Candidate Journals

I woke up with pretty awful pain in my legs. It felt like my shins turned to glass and just shattered inside. So thats fun! Besides that, today was ok, I had a chem test today and the math quiz I was supposed to take got moved to Thursday. Since the weather was cool enough, I ran earlier this afternoon around 4:30p.m. I took a shower, got some homework done, and then started on my requirements. Took a break to eat dinner and then back on requirements and homework. Just relaxing the rest of the night, although my mom is making her wonderful chocolate chip cookies so I may snag some before bed. Keep up the great worke everyone, we are so close!! ~ Peyton

I love teacher work days especially when I have multiple tests that week, just like this week. Slept in until about 8a.m. and got working on homework for AP World and English. Took a break for lunch and did some requirements. I'm all finished with falls and rolls now! I got back to work on studying for Chemistry since I have a test tomorrow. Went to KT at 3:30p.m. and had a good session with Ms. Jen and Master Natasya on Hapkido forms and breakaways. I also helped out with classes today, just working on lots of color belt poomsae and self-defense. I came home for a delish bowl of goulash and called it a night. I've been studying for my math quiz tomorrow and written test Saturday ever since! I hope everyone had a great start to the week! ~ Peyton

Happy Sunday everyone! I slept in until about 10a.m. because I was exhasuted from getting home late from homecoming last night. I got a few minutes of homework done this morning and then got ready to go to my friend's house. She has having all of our friends over plus our families for a really nice lunch with vietnamese BBQ and all kinds of side dishes. After lunch we went swimming in her pool and had a really nice time just relaxing. I got home around 6p.m. and went for a run. Came back and finished the rest of my requirements. I just did some homework and its now 10:30p.m. so I'll be going to bed soon. Thankfully its a teacher work day tomorrow, so no school and I can sleep in again. I hope everyone had a great weekend! ~ Peyton

Haven't journaled in a few days...Thursday was good but had to skip out on some requirements to be able to finish my homework. Friday was my school's homecoming football game; I'm so glad the rain didn't effect the game too much and I was still able to go. My friends and I went out to Cookout afterwards for milkshakes. I got home late last night but still had to get up early this morning for black belt class so I was pretty tired. My leg was also kind of bothering me during class but didn't hurt too much afterwards. I had my homecoming dance tonight which was a blast! My friends and I got ready together, took pictures, and went to the dance around 7:45p.m. Just got home around 10:30 and I'm so exhausted. My feet hurt so bad but it was definitely worth it! I hope everyone had a great...

Happy Wednesday! We are already half way through the week which feels really good! School was good today, not much homework tonight; only about an hour. Had a good 3 miles run today and finished my requirements in time to relax with my mom. I hope everyone is having a great week! Friendly reminder to study for your written test; we are just over a week away! ~ Peyton

Just an ok day today. School was alright, nothing much happened. I'm really excited for homecoming on Saturday though; my friends and I are going to meet up and get ready together! I came home, did some homework, requirements, dinner, ran, and more homework. Thats about all for today. I hope everyone had a great day! Keep working hard, cycle is almost over! ~ Peyton

Oh gosh, I'm so tired and its only Monday. I think I'm still recovering from lack of sleep this past weekend but today definitely felt like a Monday. School was fine, I was fighting to keep my eyes open all morning though. I came home and did my homework, requirements, ate dinner, and relaxed the rest of tonight. I don't know about you guys but the end of cycle is starting to feel really close and I'm getting so excited to test! I hope everyone had a great start to the week! ~ Peyton

Yesterday and today I helped out with Jr. Instructors Camp. It was a blast as always! I feel like no matter how many times I attend or help out, I always learn something new. Whether its a new teaching technique, different way to handle situations, or just fun drills and skills, there is always something a lesson to learn. Thank you to all the masters and instructors that helped out, couldn't have been done without you! I stayed for poomsae class today and ended up getting home around noon today. My feet are absolutely dead and I'm exhausted but I had to get my requirements and homework done. Definitely going to bed soon, I only got about 4 not so good hours of sleep last night. I hope everyone had a great weekend! ~ Peyton

Wow its Friday, it came quick this week! Today was pretty good, school in the morning and then work until BBC. In class we did some poomsaes and fun drills like pistol squats and the other thing that I don't know what to call them lol. We also went over the written test which is only 2 weeks out so make sure you guys are studying!!! Stayed for a mentor session with Master Natasya to work on some self-defenses. My family got pizza for dinner and afterwards I did some homework and requirements. Tomorrow is Jr. Instructors Camp, so excited because its always a blast! I hope everyone has a great weekend! Keep in mind essays are also due in 2 weeks! ~ Peyton

Happy Thursday! Woke up for school...got through it. It was fine, only about 2 hours of homework tonight which isn't bad. I came home and got my requirements done before sparring class. Had a mentee session with Stella, just reviewing the color belt stuff. Sparring was pretty fun, did some drills we haven't exactly done before. Came home for a good dinner with the family and finishing up homework now. I honestly can't believe tomorrow is Friday! It comes so quick in a 4 day week! I hope everyone is doing well, keep up the great work! ~ Peyton

Woke up and drove to school. Started MAPs testing and did that for about 3 hours. Then the rest of the school day was normal. Came home to homework and requirements. Overall, a pretty good day, definitely hoping to get some good rest tonight. I hope everyone is having a great week! ~ Peyton

The long weekend definitely helped me catch up on sleep, homework, requirements, and relaxtion time. Yesterday was good, nothing special. Today I woke up ready for school, my teachers thankfully went easy on us today since we have MAPs testing tomorrow. I didn't have much homework, so I came home and had a peaceful evening with my family. I'm so excited that tomorrow we will already be halfway through the week! I hope everyone is doing well, recovering from injuries and sicknesses, keep pushing through! ~ Peyton

Happy Sunday! Woke up for run this morning but for some reason just wasn't feeling it so I ran a little slow. Met Ms. Jen at 9a.m. and got lots of work on weapons done before poomsae class. Lots of kicking drills that were very hard but super helpful and ended with work on Sam, Sa, and Oh Chang. Afterwards, I stayed for a mentor session with Master Natasya. We reviewed White-Blue belt self-defenses in depth and she taught me some really great ways to explain them to kids. I came home and got to work on my requirements, trying to get ahead as much as I can before the week starts. One of my mom's previous students came over with his wife and had dinner with us. They ended up staying until just after 10p.m. and I know my parents really enjoyed that. I'm off to bed now! Have a...

