The Beauty of Learning Something New
Lisa Roths
“Name a fun fact about yourself.”
This standard ice breaker question always made me freeze. Or even worse, the casual question - “what do you do for fun?” Yes, I like baseball. Yes, I work in corporate real estate. Yes, I’m married with two kids. These things are all extremely important and fulfilling, especially family. But I wouldn’t say they are especially unique.
When the opportunity came up recently to do something fun and different, against my instinct telling me to play it safe and say no – I said yes. Here’s how I put myself out there and learned something new…
My 6-year-old daughter Hannah started taking Tae Kwon Do last January.
In May, the Dojang (Chang’s Taekwondo) announced it would offer free Tae Kwon Do classes over the summer to 10 family members of current students. Dropping off my daughter for class one day, the Lead Instructor asked me “why don’t you sign up for the free lessons?” She showed me the sign-up sheet with two spots left.
I was intrigued but also scared of the idea. While I love fitness and do a variety of workouts, I’ve never done martial arts (unless you count my VHS Tae Bo videos in the late 90s).
But I thought back to that question, “name one fun fact about you.” I hadn’t done anything out of the norm or the expected routine in a long, long time. The fact that I was a little uncomfortable and scared about moving ahead was probably a good thing. When was the last time I challenged myself outside of work to take on something new? And how great would it be to bond with my daughter on something she is passionate about?
So I said yes, I’d sign up. I mentioned it to my cousin Michelle who lives nearby and unlike me, has dozens of fun facts about herself. She took a year off to travel the world and visited every continent. She recently completed the 29029 Everesting challenge. She is taking adult swim lessons. When I told her what I was planning, naturally, she said – “can I join you?”
Monday, June 6, 2022 at 7PM, Michelle and I arrived for our first class. Everyone was incredibly welcoming – even though we were dressed in workout clothes and everyone else had the full TKD uniform and belts. Class was hard but not impossible. Each class has different exercises, yet a general predictability: stretch, physical fitness (push-ups, sit-ups, jump rope, etc.), breaking technique and finally, the form. While not physically difficult, form tests your memory, mind/body connection and coordination. Each form has 20 steps to complete. To pass your belt test, you must complete the form with no mistakes.
Next week, we came back to class, this time in our full uniforms with our white belts.
Now, six months later, I’ve continued going to Tae Kwon Do class once a week at 7PM. Often I don’t feel like going – it’s been a long day, I’m preoccupied with work or the kids, etc. But then I remember every single time I go, I’m glad I went. It’s somewhat addicting and fills the gap for me in being fun and different, but also provides:
Competition – each week we have a physical fitness test. You can get on the leaderboard by achieving a certain number of jump ropes, sit-ups, push-ups, front kicks, shuffle kicks, etc. in 30 seconds. It’s fun to try and beat my own score and get on the leaderboard – and especially rewarding to beat out the teenagers who are 20-30 years younger than me! Not to mention the belt testing every few months, where you have the chance to move “up” a belt level to a new color
Team building – everyone in class is extremely welcoming and encouraging. Lots of high fives, fist bumps, and clapping for jobs well done. It feels great to find an environment like this to belong to outside of work and home
Connection – this is the most meaningful of all. Although Hannah and I don’t take class together (there are separate kids classes from the adult classes) – she will come to class to watch and cheer me on. It is an amazing and indescribable feeling to walk off the mat and have Hannah give me a big hug and tell me she is proud of me. We’ve bonded through belt testing and practicing our form together at home.
Cousin Michelle, Lisa, Hannah, Aaron (Lisa’s son) and Jon (Lisa’s husband). At Hannah’s purple belt ceremony (she is still ahead of Lisa & Michelle!)
At a work conference in October, the (previously dreaded) icebreaker question came up. “Name one fun fact about yourself.” This time, I answered “I’m a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do.” I heard a lot of “ohh” and saw some raised eyebrows. Finally, I felt confident with my fun fact and it led to an interesting discussion with others who have participated in, or have thought about, martial arts.
Aside from having a great answer to the icebreaker question, I’ve learned that taking risks and doing things that scare me a little is a good thing. I conquered that inner critic that whispered to me “I can’t do this,” and turned it into something that I love, which bonded me more closely to my family.
As I think about my goals for this year, I want to incorporate something fun and challenging that continues to force me out of my normal routine. Maybe I’ll take adult swimming lessons, learn a new language, or how to play a new instrument.
Or I’ll just ask my cousin Michelle. Something tells me she’ll have a few ideas!
About Lisa
Lisa is a mother, wife, daughter, and sister with a potentially unhealthy and mostly unrequited* love of the Chicago Cubs. She likes to workout, walk, and reminisce about old times, like when she met this weird kid in college named Max, who co-founded Thrive25. She’s a writer who happens to work in corporate real estate, leading account teams while using her writing skills to craft emails and PowerPoint decks, and is looking to take her writing talents beyond the business world.
*Except 2016
Lisa with the awesome Chang’s instructors and leaders (Chicagoland)
About Chang’s Taekwondo
At Chang’s Taekwondo in Northfield, IL, we believe in the power of positive reinforcement. We help our students grow their confidence, build discipline and become the best they can be. Traditional Taekwondo training isn’t just about punches and kicks – it’s about striving to be better. We’ve also helped adults from across our community develop more robust fitness, learn practical self-defense and feel revitalized. Our classes offer a great workout, professional instructors, and a passionate community. It’s never too late to get started. To learn more, visit https://changstaekwondo.com/.
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The information in this article is for informational purposes only and may not be appropriate or applicable based on your individual circumstances. Thrive25, Inc. does not provide medical, professional, or licensed advice. Please connect with your healthcare professional for medical advice specific to your health needs.