“Be like the bamboo, the higher you grow, the deeper you bow.”
(Chinese Proverb)
I’m Karen Conover. They call me “Master Conover” at my Tae Kwon Do school, as I’m a fourth-degree black belt and the Head Instructor for our organization, but mostly, I think of myself simply as Karen. While some might find the title of “Master” or even “Black Belt” awe-inspiring, I try to remain humble. It’s good to be confident and to lead with what you know, but not so much that you forget there is always something more to learn and someone else to learn it from. “I don’t know what I don’t know” is a valuable perspective that my instructor once taught me.
After 20 years of experience in martial arts as a student, instructor, and a school owner, what I do know is that the study of martial arts has changed my life, my children’s lives, and the lives of many people who have been my students. And so, leading with that knowledge, I decided to write a book about it.
My book, Finding Your Black Belt: How to Kick Ass in Your Own World, explores how the everyday person can use life skills and principles learned through martial arts to create an inspirational life. My goal is not to convince you to take up martial arts or to promote myself as some kind of authority on all things martial arts and motivation, but rather to talk about the amazing human experience I’ve had through the lens of earning a black belt and supporting others on that journey and to look at how we can all use that kind of inspiration in our lives. Readers will learn about the challenging journey to a martial arts black belt and about how the principles studied along the way—such as self-discipline, perseverance and respect—play a part in motivating people of all ages and backgrounds to achieving black belt excellence, both in martial arts and in their lives.
In the book, I share a little bit of my own black belt story and also the very personal and inspiring stories of some of my students, delivered in their own words from the speeches made by them at their black belt test. Black Belt Testimonials, if you will. In these pages, I hope to support the reader in understanding the black belt principles and considering how to apply them in their own world.
I believe we all have the choice and the responsibility to live our best lives and to “kick ass” in our worlds. Each of us is the only one responsible for ourselves in daily life; no one can stand up there and earn your black belt for you, just as no one else can live life for you. While “kicking ass” is going to mean something different for everybody, for me it means doing everything I can to be my best self – a person that is happy, motivated, kind, loving, and fulfilled. If these are your goals too, I hope you’ll consider reading my book and finding inspiration there for your life’s journey. I hope my book helps you in “Finding Your Black Belt,” whatever that means for you in your own life.
I am currently asking friends, family and interested readers to join my launch team for this book, so if your interest is piqued, please consider it! If you’ve never done something like this before, don’t worry, it’s really fun. If you sign up, you’ll receive a free copy of the book to read, have the opportunity to vote on a cover design and write a short review, and share about the book with your friends.
This is my very first book, and it has been an amazing experience putting the words down on paper—my latest form of “kicking ass” and being at my personal best. Here’s hoping that the process of being involved with my launch team will inspire you to do the same!
Click here to join the launch team for Finding Your Black Belt: How to Kick Ass in Your Own World. Share with your friends on Facebook |Share on Twitter
Image via Unsplash | This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and then purchase we will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). Thank you for reading & supporting Happy Living!