are supportive and helpful. I learn a lot every time I compete. It's a really positive atmosphere. Did I mention I'm excited?

So, with the tournament in mind, I am keeping my eating clean today and exercising carefully. I took the Moon Dog for a 3 mile walk this morning, followed by Pilates. I'm not doing anything that could injure me. I just got over one injury, and I would like to compete when I'm feeling good. The last tournament I went to, I had injured my knee and had to do my break with my left foot - surprisingly, it went really well. Still, I hate being injured.

In addition to walking and Pilates, I am going to practice, practice, practice. As long as I feel like I have prepared the best I can and tried my hardest, I will be okay with whatever happens tomorrow. I don't need medals. I just want to be happy with my performance.

The Month Of Goals

This week is not off to a great start, but I am determined to stay on track. No more stress eating. So far, my November goals are going well. I got in an interval run yesterday and ate well. Today, I'm planning another short run, and I have TKD tonight. Last class before the tournament on Saturday. I'm excited for the tournament. They're a lot of fun, and we get to spend the day with our TKD friends.

November is full of goals and projects. In addition to my health goals, I am participating in NaNoWriMo again. It's been a few years since I did it, but this year the beginning of the month lined up with the beginning of a new book. I have a lot of editing that needs to be done, but I am feeling the urge to write.

I'm also starting three plays this month. Two for the holidays and one that will go up in February. I love the beginning of a show. It's all creativity and almost no stress. Plus, holiday plays are my favorite. So much fun.

I'm really looking forward to this month. It's going to be as busy as last month, but I feel like I am going into it with a much more positive attitude. That's my last goal for the month. I need to get back into a more positive head space. I like the idea of posting something I am thankful for every day this month. But, I need to be realistic. It probably won't be daily. I will be thankful daily. It just may not make it into a post. So, I'm just going to try for a thankful moment in every post I manage to write.

Today (and every day), I am thankful for my friends. They're the best. We had a blast trick-or-treating, and then I took the kids to one of their houses to watch a movie. I'm an introvert, and I like relaxing at home - especially after a whirlwind day like Halloween. It says something when it's just as relaxing to hang out at a friend's house. It was a great end to the day.