My Passion with Rachel Staniforth: Double burglary led me to life-changing experience of taekwondo

Taekwondo has changed my life. After I got burgled, I lost my self-confidence and was a nervous wreck. So I signed up to learn self-defence skills and get my life back on track.

It all started when my partner and I moved into a new house late last year. We were really excited about our first home together, but one day I came home from work and the window had been smashed in. It was just after Christmas and they took all the presents. It was a real shock.

We tried to get on with things as best we could, then a few weeks later it happened again, but this time they kicked the door in.

Although it was lucky we weren't in the house at the time, it was obvious that we were being watched, and that really frightened me. My confidence dropped a lot straight away.

I have a nervous disposition anyway, so I was very anxious and had a number of panic attacks, which led to me having to have a few weeks away from work.

My partner's stepfather suggested I try taekwondo to learn some self-defence skills.

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. It is one of the world's most popular martial arts, which has resulted in the development of the art into several areas.

As with many other martial arts, it combines combat techniques, self-defence, sport, exercise, meditation, and philosophy. Taekwondo is also used by the South Korean military as part of its training and Gyeorugi, a type of sparring, has been an Olympic event since the millennium.

I went along to a session at St Thomas Moore at Parson's Cross, Sheffield, not really knowing what to expect. I instantly fell in love with it. The difference after just one session was amazing, I'd even managed to defend myself against a 40-year-old man – it was bizarre.

I felt so much more confident straight away and my family all mentioned how different I was. I've never looked back and have been going to weekly sessions ever since.

I'm passionate about taekwondo and put a lot of effort in, even earning a trophy on the way. I won it because I jumped from a yellow belt to a green belt, which meant I skipped one level in between.

Sparring is my favourite part of taekwondo, although I sprained my ankle doing that the other day.

Taekwondo is all about respect and a lot of children go, so you have to respect the fact that they are smaller and don't have as much strength.

I'd really love to run my own club one day, so I've taken instructor training and am working hard to achieve my black belt.

Although we gave the house up because I didn't want to live there anymore, I feel like a different person. You don't need strength to learn this sort of martial art so I would recommend it to anybody.

My colleagues at Forde Recruitment call me taekwondo Tina.