So many years ago, that I can hardly remember, I had an active little boy with autism and ADHD who needed an outlet. After doing some research and talking with friends, we discovered American karate. For years upon years, my son took classes to help regulate his body. I cannot stress this enough, this was an amazing decision for him. Over the years, my kiddos tried other activities; dance, gymnastics, scouting, just to name a few. Eventually, all of the kiddos found American Karate. Life did what it does best and changed. I got divorced and found myself in a place where I really wanted to start taking classes...so as a 30-something year old single female, I started taking karate classes. I loved it! I felt strong, empowered, and challenged.
In the fall of 2019, I had been dating and came across a profile online, because yes, where else did we meet people but online, of a guy who intrigued me. We had one major commonality, martial arts. I'll spare you all the details but after date number 1, I knew there was something different about this guy and I haven't looked back since.
Fast forward to March 2020....anyone remember what happened then? The world shut down...right before I was going to be earning my purple belt in karate. I lost my job as a personal trainer due to "The Thing That Shall Not Be Named" and life changed overnight. That summer, I moved and started a new chapter of life and this time, martial arts would be a MAJOR part of it. Remember that guy I started dating, well, he happens to own a taekwondo school and now, I get to not only continue my martial arts journey, but I get to help others realize their potential with marital arts. I am currently a brown belt, with just a couple of belts away from reaching my black belt. Being a "Ninja Mom" has been an amazing experience. The kids have gone in and out of martial arts classes, and I love to be able to watch them grow and have new experiences.
Now, I am more than just a "Ninja Mom", I practice, I compete, and I get to learn and grow daily in classes. This journey has not been without its bumps, but the bumps did not define me. With time, recovery, and a ton of effort, I keep on going and keep on pursing my goals. One of my favorite parts of being a part of the martial arts world, is that I get to have another family. Each year we travel to Denver, CO for the World Tournament. The group of ladies I have the privilege to compete against are among the kindest, strongest, and most supportive people I know. I have never experienced anything else like it. I am so proud to be a part of the martial arts world.
See ya soon!
Ali XOXO
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