Friday

Coping with doubt

After an initial spurt of enthusiasm, even the most ardent student may suffer from doubt.
The mere promise of self defence skills, good health, flexibility and martial prowess are no longer as meaningful.
There must be something else.

Other interests and commitments may begin to encroach.
It becomes easy to miss lessons. To stop training. And to consider the possibility of quitting.

No instructor can guide you through this period of doubt.
You will either come to see the art as being something you want to persevere with, or you will simply quit.

You may see that the art is more than the sum of its parts.
That it has changed you in ways that you may not be able to explain.

Students who choose to stay often recognise that they have lost faith and become half-hearted.
They train harder, attend more training opportunities and quietly make space in their lives for the art to flourish.

No comments: