I've been training and teaching for 25 years. While I've only once ever taken an extended period from from the dojo (after moving ) I know for many people its a major hurdle. Unless you've moved and are trying to locate a school teaching the same system, it really comes down to typically one thing... lack of commitment... and I don't mean that to appear derisive. Not everyone can or will have the desire or ability to make that commitment. However, its like the same commitment you make when you get married... Its supposed to be for life, you need to put time into to make it work, you need to make sacrificial decisions when it comes to it. Do not however confused this with an "all or nothing" commitment where you train 7 days a week and do nothing but eat, sleep, karate...however you first need to determine your level of commitment... I want to make this a part of my life for ever... I want to make it a signficant part of my life for a period of time until I reach a goal... etc.. Then if you need to take time off due to a job or other life altering events... you will need to re-examine what you investment is. If you've spend several years devoted to it and have build a solid enough foundation, you can be safe to cut back a little in times of stress.. but BE SPECIFIC... I'm cutting back to twice a week until.... But make your new committed days specific...as well as your duration. I'm cuting back to Tuesdays and Fridays until December... If your guidelines are nebulous and non-specific, you'll find it too easy to fall away... where two days a week is "negotiated" until you've missed the entire week... and the "end of the year" suddenly gets pushed back, since most your EOY work flows to the first quarter and then the next thing you know its September and you still haven't returned to a regular schedule and you feel like you're spinning your wheels. Get someone to hold you accountable (other than your instructor) to return. Good Luck
