Discipline & Balance

While I was on my journey to my black belt I thought had discipline. I got up early to train everyday, I went to TKD class most days of the week, sometimes twice a day, I watched my diet and I said "no" a lot to my friends when it came to doing things because I had to get up early to train. I also thought I was pretty good at balancing the TKD training with work and my first year of grad school. Shortly after I received my black belt, I started a new job and took a summer school course that. Well the job is great, but there were a lot of long hours and since it was summer school, I had school twice a week. Oh and did I mention that we also got a new puppy?

The casualty of all this change was that I didn't get to TKD. I was at work too late or I had to get an assignment done or I had to help my parents, the list goes on and on. I never thought that I would be "that" person. The person that worked so hard to get a black belt and then wen MIA.

What the last six months has taught me is that balance is about discipline. It takes discipline to balance one's life. To realize that it takes discipline to work hard, but to also know when enough is enough and that the work will be there tomorrow and that it is ok to leave it until then so you have your evening free so you can do what you want (like go to TKD). It takes discipline to be able to get your homework done, fulfil your family obligations and still have a social life. These are all things that I have not been able to do.

The end of the year often finds me reflecting of the year that has gone by and the year that is to come. With a little over a week left in this year, I am very thankful for all of the great things have happened this year. It may be a little early to start to making resolutions for next year, but here is mine: in 2011 my goal is to have balance in my life. I intend to find the discipline to balance work, school, TKD, my family. It won't be easy, but if I can do it, it will be worth it.