We spend a lot of time talking about what we bring into the dojang: discipline, effort, respect, determination and a willingness to learn. But perhaps we don't talk enough about what we can leave at the door.
Life can be challenging. Work pressures, family responsibilities, financial worries, personal problems and the general stresses of everyday life can sometimes leave us feeling mentally and physically exhausted. And let's face it, there are evenings when the last thing you feel like doing is getting changed, leaving the house and heading to training.
Ironically, those are often the evenings when you need Taekwon-Do the most.
Leaving the Outside World Behind
When you enter the dojang and bow, it's more than simply following martial arts etiquette. For me, it represents a transition. For the next hour, whatever has been happening in your life can take a back seat. You put on your dobok, tie your belt, bow as you enter and prepare to focus on something completely different.
You're no longer thinking about that difficult meeting at work, the email you haven't answered, the argument you've had or the hundred other things demanding your attention. You're there to train, learn, challenge yourself and hopefully enjoy the company of people who share your enthusiasm for Taekwon-Do.
The outside world can wait.