My black belt is a physical representation of my growth and journey in Taekwondo for the past 6 years. Through the opportunities presented to me in this sport, I have been significantly impacted as a knower.

Knowledge acquired from this sport ranges from technical movements to aspects regarding myself. I have never been to any martial arts classes until one day almost 7 years ago. Naturally, I was only capable of clumsily moving around the gym during my first lesson. Learning every movement and perfecting each of them was a gradual process. My starting Taekwondo lessons is an example of exploring something new. Since I enjoyed this sport so much, I have been open to trying something I have never experienced (given that it is safe, of course).

From the numerous competitions I have attended the past years, I observed that my self-imposed mental obstacles are one of the hardest challenges that I face on a daily basis. The information may not be academic, but it has helped me in life. The more I learn about myself over time, the more I am able to overcome these challenges. The high-intensity atmosphere cultivated by the competition forces me to adapt and alter my thinking to conform with the environment. Thus, I believe the environment is another influential aspect that shapes my perspective of a knower.

Taekwondo has allowed me to open myself up to different experiences and consequently, new perspectives on acquiring knowledge.