Lessons of Jiu Jitsu

My favorite days of the week are any that include Jiu Jitsu! Two years ago I started training in the art of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and it has changed the way I think and has shaped the new me.
It is a game of strategy, humility, agility, athleticism, and patience. There is much more though. When you put all of those things together and you add perseverance to the mix, you develop a lot of character and you grow as an individual. I have learned a lot about myself through Jiu Jitsu. I now know that I am a fighter in every sense of the word. I don't like to lose (who does?), but what I've taken from losing is that I have the humility to digest the lesson, grow from it and get back in there and do it again. I competed in a tournament last year where there was only one woman in my division, so they mixed us with the men. My coach, Todd Smith, wanted to leave but I insisted that we came to fight and that's what I wanted to do. I lost a few of my fights that day (but I also drew a few), watched my only legit. opponent get her shoulder dislocated (men don't like to lose to women), and came home feeling like a I got hit by a truck. I took a lot from that day though and I have something inside of me that I hadn't had the opportunity to tune into before. I don't give up, I have lots of fight in me, I can defend myself pretty well against a much stronger opponent, and I know that I still have a lot to learn. The other thing is that I probably should have listened to my coach - he knows what's best for me because he has a depth of knowledge and experience that has been developed over 14 years. I am very lucky to have him in my corner. I was well prepared and had all of the right things in place to come away from that tournament with a Gold, but the conditions weren't what we anticipated. You can adapt, but you can't really control the outcome.
I think the biggest life lesson I've got from Jiu Jitsu is that I can only control how I react to a situation. Life is full of surprises and unexpected bumps, but instead of trying to control those external forces, I have learned to react appropriately and that feels powerful because I am getting better and better at handling things that come at me. I have developed more respect for the people around me because I listen more, rather than trying to control what they do. My connections with the people I love are deeper and have more meaning.
If you haven't tried Jiu Jitsu, I highly recommend it. I believe it's for everyone. It's a powerful form of self-defense and has the power to transform you.
Todd runs the Jiu Jitsu program at my club and we even have a Women's Only Brazilian Jiu Jitsu class on Tuesday nights at 8pm.
Totally Legitsu!!