Kelly Mitchell
The instructors know me and use that knowledge to help me reach my highest physical and mental potential through my training.
I started my training at the Martial Arts Center for Health in 2003. With those years behind me, supporting me as I move into the next, I am taking some time to reflect upon and share with you what I have gained as a result of my training.
I would like to note, however, that some benefits simply cannot be described in words…only felt. I first came into the Center on the referral of friends, whom I am forever grateful to. I walked in not really knowing what I wanted, other than relief from a herniated disk in my neck and some basic knowledge of self-defense.
I had tried multiple avenues to aid in releasing the tension and alleviating the pain in my neck and shoulders, to no avail. I carried the past experience of having my purse snatched, in the form of fear, every time I walked alone.
Those are the circumstances that brought me in, but they are not the only reasons I continued training. First and foremost, all of the instructors at the Martial Arts Center for Health truly, deeply care about the training and want to help each student achieve their goals. I always feel special when I walk through the doors.
The instructors know me and use that knowledge to help me reach my highest physical and mental potential through my training. I have made so many friends at the Center; we truly are a student family both inside and outside of the school. Not to mention, there are always events like seminars and picnics, with excellent food, to look forward to. I began to notice the physical benefits, both internally and externally, shortly after beginning my training.
My muscles felt stronger and became more toned. My energy and health increased, while my stress level decreased. My shoulders and neck strengthened but relaxed at the same time. I began to feel much more productive in day to day life and less bogged down by the weight of stress.
Every so often, I would realize how significantly my balance, reflexes, and coordination were developing. The positive mental and emotional benefits are what I began to realize through commitment to the training. Only after training for at least a year, did I recognize how much my confidence had increased. While the physical aspects continued to develop, I embarked on a new journey of strengthening the mind and balancing the emotions.
For example, holding postures have helped me to build a stronger will and Chi-Gong breathing has helped me learn to quiet my mind and keep my emotions balanced. I feel blessed and fortunate each day to have the Martial Arts Center for Health, its instructors, and the training in my life. With the help of my instructors, I have set and achieved many personal goals along the way - reaching the rank of second degree black belt, completing an amazing leadership program, and most recently, becoming an Assistant Instructor after completing a year-long training program.
Thanks to what I have developed through my training, my career and personal life have grown, and continue to grow, tremendously as well. I have gained the confidence and awareness to walk alone without the immense fear I once felt. I am so thankful for all that I have gained in my training, for there is so much more than what I shared here.
New goals now take me into the next years of my training, as the learning and opportunities for growth are endless. I realize now that no price can really be put on what I have developed; the true value is how I use the training to move forward in my life, become a better person, and help others along the way.
