I started doing Taekwondo at a young age with Scott Craig and Susan McCall at Seattle Taekwondo Academy, but every year I grow older I realize how much it truly shaped me. It wasn’t just about the discipline and the hard work, but it was the way I carried myself in the world. I was aware of my surroundings, I was confident, balanced emotionally and physically. I never accepted being intimidated (that includes the workplace). In fact, I have used my skills in the real world. A couple years ago I stepped in during a domestic abuse fight, while everyone watched from afar. I’ll never forget when the girl looked me in the eye, thanked me, and then turned and ran as far as she could away from her attacker. It’s one of those moments I think about often. All in all, being a blackbelt comes with responsibility, and it’s taught me how to handle myself better in this wild world of ours.