I woke up at 6a.m. for a 3 mile run which felt good. Small BBC because most people were at the community service event, lots of weapons forms and kicking today. After work, I came home for lunch and requirements. Around 2:30p.m. my mom and I went dress shopping for homecoming and got a few other errands done while we were out. We met my dad at Jason's Deli for dinner and then came home to relax for the rest of the night! Glad to hear the community service went well even though it was hot! We are 3 weeks out from the physical test, written test, and day that essays are due; make sure you are on track and keeping up with all of that! Keep up the great work everyone! ~ Peyton

I hope everyone has been having a great week! Its been a little rough for me but hopefully this long weekend will help out. Did remote learning for school today at my friends house and then had an eye doctor appointment this afternoon. They put 3-4 dilation drops in each of my eyes and for the rest of the night I was definitely not the same. Everything was much brighter and just having my eyes open was painful. BBC was pretty fun, afterwards I had a good mentor session with Master Natasya working on weapons forms. I came home to requirements, dinner, and some relaxation time. Have a great long weekend everyone! Try to stay on top of your requirements because are 4 weeks out from testing! ~ Peyton

Well it has been a while...this week I have been on the struggle bus (hence the title)! Monday was awful, then Tuesday through today I had 4 tests, 3 were for AP classes. A bunch of family stuff has been going on as well, but my mom is finally back from VA which is nice. I've quite literally not had time to take a breath since Sunday. I took a pass on sparring tonight and went over to my friend's house for a sleepover since we have e-learning tomorrow and this week is finally over. Stress is finally relieved (at least somewhat) so I can enjoy the long weekend. I hope everyone is having a better week than I did. Have a great Friday!

Happy Sunday...sort of. I got up early and had a great run. Ms. Jen and I met at 9a.m. to run through all Hapkido stuff and some weapons forms. Stayed for poomsae class but just wasn't feeling it, I was super tired, could barely keep my eyes open, and was just thinking about the amount of requirements and homework I still had left to do. I came home and started on homework, took a break for lunch, and then dove into requirements. I got a good amount done before 4p.m. My dad and I went on another drive this afternoon, I'm definitely getting better. Hopefully I'll have enough energy to drive to school tomorrow. I came home, worked on homework for an hour, had dinner, and have been working on homework ever since. Hopefully I can finish up by 10p.m. but we'll see. I took a much needed 30 minute nap this afternoon which...

Started with an early 6a.m. 3 mile run before class today. BBC was great, we did lots of poomsaes and self-defenses game-style! Family class and little tigers were fine. I came home just before noon and for about 5 hours I switched on and off between requirements and homework. Afterwards, I drove around town with my dad. I haven't been able to get a lot of driving practice in just because I'm so busy but today was a good day to do it and we did some errands along the way. We came and had dinner, I finished the rest of my requirements and then we relaxed with a movie for the rest of the night. I'm tired but its been a good, productive day. Have a great Sunday everyone! ~ Peyton

This week flew by but also couldn't be done fast enough. Today was just one of those days where everything was rough. Classses were pretty tough today with pop quizzes and normal understanding checks. On top of that, I had a giant headache...not sure where its from, but I've had it since yesterday so maybe this is my sign to hydrate more. Little Tigers was alright, got some requirements in before black belt class and then afterwards when I came home too. Got takeout from Chipotle tonight and watched a movie with my dad. I'm hoping to wake up ealry tomorow and get in some miles before class but we'll see how that goes. This weekend I have come home with about 7 hours of school work...which is just great. That's about it for me, I hope everyone's week was exciting and eventful. Have a great weekend! ~ Peyton

Today was ok, not the best. School was whatever, I was half falling asleep in my first 2 class periods becuase I was just so tired. I am definitely going to have a good 5+ hours of homework this weekend....not looking forward to that. I came home and started my requirements, around 5:45p.m. I went to KT for a mentee session and then got in some poomsae and kick minutes before sparring. Sparring was good, lots of jump rope which is always a favorite of mine. Short sparring matches with lots of rest which I appreciated too. I came home, ate dinner with my dad, and then started my homework (which I am taking a break from as of now to write this). I still have a few minutes of push-ups and plank to work in between math or AP world practice questions and reading guides but hopefully I can get...

School was alright, I have a test in pretty much every class next week so I will need to start studying this weekend. I came home after school, worked on homework, finished up my daily requirements, and went on a nice run. My mom is leaving for VA tomorrow so I got to spend a little time with her tonight. I hope everyone had a great day! ~ Peyton

School is fine, its the homework that is awful. I have consistently had at least 2 hours of homework every night since the first full week of school and its starting to take a toll on me. I'm not behind in my requirements but I have had to use up a lot of my built up minutes. Weekends have been busy too; classes, requirements, homework, family/friends, and I just have not had a lot of relaxation recently. I feel like its all go go go and I can't slow down. Anyways, I didn't get to journal yesterday but both Monday and Tuesday were fine. Not much to report other than the usual schedule of school, work, requirements, homework, sleep. I hope everyone is having a great week and staying on track! We are more than halfway through, keep up the great work! ~ Peyton

Woke up at 7a.m. to run. My watch was acting a little funny today when recording my miles so hopefully it is back to normal tomorrow. I met Ms. Jen at 9 and we worked through wepaons forms before poomsae class. Had a good mentee session today, Stella is now a bocho so we can start working on black belt curriculum which is exciting! I went dress shopping with 2 of my friends today at the mall and then after that we volunteered at Sail Again Children's Consignment. I came home around 7p.m. and got my homework and requirements done for the night. I hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great start to the week tomorrow! ~ Peyton

Happy Saturday! Woke up dark and early at 6a.m. to get in 3 miles before black belt class! Class was good, we worked on both poomsae and self-defense. I have not practiced weapons in a while so I need to start working that into my day. Work was good, all the kids have new belts so it was fun seeing them try new kicks and poomsaes they haven't done before. After I came home, my mom and I deep cleaned my closet and got rid of a bunch of stuff. It looks so much better now and is much more efficient than it was. Around 4p.m. I started working on my other requirements, I did my 2nd digital detox today and it wasn't bad but a little boring. Usually while I do requirements, I watch a show just to have something playing in the background but I couldn't do that today....

