The kids and I participated in our second grading for Taekwondo over the weekend, with Vivian (who just started this year) upgrading from her white belt to a yellow tag and me upgrading from a yellow belt to a green tag. Sam is taking his test later in the week to upgrade from a yellow tag to a yellow belt.

These are little steps in grading, but big steps for us as students. We’re all having a bit of a proud moment. 😃 💪🏼

Although the early levels of grading in Taekwondo can seem simple, and the amount of practice required isn’t huge, the tests can be stressful, and there is a compounding effect that going through the process has on the kids and me. The tenants of Taekwondo are courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. Little by little, as these tenants are followed in tiny actions in our classes twice a week, we gain a little more strength, balance, and confidence (not to mention a potent arsenal of snap kicks and reverse punches).

We certainly have our instructor and awesome assistants to thank for how much our practice is helping us. It’s clear that practicing a martial art like Taekwondo, with a good community of students, has so many positive ripple effects, and we’re just beginning.

“You are not what you do. What you are is how you do it.”