My Black Belt in Awesome

I grew up watching Cynthia Rothrock movies and dreamed of being a martial artist just like her. Man, I wanted that. So. Bad. And I married a guy who wanted the same thing for himself. Perfect, right? We took Kwon Shu Karate for years, and got all the way to the belt just below black—and then we were forced to stop. My honey got a rare form of ocular melanoma, and my ME/CFS finally put an end to my dream.

For a long time I felt terrible about it. It had been my personal goal for my whole life. If I didn't get my black belt, well, I had failed, hadn't I?

I had a long conversation with my hubby about it. What being a black belt meant to me. What it represented. And I realized that it was about being the best at what you do. About being your best. It was about striving for excellence and never ceasing.

So then we discussed what things I could strive for excellence in, and a few things came to mind: writing, publishing, and happiness.

I know that last one might seem strange, but happiness takes constant effort and work, and our efforts can always be improved upon.

That's why I named my publishing company Novel Ninjutsu. And why I strive for excellence in all that I do.

I may not have a black belt in a martial art, like I'd always desired, but I do have a black belt in awesome!