Thank goodness its the weekend, I have been waiting all week! Today was a pretty easy school day, most of the teachers were tired so we didn't have a bunch of classwork which was nice. Absolute downpour on the way back to KT but it cleared up eventually. Little Tigers wasn't bad today and BBC was just reviewing and learning the take-a-ways. Finished up requirements before dinner and have been relaxing the rest of tonight. Goal for tomorrow is to get my 2nd digital detox in and just reset from the week. I have a lot of chores and homework hanging over my head that would feel really good to just knock out. Have a great weekend everyone! ~ Peyton

All I keep telling myself is its almost the weekend. Even though its been a good week, I am so exhausted from the first full week of school! Today was good, only about 1.5 hour of homework tonight which is pretty light from what it has been. My run was definitely a struggle today, not sure if it was the heat or just exhaustion from the week but I got it done. All caught up on falls and rolls which is a relief and I'm working my way through my burpees that I need to catch up on. Thank goodness its color belt testing and there was no sparring tonight becuase I genuinely do not think I could of made it lol. I hope everyone's week has been going well! Keep up the great work! ~ Peyton

Struggle to get up and keep my eyes open today, I slept well last night but evidently not enough. School, homework, work, and requirements are definitely taking a toll on me. School was alright, nothing much to report. I came home, got working on my requirements, finished a little homework, and then ran 3 miles. I felt really good on my run today which was nice, since I haven't been enjoying running as much lately with the awful weather. I finished some more homework and hung out with my mom the rest of the night. Finish off the week strong tomorrow and Friday! ~ Peyton

Happy Tuesday! School is definitely feeling like school again. Notes, quizzes, tests, projects, presentations, and worksheets all this week. Struggling a little bit with keeping up with a few requirements but overall not too behind. After school today I came home did my physical requirements, went for a very hot and humid run, ate dinner, and finished some homework. Going to bed soon, trying to get back onto my school sleep schedule. Remember to be drinking lots of fluids before and after you run, Gatorade Zero Sugar is really good to replenish your electrolytes. Also making quick little snacks like protein balls or having easy smoothie recipes can help when you are on a tight schedule! I hope everyone had an amazing day! ~ Peyton

My teachers definitely jumped right in to curriculum today! I came home with loads of homework and assignments that we just didn't finish in class. I tried to get as many requirements done at TKD as I could but I got home and started school work around 8p.m. I probably won't get to all of my requirements so I'll be pretty behind on burpees but hopefully Tue-Thu I can catch up since those afternoons and evenings aren't as busy for me. I hope everyone had a wonderful start to the week. Thats all for tonight since I have still have some homework to finish before I go to bed! ~ Peyton

Happy Sunday! I slept in until 9:30a.m. this morning and got up for a run. It was quite hot and my body was still tired from the long day yesterday so I only got in 2.25 miles. I got some other requirements done afterwards and then had lunch. I finished the rest of them and then unpacked from yesterday's trip to Greenville and helped clean up the house. My mom and I went on a little coffee run in Birkdale and then came back to relax. The rest of the night will just be relaxing and getting ready for the week! Make sure you guys are keeping up with all of the requirements! It is up to the max amount of minutes on push-ups, sit-ups, burpees, jump-rope, pull-ups, plank, and miles so make sure you aren't getting behind!! Have a great start to the week tomorrow! ~ Peyton

Woke up at 6a.m. and left just before 7 to drive 4 hours to Greenville, NC! We got there just before 11a.m., the testing was supposed to start at noon but got moved back to 1p.m. so most of relaxed at a little cafe while we waited. Got to Grandmaster Lee's school at noon, started warming up and next thing I know blink its 1 o'clock and time to line up. Testing starts with a bunch of kicks, Yuk chang, and then all of the black belt forms we know up to. I felt really good about my kicks and poomsae and I'm happy with how I performed. Next was creative forms, everyone's was really great! I was most worried about my creative today but I'm proud of how I did and a lot of the nerves and pressure is off now! Lastly was breaking which went well, lots of different and...

Happy Friday! My 2nd day back to school and it was good to be back. However, all day I was thinking about masters testing, then school work, then masters testing, then school work. I was psyching myself out way more than I should've but whatever. Got on the bus to go to KT and worked little tigers, took black belt class, ran through my creative a couple times, came home, finished requirements, had some dinner, and getting ready for tomorrow now. Goal is to be in bed by 9:30 even though I will probably be thinking about tomorrow and not actually fall asleep until 11p.m. I hope everyone had a wonderful week and has a wonderful weekend! ~ Peyton

Happy Thursday! Today was my first day of 10th grade at Lake Norman Charter HS. It took me a long time to fall asleep last night so I was a little groggy this morning. Most of my teachers were super nice and I think I will enjoy most of my classes. I have a lot more friends in my classes than last year so I'm really happy about that! I came home around 4p.m. and started on my requirements, went to KT for a mentee session, and took sparring. My main goal tonight was just to take it easy and not get injured right before Masters testing this Saturday. Speaking of that, I'm starting to freak out a little bit but I know I have practiced a ton so hopefully it will pay off. Finish off the week strong tomorrow everyone! ~ Peyton

Today was my last day before school starts! On one hand I am excited to get back into my school routine and see my friends 5 days a week...on the other, I'm going to miss summer camp, relaxing, having time for requirements, and everything else. Today was alright, Group 2 went to the park and the weather was nice until the sun came out. We came back to KT for class, snack, and toy time. I went home a little after 5p.m. and started on my requirements. I just finished dinner and my summer assignment for AP world. Feeling good about tomorrow but a little nervous to meet my teachers. Hopefully going to bed before 10p.m. tonight to get some good sleep and wake up early tomorrow. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week! Keep up the great work! ~ Peyton

Happy Tuesday! Longgg day at the pool but a great time! Kids behaved for the most part and all of them were smiling and having fun! Went back to KT for class, snack, and toys. The day went by pretty quick but the pool definitely sucks a lot of energy out of you. I managed to get most of my requirements in tonight before dinner, but I'm definitely tired. Now I'm just working on my summer assignment for the rest of tonight. Probably should've started earlier but this summer has been super busy. Tomorrow is my last day working summer camp for 2026 so its a little bittersweet moment. I feel like I got to know some of the counselors and kids on a deeper level and thats always really special. I start school Thursday so getting back into the school routine will be nice but also an adjustment. I hope...

Woke up early to get another 3 mile run in--I've run 9 miles in 3 days which is a lot for me--and my legs are definitely feeling it. Started on some AP world summer homework and then got the rest of my requirements done before work at 1p.m. Summer camp and classes were good, I stayed after with Ms. Jen for another creative form/kicks session. We definitely got a lot of good work in today. Also not to brag...but baby Olive walked toward me (or anyone) for the first time--she did it 2 different times too--with Master Chelley balancing her. She grabbed onto me and I just know I had this huge grin across my face. It was adorable! Came home around 9:30p.m. ate some dinner, took a shower, and am heading to bed soon. I hope everyone had a great start to the week! ~ Peyton

This past week and a half I have been drilling down my creative form, Yuk, Koryo, Keumgang, Taebaek, and Pyeongwon since those are the poomsaes that I and the other 3rds and higher are performing for Grandmaster Lee next Saturday. I feel ok-ish as of now but I'm sure later in the week stress will be high. I went to TKD for about 2.5 hours today and worked on kicks and poomsae. Straight to a birthday party for a few hours and then back home for my requirements. I went on another 3 mile run in the evening and I definitely prefer running in the morning. Its just too hot and muggy outside after 10a.m. Anyways had dinner, watched some TV, played ping pong, and ate ice cream the rest of the night. I hope everyone had a great weekend and has a great start to the week tomorrow! ~ Peyton

