It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get up.
— Vince Lombardi
I am going to be a little cliche here for a bit, and start spitting out a bunch of MOTIVATIONAL quotes and sayings. Believe it or not, quotes like this, give me inspiration and sometimes help me to get out of bed in the morning, or do that extra round of randori when I can't feel my arms or legs anymore. I've found that quotes have helped me stay positive through rough patches, through losses and defeat.
In an individual sport, there is nobody else to rely on but YOU. Most of the time, I feel like I am fighting myself. A lot of times I have to stop and say, "Hannah!! Stop being so stubborn! Stop being so scared!! Just do it! You are thinking too much!" So this is one of the reasons I am such a believer in motivational quotes and being positive and creating an environment where everybody around you feels good about themselves.
When I am not kicking ass on the mat, I am a waitress, and I come across a lot of miserable people. The best thing to do when you are approaching a miserable person situation is to just, Smile. Sometimes having a good attitude changes the whole scenario around, and usually ends up making both parties happy!
So I am coming back home from Europe empty handed (again) this year. I had high hopes for me for the 2014 European Tour. Not going to lie, I shed a few tears, had a lot of self-doubt, and ALMOST starting feeling sorry for myself... but I had to stop myself. I have to remember that what I am doing, is already an AMAZING opportunity that most people can only dream about. This past month I got to go to Paris, compete in one of the most prestigious tournaments that our sport has to offer, train with the best judokas in the world, and then go to Dusseldorf, Germany the following week to compete again! There is no Failure in putting myself out there and at least trying. Winning is WAY more fun, but losing teaches you valuable lessons about who you really are as a person. It tests your limits, mentally and emotionally.
So what am I doing now?? Trying to make myself better everyday. I have not let losing tear me down, I have been in the dojo twice a day, working on my weakness, and perfecting my strong techniques. I have to think Big Picture, and that is to take a medal at the Olympic Games in Rio in a few years. I've also made sure that I spend time at the gym, strength and conditioning is also a very important part of training, and I absolutely love to lift.
Whats Next??
This weekend I am going to be competing in the NY Open/NYAC team tournament, it usually is an ALL- Men's tournament and I go there every year to watch and play cheerleader, but this year, there is going to be a Japanese women's team there and so we are going to have a women's team. USA v Japan match up! Should be fun, after the tournament we get to dress up and go to the banquet and at the end of the day, we get to hang out in NYC and be at one of the best Athletic Clubs in the country! NYAC!
After the NYAC team tournament, I will be flying out to Hawaii on the following Wednesday for a week long adventure. I will be doing clinics with Travis Stevens, who is the current #1 ranked 81kg in the country. I am pretty excited about Hawaii, it is going to be a great opportunity for me and I get to spend some time by the beach, and doing one of my favorite things, tanning !!!
And last but not least, after Hawaii, I will be traveling to Tbilisi, Georgia to compete in their first ever Grand Prix event and than a week after I will be competing in Samsun, Turkey at another Grand Prix!
Lots of exciting things happening! And I just want to say I am so grateful for all the support!!
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