In 2013, Lena Smith's son was murdered when she was just beginning martial arts and was a yellow belt. Her son struggled with mental illness and addiction and she was worried about him. Though just a yellow belt when he was murdered, Lena found comfort in the dojo and a chance to heal through her martial art practice. She says, "Karate helped me fill the void in my mind." Her martial art story begins at 50 years of age at the prompting of a friend to take karate. We laughed about the fact that she initially wondered if martial arts were part of some "weird religion," but once she learned more about karate, she immersed herself in training and earned her black belt. She shares some of the struggles she faced in learning karate and how she overcame them, including dismissing negative self-talk. Nine years later, she is a black belt and trains about four times a week. She recognizes the awesome benefits that karate offers including fitness and a positive mindset. She reminds us all that we must be fearless in our martial art practice and in life! I know you will enjoy her positive, light-hearted nature and her remarkable martial art journey.
Andrea's Links & Info:
The Martial Arts Woman book: https://amzn.to/3inNiuQ
Martial Art Inspirations for Everyone book: https://amzn.to/3irRjyy
How to Start Your Own Martial Art Program book: https://amzn.to/3zf0aJB
The Martial Arts Woman Blog: www.themartialartswoman.com
Andrea Harkins website: www.andreaharkins.com