Happy Saturday everyone! I was going to get up early and run this morning but that didn't happen...had a great BBC led by Master Natasya. We did lots of kicks, poomsaes, and self-defense. I had some yellow belts in family class today, just getting everybody ready for color belt testing in a week. I went home, ate a quick lunch, and then my mom and I headed out to have a fun day together. We explored a little town called Lincolnton, did some browsing in cute little stores, and made a much needed ice cream pit stop on the way back at Cookies N Creme. Absolutely delicious as always. Whats everyone's favorite ice cream flavor? Mine is anything with chocolate, the last few years I've been really into a flavor called dark chocolate raspberry truffle (which is what I got today). I came home and pumped out my requirements. Had a...

Happy Friday! I procrastinated getting going this morning for a run but once I was out, it felt good. Took a shower and knocked out the rest of my requirements. If I could give any advice about black belt cycle, it would be to get your essays done early and work ahead on requirements. In my experience, getting your essays done before school starts and getting a couple days ahead on requirements is super beneficial because it allows you a little bit of breathing room in case you get sick, miss a day, or just aren't feeling it. Weeks 5-8 are the most challenging becuase all the super physical requirements are at its max and it gets pretty difficult even if you miss 1 day. Anyways, the rest of the afternoon was fine. Black belt class was a nice review of the 10 takeways. I came home to arguably the best...

Happy Thursday! Got to sleep in some today, woke up and banged out my requirements. Relaxed a little before work. Summer camp and classes were fine, not much different than it normally is. Sparring was pretty fun. We did a couple cool drills today that were definitely challenging. Overall a good class but I think I will have a couple bruises tomorrow. Stayed afterwards until about 9:30p.m., working with Ms. Jen on our creatives and black belt poomsaes for August 15 testing. Its kind of just hitting me how close it is. I will definitely be psyching myself out over the next 9 days but I think I'm ready....for the most part. Keep up the great work everyone! ~ Peyton

On my very first black belt cycle in 2020, Master Lloyd was my mentor.--This was back when it was Covid and we had to do Saturday morning black belt classes outside, wearing masks, in Grandmaster Evins' parking lot (uphill may I add).--I was doing a mentor session and Master Lloyd told me something that still sticks with me to this day. "Practice doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent." If you do something wrong in a poomsae, self-defesense, kick, whatever it is and you keep doing it incorrectly, it will make a bad habit. Bad habits are hard to break and I'm sure you'll find 1 if not many that you have throughout the cycle. Whether its not rechambering correctly, kicking the wrong way, doing the wrong move in a poomsae 100 times, it doesn't matter...but if you practice it the right way, with the intention of doing things correctly, regardless of...

Happy Monday! Today was super productive! I got an early run in, took a shower and got through my daily requirements plus a little extra. I'm trying to work ahead before school starts next week so that I have a little bit of extra requirements built in just in case I have to miss a day. I went to TKD at 1p.m. and helped out with summer camp and classes. Ms. Jen and I stayed at KT until 9:30p.m. working on our creative forms. A lot of good work done today but I am exhausted! I hope everyone else had a wonderful start to the week! ~ Peyton

Happy Sunday! I tried to get up early to run today but quickly hit the snooze button and slept in. Good work in poomsae class today, we worked on some different parts and then did a mock competition for the rest of class. Afterwards I worked on my creative form with Master Natasya. I got home and got my run out of the way, pace was pretty slow but I think I'm just tired. Finished up the rest of my requirements and finished choreographing my creative. It took a lot of hours and a lot of hardwork but I'm happy with it. For the next 13 days it will just be practice, practice, practice! I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! Keep working hard! ~ Peyton

Happy Saturday! I got up for an early morning run before black belt class. Class was hard work but it felt good. Little tigers wasn't too bad today and family class was a nice size. I came home and then went back out to meet my friends at Alley 51. It was my 2nd time there, its a food market with lots of different kinds of Asian foods (Korean, Thai, Filipino, etc). It is delicious! I came home and cranked out my requirements. I've just been relaxing the rest of the night! I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! Try to get ahead on your requirements while the numbers are still relatively low! Its much easier to be ahead then play catch up. ~ Peyton

I woke up feeling absolutely awful today but I managed to get an ok run in this morning. It took me a long time to get through my requirements and I had to take chill break before work which almost never happens for me. TKD definitely cheered me up, all the people there are basically 2nd family and just so fun and easy to talk to and get along with. BBC was alright, worked on some color belt poomsaes, black belt self-defenses, and cinuwales. Definitely going to bed soon, I'm exhausted but its been a good week. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! ~ Peyton

Slept in until about 9a.m. this morning which felt nice, started on my requirements and got all of them done pretty early. I worked on my creative form for about an hour before work. I got to KT around 2p.m. and worked classes and summer camp until 6:30p.m. I was feeling pretty exhausted from the week but sparring woke me back up! I stayed after until about 8:45ish to work on some self-defense and weapons forms with Ms. Jen. Good session in before coming home and relaxing for the rest of the night! Keep working hard everyone! ~ Peyton

Black belt cycle is hard, its meant to be, but you learn so much about yourself in the process. Even if you don't pass the test at the end, thats not really what its about. Arthur Ashe once said, "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." The black belt cycle is hard for a reason, its supposed to challenge you--physically, mentally, emotionally--but the way you become better is by persevering through the worst times and making an effort to become stronger and get through it. This cycle is only going to get harder but if you go in with the mindset that you grow as a person whether you pass or fail, you will have grown far more than someone that thinks they must get their black belt to succeed. With that being said, happy Wednesday and Happy Brithday Ms. Jen! My day...

