2015: The Year of being Happy with Pain

Happy with pain? I know what you’re thinking…I’m obviously insane! How can I be happy with PAIN?

Let me explain:

Since the 2014 left and 2015 took its place, a great many activities have opened up for me. I started my year by doing three things that I have never done.

I started my year by deciding to sign up for a Tae Kwon Do class. I’ve always loved the martial arts but never had the money (and then later time) to take any classes. All self-defense I’ve learned growing up was from my dad teaching me or what I learned from books. So I decided this year I was going to sign up!

Last Monday was my first day and I had a ton of fun! I’m not a huge team player, I’m more of an independent person. I can play on a team if I choose too but for the most part I do better on my own. Tar Kwon Do is specifically about the individual. No one else! I learned a few new steps and did a lot of conditioning and I went home that night feeling incredibly happy!

The next day I totally felt it though.

I went from 0 to 100% and my muscles were screaming! But I still felt amazingly happy! My boyfriend then made up his mind that we were going to try swing dancing…I’ve never liked swing dancing when I was younger but because my boyfriend asked me too, I agreed to try this new swing dancing place out. Even with my muscles screaming from Tae Kwon Do the day before.

So we got dressed up and went dancing. The first part was a crash course in swing dancing and then the actual dancing part itself. It was actually pretty fun! We danced for maybe two or three hours and actually had a blast, I’m happy to say that I probably would go again- this time more willingly than grudgingly! 🙂

By Wednesday, I was so sore from Tae Kwon Do and then Swing Dancing that I refused to get out of bed. It was so painful, every muscle ached and I hadn’t a clue that some muscles could actually cause such pain! Every inch of me was dying! And strangely, I was still happy with it all! (Which completely shocked me too!) But I also had Tae Kwon Do that night, so I bucked up and went to Tae Kwon Do again, and even though my body screamed in agony I was still so happy to do my two hours of Tar Kwon Do! (By this point, I am already pretty sure that I have gone completely insane!)

Thursday came and gone and I spent most of it stretching and drinking tons of water. My muscles hurt, and I was totally convinced that I had died! By Friday morning I was feeling a bit better, I still hurt but it wasn’t too bad.  As I was sitting in my kitchen, drinking my sixth glass of water and trying desperately to stretch slowly so as to not hurt too much, I realized that I was still happy. As shy as I am, I was enjoying my Tae Kwon Do class and the swing dancing. I enjoyed making myself stronger and I enjoyed the boost of “Yes! I can do this!” that I got.

Then, I got a text from my mom, “Hey! Wanna do a First 5K running program with me? It starts tomorrow (Saturday) at 7:30am and on Tuesdays at 5:30 pm.”

Being as joyful as I was, I…I AGREED!

Needless to say, I paid for my serious lack in judgment by Sunday. My healing muscles had been torn apart again and again… and I am still cheerful.

I am usually not a huge pain person. I can run in a cross country race with a twisted ankle, and continue playing volleyball after a fall on my wrist. I can work through pain no problem! But continuously adding pain? Not usually my thing. And being HAPPY about it? 2015 is a weird year and it’s only been two weeks!

But I am! I’m happy and ready to take on this new year by kicking it’s butt! Who knows? Maybe I will try some more new things this year! 🙂

Have you tried something new this year? Have you ever enjoyed something so much that even though it is painful in the beginning you know that once you stick with it you’ll be glad you did? Have any of you ever tried Tae Kwon Do or swing dancing? Any tips? Haha

~Makayla~