When I reflect on the many ways Muay Thai has changed me, courage is one of the words that continues to top the list.
From the very first time, I walked into the gym to try my first class… As a woman, and one who was almost 100 pounds overweight, I was terrified. It was simply courage that reached out and opened that door and told my feet to walk through.
Throughout my many years of training Muay Thai, courage would continue to allow me to do things beyond what I thought I could, from:
- My first class
- To my first sparring session
- Then my first smoker
- And my first sanctioned fight
- Well, every fight really because they never became any less frightening
- To traveling and training in Thailand all by myself
- To beginning to coach my own Muay Thai program
- To opening my own gym, KruFit, in 2018
And right up to today… when I told my boss that I was resigning from my job to focus on my dream and passion of running my Muay Thai gym full time.
I am terrified about this choice – to deviate from the path that I’ve been told my entire life is the way – college, career, retirement, pension, healthcare benefits, etc… working for someone else day after day, as it is “safe.”
Yet it is Muay Thai and the courage that I have developed through the years of training that again, is opening the door and telling my feet to walk through.
I am absolutely terrified about my choice… the reality that this “side hustle” now needs to be a legitimate business that can pay my bills including health insurance and a future retirement is terrifying.
Of course, self-doubt and fear are lingering in the air with this choice, but like every time before, Muay Thai has proven to be the way… it has developed my courage and allowed me to do so many things I was afraid to do and I have to trust that this time will be no different than every time before.