Oh my goodness, I'm exhausted. Today was alright, got to work at 9a.m. The kids were pretty rowdy and talkative since we stayed at KT and played games all day. They had fun but it was hard to get them to calm down and listen to instructions. I came home and had a long needed break...I was completely drained. I managed to get most of my requirements done. Another long summer camp day tomorrow! I hope everyone had a wonderful Tuesday! Keep up with your requirements everyone! ~ Peyton

Happy Monday! Got another 2 miles in and again dropped significantly in time. Got majority of my physical requirements in before 11a.m. and tried to brainstorm some more of my creative form. I went to TKD at 1p.m. and left just before 10p.m. I worked classes until 7:30 and then Ms. Jen and I worked on lots of poomsae, self-defense, and creative. It was honestly such a fun time and super helpful! We got milkshakes at Cookout afterwards and it was definitely worth it. Super grateful to have a partner like her! I hope everyone had a wonderful day! ~ Peyton

I hope everyone had a great weekend! I slept in and got up for 10a.m. poomsae class. Lots of partner stretching today which felt sooo good afterwards. I stayed after class was done and worked on my creative form with Master Natasya, I'm really happy with what I have so far! I came home and a made a delicious strawberry chocolate smoothie after my 2 mile run. My times has been severely dropping and I'm very proud of myself. I finished the rest of my requirements and have been relaxing ever since. Its 7:30p.m. now but I'm exhausted so I will be going to be pretty early tonight. Have a great start to the week tomorrow! Keep up the good work everyone! ~ Peyton

I woke up bright and early this morning anticipating a run before 6:30a.m. but it was just raining hard enough that I decided to wait until after class and work. I took the time to do other requirements instead and knocked out quite a few before class. Super grateful for all of the weapons work in class today because I was definitely a little rusty. Family and little tigers classes were ok, nothing special. Had some lunch and then went for a great run! I am still super sore today but I was really happy with my time for running 3 miles. After that, my friend and I went to Birkdale and walked around. I hadn't seen her all summer so it was really nice to catch up and just chit chat. Thats it for today! Happy Saturday! ~ Peyton

Happy Friday! I slept in late again and went for a nice run. The temperature felt wonderful and I had my best 2 mile time yet. My neighborhood is pretty tiny, theres really only 2 or 3 streets so it gets boring pretty fast. Hopefully I can go to the greenway this weekend and knock out a good 3 or 4 miles on some flat ground. Overall today wasn't bad, I got my requriements done and went to TKD at 2p.m. to help with summer camp and classes. Rolls and falls before BBC and then some good work on color belt and black belt poomsaes and self-defenses. I was really sore for some reason today, hopefully it will be better tomorrow. My family went to one of my favorite Mexican restaurants for dinner and then came home and relaxed the rest of the night. I hope everyone's first week of cycle was...

It was pretty dreary outside today; definitely made sleeping in easy! I got up pretty late today but knocked out my requirements before 11:30. Had lunch with my mom and helped her move some furniture downstairs. I went to TKD at 2p.m. and helped out with summer camp and classes. Lots of color belt work today, getting ready for testing in mid August. Had a good mentee session with Stella, a high red belt. Took sparring class tonight--thanks for staying Ms. Jen--and we did some ladder drills. Master Marcus took it easy on us tonight and I'm so grateful becuase I definitely did not have a whole lot of energy! Happy Thursday! ~ Peyton

Woke up early to get some requirements in before work today at 9a.m. We had a nice movie day watching Cars. It was my first time seeing it and it was such a cute movie. The kids took class and then we headed to the library! I left around 5p.m. and wasn't feeling the best but I took a few minutes to unwind and started working on some push-ups and self-defenses. I didn't have enough energy to get through poomsae and kicks but I was a little ahead so its alright. The rest of the night I spent with my family; we had a wonderful dinner and even got some cheesecake for my mom (thats her favorite)! The rest of the night we watched some TV on the couch and played ping pong. Happy Wednesday! ~ Peyton

Happy Tuesday! I got to sleep in until about 8 today which felt nice. Got to TKD around 9a.m. for summer camp. Group 2 went to the park today and it felt really nice. Straight to Enso for a wonderful craft and some down time. Back to KT for more toy time and games. Overall the kids were ok today, they definitely had a lot of energy and were very chatty! Came home and got my requirements done around 7p.m. Dinner was amazing, white rice, steak, and some broccoli! Tonight I'm relaxing and staying off my feet to rest up for a busy day tomorrow! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week! ~ Peyton

For me, I usually love or hate Mondays, there is no in between! Today was pretty great, woke up for an early run and got my requirements in before noon. I then worked on my creative form and I am officially 24 seconds through it! I'm feeling really good about the progress I'm making but I definitely have a lot left to do. I went to TKD around 1p.m. to help out with summer camp and regular classes. I got to hold baby Olive a lot today and even put her to sleep which was cool. Had a wonderful mentee session working on high green and high blue belt self-defense. Overall, a very productive day! ~ Peyton

Hi everyone! My name is Peyton, I'm currently a 3rd degree black belt testing for my 4th in the fall. As a 3rd dan, we have to do 2 black belt cycles, I did my first one in January and this is my 2nd. Therefore I didn't do the pretest today but I did come around 8a.m. to LKN KT for class! It was so nice to see fellow candidates and see many new faces! I completely forgot to journal yesterday so I've got to get back into that habit! Yesterday was pretty good, woke up early for a nice hot, muggy run and then finished up other requirements. Today was about the same, early run and poomsae class. I will definitely be sore tomorrow, we did a lot of resistance bands and ankle weights! I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and has a great start to the week...

I didn't have time to write a journal yesterday but I have officially finished all of my requirements! I'm so happy that I'm going to get some of my free time back now! I honestly don't know what I'll be doing when I get home now, I don't remeber what I was doing before cycle to fill my time lol! I hope everyone is having a wonderful week and excited about testing tomorrow! Make sure you are checking your emails for details about dates, times, and locations!! Definitely get to testing early on Friday, I tried to be there about 30 minutes early. Bring snacks, water/hydration drinks, weapons, sparring gear, an all white uniform (black collar is fine), black belt cycle book, and an extra shirt/jacket to throw over your uniform when eating. It is going to be a long night no matter what but if you respond repectfully and loudly,...

Today was pretty good, I'm done with push-ups and burpees now!! Those are probably most least favorite of the cycle just because they both use so much upper body and arm strenght, it just gets tiring. School was ok, I've got a lot of projects and tests this week even though it is literally the start of 4th quarter and I don't know why my teachers are giving out all of this work. I guess maybe just trying to get stuff in before spring break but I'm really dreading it right now. Tomorrow I'm going to MPA which is a band field trip where we get judged on our playing. We are honestly not ready and sound awful but oh well...we'll see. I hope everyone's week is going well! Keep working hard everyone! ~ Peyton

I'm officially done with falls and rolls, running, and sit-ups. I'll also be done with jump-rope tomorrow and everything else should be finished up by Tuesday or Wednesday! The end is soo close and I'm so excited! I'm testing for my 4th so I will still have to do another black belt cycle in the summer this year but it will feel so good to have this one over with. This is the first time I have done a spring/winter cycle before and I definitely like the temperatures better because the alternative is 80-90 degrees, humid weather in July BUT....I definitely like not having school for part of the summer/fall cycle so I'm not sure which one I like better. Anyways, I hope everyone had a great weekend! Keep working hard, the end is near! Don't slack off now! ~ Peyton

