Identity Crisis

I am a martial artist, I always have been. During the brief period when I wasn’t practicing martial arts I was still a martial artist, I was just in denial. What we do for fun and what we take seriously defines us, our profession, our family and our passion. What happens when you lose that? What happens if you become injured? What Happens when you lose the ability to do what you love because of changing circumstances? You get an identity crisis and this is what Corina is dealing with right now.

Corina has been a martial artist, she actually holds more black belts than I do. We met through martial arts all those years ago, but she is no longer a martial artist. Corina became a triathlete, she was converted and brought to the dark side, her identity switched and she found something that she loved. After she competed at the World Championships she was burned out from all of the training and we moved to America. 

Once in America Corina became a runner, not serious, but serious enough. She loved it, the smile on her face after a successful run was infectious. Corina still swam, she loves open-water swimming but she would still describe herself as a runner. Then the injury… like a black cloud it took not only her ability to run but also her identity. Was she an injured runner? Was she a swimmer?

When a new client comes in we ask them what they do. This may seem like a smile question if you have an answer but if, like Corina, you are unsure this question hits you quite deeply. Funnily enough the question of what you do is also asked by clients. Yes I have done triathlon, I have even ran a half marathon, I practiced yoga for a few years, I have done many sports but since the age of 7 I have done martial arts. Explaining that the martial art that I do is the art of drawing the Japanese sword is often too much information but clients like to know that I can relate to their activity.

Corina still cannot truly answer the question of what she does… until her injury heals she is a swimmer, I know that she loves swimming, but unless she can run and then decides to be a swimmer she will have an identity crisis.

Alan