16 years old2nd Degree Black Belt Focus on what you can control with all your strength. Moderation I want to be active.
I joined Kungfu initially to exercise as a third-grade student, but as I grew up, I realized I had to choose what I wanted to pursue in high school. I am involved in many activities, like school clubs and leadership programs, but what I struggled with the most was fencing. I knew that in order to excel in one, I would have to cut back on the other. Fencing practice was demanding, growing from 3 to 4 to 5 to sometimes even every day I would be fencing, causing me to lose my regular training in Kung Fu.
I love kung fu and pushing my body, but inevitably, taking long breaks takes a toll on my memory and my stamina. Taking a break can be discouraging, but I think that the break helped me to want more out of myself in practice as I knew I might not be able to make a practice next week. I found myself pushing myself more, and made sure to try to learn as many new movements as I could on top of retaining what I already knew. "I felt some regret and sadness over losing progress and some skills, but I find that the limited time I have at Kung Fu only makes the time more precious and pushes me to see how much I can improve in that time.
I think this translates well to other activities as well, as I also found myself at a roadblock in fencing. Tournaments are nerve-wracking, and you have to find a way to break the fear. For me, taking a break allowed me to get the results I was looking for. " I am not saying breaks are the cure for every hardship, but I believe that to get the most reward, one must try their hardest in both work and rest, and so I will continue to make the most of my time here at Kung Fu.
Thank you to my parents for letting me keep up with Kung Fu for all the years and for pushing me to try my hardest. Thank you to my mentors in being accommodating to my demanding schedule, and thank you to my classmates who have been with me along the way.