A great day...although school was a little rough. I am in band and we are going to MPA next Wednesday which is like an event where judges score us 1-5. 1 is the best and 5 is the worst and we had combined band practice today which sounded absolutely atrocious but at least we played all the way through. :/ Anyways, beautiful day outside for running so I got 3 miles in and I only have about 3 left for the cycle!!! Lots of work on other requirements as well, doing the minimum or even extra so I can get done early! I hope everyone is having a great week! ~ Peyton

As we are getting closer and closer to the end, it has been so relieving and satisfying to see the numbers of requirements left decrease. I will be done with a lot of stuff by this weekend and I am so happy about that!! As testing is approaching, you guys should be drilling poomsaes and self-defenses as much as you can, practicing them properly and correctly, not just running through them!! Focus on the ones you need more work with and ask someone to practice with you, if it helps keep you accountable. If anything is iffy or questionable right now you have about a week left to make sure its solid. Testing is going to be rough if you don't know your stuff, so focus on YOU and getting everything straight. Make sure you keep logging things in the website as well as in your book! Keep up the great...

I haven't journaled in about a week so its good to be back! Last week was crazy with 3rd quarter finishing up for school with lots of projects and tests! For some reason on Thursday my leg really started hurting but I wasn't sure what I did, however it is feeling much better now so thats good. I didn't have school on Friday so my friend and I hung out. We baked some chocolate chip cookies and watched a movie! Saturday's community service was actually really fun. I was in charge of putting powdered nutrients and freeze dried vegetables into the bag. Today I went to poomsae class and got some really good work done. My family and I then drove to the greenway where I ran 4 miles under the hot, blazing sun! I came home and finished up the rest of my requirements. I am focusing on homework now...

I'm going to Korea with King Tiger this October and I'm so excited. I asked Master Natasya to help me learn some basic Korean so that I was completely unprepared in a new country. So the last 5-10 minutes on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays she has been teaching me. I know how to pronounce, write, and read the vowels, y sounds, w sounds, and 6 consonants so far!! She said next time we will start putting letters together and make words! I love learning new languages, I think it is super fun and I feel really proud of what I have learned so far. Thank you Master Natasya! Overall a good day, poomsae class was very small (just 3 of us), came home and alternated between homework and requirements. I hope everyone had a great weekend! ~ Peyton

For some reason, the weekend got here so slowly this week! BBC was fun for today, we did A LOT of weapons which was great because I don't practice those as much due to lack of space. I stayed for work and came home just before noon. I was dreading my run today so needed to get that over with, I ended up running 2.5 miles which I'm happy with. I ate some lunch and started the rest of my requirements. My parents are having a little date night so I'm at home with my dog, Bandit, working on homework and just relaxing. I also baked some brownies tonight! :) I hope everyone had a great Saturday! We are less than 3 weeks away from testing now, keep working hard everyone!! ~ Peyton

The last 2 or 3 weeks of the cycle feel so good becuase everything is starting to go down and relax a little bit. You feel the relief of all the requirements finishing up and falling off your plate of "To Dos." I finished up my last sparring class today, tomorrow will be my last weekday BBC, I'm done with all my leadership credits, and mentor/mentee sessions. I'm on track or ahead on all of my requirements and school is tying up into a nice bow as well. I don't know about you guys, but 3rd quarter in school is always so tough and the most exhausting. I took my math test today, bio quiz tomorrow, Econ project due Tuesday, English presentation on Monday, Health test on Tuesday, band auditions for wind ensemble are submitted, and everything is doing swell for right now which feels so good! I hope everything is...

Yesterday, I knew it was absolutely a Monday but for some reason when I woke up this morning, I had it in my head that today was Wednesday. I had planned out my day in my mind and completely forgot about all of my activities today until I checked my calendar at lunch and realized I had a club this afternoon and Scout COH (Court of Honor which is basically an award ceremony) tonight. That just threw off my day lol but everything else was fine! I've been working pretty hard on an English project I have to present next week :( and trying to get ahead on requirements because we only have about 3.5 weeks left of cycle!! Woohoo, I'm so excited for this to be over! I don't know about anyone else who has been on cycle before but I like to plan to start finishing all my requirements...

Today started off ok but by the end I was just exhausted and wanted to go home. School was alright, nothing much to report. I came right to KT for work and then class. The kids were a lot today and I just wasn't feeling it in rolls and falls or BBC tonight (the rain didn't help either). I'm looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow and getting caught up on somethings. I hope everyone who is going has a wonderful time at Instrucotrs Camp and learns a lot. Have a great weekend. ~ Peyton

I think the biggest thing that being on black belt cycle has taught me is to schedule and budget my time. What is most important in the moment vs what can wait, and that getting ahead really really helps. "Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent." - Carl Sandburg. Today was very productive, I got to count some stuff for cycle from my PE conditioning today which was nice. Then, I came home and ran 3 miles and got all my requirements done today. Have a great rest of the week everyone! ~ Peyton

In Scouts whenever we are teaching someone something new we use the EDGE method; Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable. We just had color belt testing at LKN KT, so I did a lot of explaining and demonstrating today because most people are learning new curriculum. I feel like this is such a great way to give someone the basics or go into a deep explanation about something. Anyways, today was pretty good for a Monday. Unfortunately, I've got a lot of reading to do for English tonight and I still have some requirments to do. I hope everyone had a great start to the week! ~ Peyton

I haven't posted since Thursday so let me recap a little. Friday was good, I came home after school for about an hour and then got in the car to go camping with my scout troop. Every year there is an event called Klondike, where different troops compete at about 10-15 stations practicing skills like knots/lashings, fire building, teamwork/communication, first-aid, orienteering, ect all day Saturday. Friday night was not too bad but when we got up at 6:30 on Saturday morning it was pouring down rain. So we cooked breakfast and ate under rain tarps that we had to tie to trees. After about 9a.m. the rain stopped and the rest of they day was great! Most teams did really well and Saturday night they presented awards. My troop got 3rd place and congratulations to Carter Mech's team who got 1st!! This morning we packed up and came home. It was...

