How can you start your journey without feeling fully prepared?

Today is both #ThrowbackThursday and the 8th anniversary of my most recent martial art comeback. My martial art history is a complicated series of starts and stops during which I would train really hard for a while and then something would happen in my life that would force me to quit, and then years later I would be able to train again.

My most recent comeback started 8 years ago today, June 6, 2016 when I began practicing Aikido with Bryan Sensei. I’ve been practicing martial arts straight through ever since, eventually earning my black belt in Okinawan Kenpo, while practicing Tai Chi and BJJ along the way. It’s complicated.

The thing I want to point out is that when I had the opportunity to train again I went for it, I did not wait to lose weight and get back into shape. I was also suffering from Depression at the time, and I didn’t wait to feel better. I just wanted to train again so much that I jumped at the opportunity and trusted that everything would work out.

What motivated me? I just wanted to train that badly. I didn't have any fear or doubts, but there was a painful moment when I was taking my measurements so I could order a gi, and I had gained so many inches on my waist and hips that I almost started crying. It was really painful. But the only thing that would have been more painful is if I had let that stop me from training. That’s part of my stubbornness that some people mistake for willpower.

About a year or so later my Nurse Practitioner put me on the Keto Diet for health reasons, which caused me to lose 80 pounds. And between the training the Keto I overcame my Depression.

If I had waited until I felt completely ready, I might never have started this incredible journey and earned my black belt. And I’m still training, I’ll be testing for my 2nd degree black belt soon.

Embrace the challenges before you, and trust that you have what it takes to succeed. Begin today, and you'll be amazed at how far you can go. As the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Some of my 7 Keys demonstrated in this story are Resilience, Health and Wellness, Joy and Fun.

Remember, you don’t need to have everything perfect to start, you just need to start.