I’m generally not one who sets New Year’s resolutions, I’ve always felt that I was just setting myself up for failure. 2017 sucked for so many reasons and over the course of the last few days I’ve decided that I need to take some action.

I don’t know that I’d call what is to follow resolutions as much as aspirations for self improvement. I need to get my mental house in order. I need to get healthy and stay healthy. I need to be a better me. So hello 2018 and hello to a better me.

First, I’m going to stop cheating on my activity rings on my Apple Watch. The only person I’ve been cheating myself by faking workouts to close my rings each day. In 2018 if I don’t close them then I don’t close them. It may seem silly but sometimes the silly things are important too.

To piggyback off my activity rings, I’m going to do thirty minutes of activity a day. Whether it be a walk around Longwood Gardens, a run, some time on the elliptical or a karate class, I’m going to be active daily. I figure doing something everyday will not only help my physical health but it will help my mental health as well.

I’ve found a pretty little notebook and I plan to use it to start a gratitude journal. I started something similar a while back with my #ThreeHappyThings but in typical Mychal fashion I had no follow through. Even on the worst of days there is always something to be grateful for. In 2018 I will use my pretty little notebook to reflect and record what I’m grateful for. I just have to remember to take it with me when I travel.

Speaking of books, I’m going to continue my reading challenge in 2018. In 2017 I read 40 books from February through December. I’ve decided that I’m going to read 45 books in 2018. On a related note, I’ll be posting the second half of my 2017 book list soon. Click HERE for the first half.

Here we go into 2018 with a plan to make it my best year yet. Hell, I’d settle for a small improvement over last year.

How will you make 2018 YOUR best year yet?

It happened back in October when the boys competed in their first karate tournament. I decided that I would begin my journey into the martial arts.

Before attending that tournament it had never crossed my mind that there were adults who weren’t black belts. I just assumed that only kids had lower belt ranks. My eyes were opened as I saw adult competitors with all different colors around their waists.

November first I put on my Do Bohk (uniform) for the first time and stepped out onto the mat. The past three months have not always been easy, there was more than one class that I came home and cried feeling like a complete loser. There have been many more classes that I’ve come home feeling proud and excited.

My journey into the martial arts is a commitment. A commitment that will last years, if not a lifetime. When I decided to start I also decided that I would commit to nothing less than a black belt.

I broke this board…With my FOOT!

To celebrate three months as a karate student I had my first belt test, from white belt to orange belt. The first of many more belt tests to come. The test was hard, it was nerve wracking, it was exciting and after about an hour and a half I had moved up in the ranks. As my instructor tied my shinny new orange belt on me I couldn’t stop smiling. I had done it, I had achieved something that I wasn’t sure three months ago I’d be able to accomplish.

Karate isn’t just for the kids. It is totally possible to teach an old dog new tricks, and it’s a killer workout. If your kids are active in the martial arts, and even if they’re not, you should seriously think about trying it out for yourself.