Lots of stuff going on tonight! I went to school and came home with about an hour of homework. I went running and started my other requirements. It was reallly nice to have a break from sparring this week (LKN KT has color belt testing)! I've been working ahead on my requirements to have a break this weekend while I go camping and thats been going ok. I also had to pack for my camping trip tonight because I have about an hour tomorrow at home before I get in the car. My dad made burgers and fries for dinner tonight that were delicious! Tomorrow is my last day of no sweets and I'm so excited!! I hope everyone has had a great week. If you are sick or injured I hope you feel better soon and get to rest over the weekend! ~ Peyton

"Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible.'" Quoted by Audrey Hepburn. A reminder that challenges can be overcome and your mindset is what matters. My day was ok, I'm going camping this weekend with my Scout troop, so I'm excited! Since Sunday I've been trying to get ahead because I won't have a lot of time to do requirements there. We leave Friday night and don't get back until Sunday morning. I hope everyone is having a good week! Keep up the great work! ~ Peyton

Today felt like a Monday, start of the school week and just drousy getting up this morning. But at least we only have 3 more days left in the week! My day was ok, nothing happened at school. I got home, started requirements and then went to scouts. I was elected into the OA (Order of the Arrow) tonight which is basically like the Honors Society of school but for scouts so yay! I got home and finished up requirments, ate dinner, and getting ready for bed now! Have a great Wednesday! ~ Peyton

Today was amazing! I slept in until about 8, did some homeowork and started requirements. Around lunch time my dad and I drove to the greenway where I ran 4 miles. The weather was so nice today and felt so good to run on flat ground becuase neighborhood is very hilly! After that I got a smoothie from Smoothie King and finished the rest of my requirements. Finished off with work today, helping the kiddos getting ready for color best testing Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. I had a great mentor session with Master Natasya, working on double stick form 2 and she even taught me some Korean vowels today! ~ Peyton

We had lots of laughs at poomsae class today. Master Marcus had us try to do punches and blocks balancing on a large excersise ball. That was quite hard but a lot of fun!! I had a great mentor session with Master Natasya after that, working on Hapkido 1 and 2. It has definitely been a couple years since doing those! I came home and started working on requirements after lunch. Then, I practice flute for a little while and some other homework. I'm so happy to have school off tomorrow but I really hope the weather improves because it is super dreary and not going to make running very fun. Have a great start to the week everyone! ~ Peyton

Happy Valentines Day everyone!! I got up to go to black belt class, stayed for work, came home to run, finished up requirements and then had a Galentines party with my friends!! That was super fun, we decorated pink sunglasses and we each brought a board of different foods. It was so much fun! Now I'm relaxing and watching the olympics with my family! Have a good rest of the weekend!! ~ Peyton

Today marks the end of week 6 in a 12 week cycle so we are officially halfway!! Pat yourself on the back and celebrate tonight because you have gotten through half of it. Also, make sure to thank your mentors, mentees, instructors, and masters. But especially your parents or who ever has driven you back and forth to class, helped you with requirements, made sure you are on track, cheered you on. Because those people are in it with you too. Also take this weekend to make sure you are on track, its a great weekend to catch up if you are behind or get ahead! Update the website, check how many classes/credits you have, mentor/mentee sessions, journals, and requirements. Have an amazing weekend everyone!! ~ Peyton

I'm so excited because I have e-learning tomorrow, and then Monday off for President's Day. And I'm actually doing nothing this weekend! Work and class Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Then Galentines with my friends on Saturday which I am so excited about!! Unfortunately I still can't have any sweets but it my last day is next Friday 2/20!! Other than that, I'm chilling out this weekend, getting ahead on running, requirements, and maybe even starting/finishing some essays!! Keep up the amazing work everyone! ~ Peyton

Another day of wonderful sunshine and 65 degrees!! School was ok, not much happened. I got home, got my run in and started doing requirements. I'm finishing up now and then going to relax with my mom for the rest of the night. I hope everyone is doing well! I know the cycle can be really overwhelming right about now, because there is a lot going on and everything will start piling up soon (if it hasn't already). Just know, you're not alone this. One of the reasons we have these journals is so that we can struggle together and be a community. Its not just everyone for themselves. Your masters and instructors have gone through this and we all know how hard this is. So if you need some encouragement or some help, never be afraid to ask. Even if this isn't your first cycle, its ok to struggle too...

I don't know about you guys but the weather was beautiful! It was so nice that my friends and I sat outside for lunch today! I went to school and took a math test, I think I did pretty well. I came home, went running in shorts (I haven't been able to do that all cycle), finished up homework, and went to Scouts. I got some Chick-fil-a on the way home and am finishing up my requirements now. Have a great Wednesday! ~ Peyton

Today was ok. The only thing that is getting me through the week is an e-learning day on Friday and no school Monday! I went to school, straight to work, then home for dinner and requirements. I got a good amount of stuff done today. I'm all finished up with leadership 2 credits so yay! I don't have much to say but keep pushing through! We are almost half way through the cycle! ~ Peyton

I hope everyone had a great weekend! Saturday I went to BBC and stayed at King Tiger until 11:30 to help out with classes. I came home for about 2 hours and ran a couple miles. Then I went back to KT from 2p.m. to 11:30a.m. the next morning for Jr. Instructors Camp! As always, a great turn out and a lot of fun. Thank you to all the masters and instructors that came out to teach sessions. And thank you to all the kiddos for coming out and not causing too much trouble! I got about 4 hours of sleep last night on the hard floor so when I went home at noon I quickly took a shower and took a nap. Jr. Instructors Camp was exhausting so I did what I could with my requirments and now I'm watching the Super Bowl with my family. Have a great start...

Thank goodness its Friday!! Fridays are always the joy of the week because it means everything is coming to an end and there's usually something to look forward to on weekends! This weekend happens to be Jr. Instructors Camp! I'm so excited to work with some kiddos and help them be better versions of themselves. Its definitely going to be a long night but its always worth it! I went to school today, came straight to work, rolls and falls class, BBC, and then finished with some dinner at Jason's Deli. I'm now doing my requirements and then hopefully getting a good nights rest because tomorrow and Sunday will be exhausting!! Have a great weekend everyone! ~ Peyton

Yesterday I didn't journal, so let me recap for a second. Yesterday was pretty good, I just had school with a 2 hour delay which was honestly really nice to sleep in and have shortened classes. I came home, went running, did some homework, and finished up requirements. My mom and I had dinner at Five Guys last night and that felt so good to eat a greasy burger and fries. I'm not sure why but it hit different last night lol. Today was alright; I had school, went running, requirements, and then sparring class. Sparring wasn't too strenuous and I enjoyed seeing everyone there tonight! Now I'm getting ready to go to bed and am definitely looking forward to Friday and Jr. Instructor's Camp this weekend!! Finish off the week strong everyone! ~ Peyton

I hope everyone is having a good week! I had e-learning today and that was fine, just ready to get back into school and a normal schedule! Theres a 2 hour delay tomorrow so that's nice. I got lots of requirements done today and enjoyed some relaxation by watching Grey's Anatomy! Just taking the week day by day and getting through it. Karen Salmansohn once said, "Strength grows in the moments when you think you can't go on but you keep going anyway." Good night! ~ Peyton

