From the Mat, to the Ring, to the Real World: Lessons From Life in and Beyond Sport

If you told me five years ago that I’d go from competing internationally in taekwondo, to standing in the middle of a boxing ring, to learning how to just be... a normal person, I probably would’ve laughed. Not because I didn’t believe in change, but because sport was everything. It was my anchor, my identity, my calendar, and my compass. And leaving it twice, has been one of the hardest, most humbling, and ultimately empowering experiences of my life.

Changing Disciplines Taekwondo to Boxing

I made the transition from taekwondo to boxing chasing a new challenge. I wanted growth, discomfort, and something to reignite that spark. But the shift was more than just learning how to throw a jab. I had to unlearn habits I’d trained into my muscle memory over years, accept being a beginner again, and build trust in my body and instincts in a totally different way.

What I learned:

• Beginners mindset is powerful: You grow when you’re willing to be bad at something first.

• Comparison is poison: I had to stop comparing myself to who I was in taekwondo. Boxing was a different sport, a different journey, and required a different version of me.

• You can carry discipline with you: The routines, resilience, and structure I built in taekwondo helped me learn faster and push harder in boxing.

Walking Away From Boxing to Balance

Eventually, boxing started to feel like a fight outside the ring as much as in it. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. I was exhausted. I’d lost some of the joy and connection I once felt with sport. And for the first time, I started to question: “What if I’m allowed to just be?”

That transition, from elite athlete to ordinary human, has been the most confronting of all. There’s no cheering crowd, no fight day adrenaline, no rigid schedule. There’s just... me. Trying to figure out what’s next. Who I am without the gloves. What success looks like now.

What I’m learning (still):

• Your worth isn’t tied to performance: This one’s tough. But it’s true. Being “enough” isn’t about wins, rankings, or medals.

• Rest is not weakness: Rest is a skill. And it's one I never trained for. Learning to slow down, sit still, and breathe is its own kind of strength.

• There’s power in redefinition: I’m not “just” an ex-athlete. I’m someone with leadership, grit, and vision, now applying those qualities in new arenas.

Closing Thoughts

Sport gave me incredible opportunities, lifelong friendships, and a sense of self that carried me through some of the most intense years of my life. But stepping away has taught me just as much, if not more.

I’ve learned to reframe identity, embrace uncertainty, and build a life that’s full of new wins: connection, curiosity, and a future I get to create on my own terms.

To anyone else navigating life after sport: you’re not alone. You’re not lost. You’re just in a different kind of training camp, one where the goal isn’t gold, but growth.