I feel like the last week has been the same schedule; school (whether it be remote or in person), BBC requirements, then work, repeat. While, I'm tired everyday and have lots to do, I'm just kind of bored of doing the same old things over and over again. Anyone else feeling this way too? I hope something changes in the next week or so because its getting kind of old. I hope everyone had a good start to the week. Keeping working ahead on requirements and essays! ~ Peyton

It felt really good to sleep in this morning! I got up and went for a walk with my family. Then we all shoveled the driveway together and had some lunch. We relaxed with a movie and then I got to work on my requirements. I'm trying to take advantage of the snow days by getting ahead on requirements when I can. Today was day 10/30 for my no sweets challenge. I think I'm doing better, I'm not craving them a lot anymore even though I would love to munch on some chocolate right now! Stay safe and warm. Keep working hard everyone! Have a great start to the week! ~ Peyton

Weeks 5-8 of BBC are going to feel like the hardest and longest weeks of your life, at least for me they do. Most of the requirements will max out, the essay deadlines will start approaching, school will get busy, life will get busy, and you will still have the same amount of time in a day to get things done. But after these four weeks, its all downhill. So...embrace the challenge, enjoy the small victories like the snow and going out with your friends, because its going to be hard but if you make it past this you will feel really proud of yourself on the other side. Have a great weekend! ~ Peyton

Happy Friday!! A little less tired than yesterday but still just physically and mentally exhausted from the week. I had 2 tests today which I think went ok, I don't have my grade back from them yet. I went straight to work, mentee session, falls and rolls class, BBC, and mentor session. My dad made some really good chili tonight for dinner and I'm finishing up the rest of my requirements now. And while I don't really like snow because its cold and makes daily activities much more complicated, I'm hoping for another remote learning day on Monday so that I can sleep in until 7! Have a great weekend everyone! Remember to keep working on your essays, getting ahead on requirements, and taking rests/breaks so you don't burn yourself out! ~ Peyton

Overall, just really tired today. I had my English presentation today which went well. I came home, went running, finished up requirements, and went to sparring. Thankfully sparring class was more drills than actual sparring so I didn't expend too much energy. My dad and I got some Chick-fil-A on the way home so that was nice. I've got a bio and English test tomorrow that I need to study for and then off to bed. Have a great Friday everyone! ~ Peyton

Title is deceiving sorry; nothing wacky today I just liked how it sounded lol! Unlike many of you, I had school today. It was nice to get back to a regular schedule but also tiring to wake up early again. At least we only have 2 days left in the week! School was ok, I have an English presentation tomorrow on Elie Wiesel, he is a really cool person if you want to look him up! I got home and went for a run, 2.81 miles, no slips today! Finished the rest of my requirements and relaxing the rest of tonight. Also, shoutout to Lucas for a really cool journal yesterday! Have a great rest of your week everyone! ~ Peyton

I had another remote day at school and got all my academics done by about 11a.m. I started working on my requirements and then decided to go for a run. Boy was I in for a treat! My neighborhood is not very big but it is quite shaded and so there was still a good part of it covered in slippery ice. I just got off of my street when I slipped, fell, and slid on the ice on my left side. I know its really bad to fall like this but I put my hand down. And then I slipped and fell again on the same side! So I am pretty bruised up; my hand, knee, and hip have ice burns/bruises and are already hurting! But I did get in 2 miles so yay I guess! I'm going back to school tomorrow and I'm kind of excited to get back...

Throughout the cycle it is so so important to take advantage of days off and building up a little extra cushion in case you miss a day or two. Since most of us have tomorrow off or remote it is prime time to get ahead on requirements and essays, especially since next week ALL requirements increase! If you're like me and dread writing essays, just know the hardest part is getting started! Getting ahead doesn't mean finishing EVERYTHING, maybe its just making an outline for an essay to build off another time, or doing an extra minute or two of something. Everything you do now, you don't have to do later! However, definitely be safe outside with black ice and I hope everyone can recover from being sick or injured soon! ~ Peyton

Yesterday, I slacked off on my requirements and didn't do very much. So today I played catch up, I did all my requirements today and made up half of them from yesterday. School is e-learning tomorrow for me so hopefully I can get completely caught up and a little ahead on the rest of my requirements. Watching some football and gymnastics on TV tonight. I'm on day 4 of no sweets and its killing me! I miss my chocolate, ice cream, cookies, and brownies already! Keep working hard everyone, you're doing great! ~ Peyton

Lately, I've just been really tired. Not really feeling myself, going through the motions and dragging myself out of bed. It was really hard to get up this morning and I have been falling asleep most of the day. I went to BBC, stayed for work, and then came home. After that I went ice skating for 2 hours, which was fun but I was barely staying awake for that. Came home, to just sit and do nothing. I haven't really done any requirements today so I'll have to make it up for the next couple days. I hope everyone is staying safe and warm. Fingers crossed that our power stays on! ~ Peyton

I hope you all had a great week and are keeping up with your requirements! Definitely charge your electronics tonight and tomorrow so you can use them if the power goes out. If we end up getting snowed/iced in, try to get ahead on those requirements and take advantage of your time! Also tomorrow morning/early afternoon would be a good time to go running since we don't know what Sunday and Monday will look like. Stay safe everyone and have a great weekend! ~ Peyton

Today I started my nutrition challenge. I generally eat pretty healthy. I drink soda like once a month, I drink a good amount of water, I eat a lot of protein, vegetables, and fruits. So I had a tough time thinking of what to do. The only thing I can really cut down on is sweets, I love my cookies, brownies, ice cream, and definitely chocolate!! So 30 days with no sweets is going to be pretty rough for me! School was alright, nothing interesting. Came home, finished up requirements, and went to sparring. I can't believe tomorrow is Friday, this week just flew by! Have a great Friday everyone! ~ Peyton

Just wanted to take a moment to celebrate everyone; you all are already half way through week 3! That's almost to 25% of the cycle! Take a moment and think about where you started, what was the hardest thing for you on day 1. Maybe you couldn't do a single pull-up and now you can do 1 or 2. Maybe it was running, it took you 15 minutes to run a mile, now you can do it in 11 minutes. Maybe you had trouble remembering poomsaes or self-defenses and now you can do them with ease. Wherever you started, look at where you are now, because I doubt there is a single one of you who hasn't improved on anything. Pat yourself on the back, be proud of how far you have come. Because without the celebrating the small victories how will you know when you have achieved the big ones. ~ Peyton

Today was alright, nothing special. Went to school, came home, finished up requirements and homework, and ate some dinner. I'm definitely happy that it is a 4 day school week but I've just been feeling tired and bleh lately. Hopefully I'll be in a better mood tomorrow. Have a great rest of the week! ~ Peyton