The month started with a return from the Sunshine State to get back to training for my now third Jiu-Jitsu tournament while under the weather. I prepared to the best of my ability and was ready to test myself, hoping my opponent would bring their best to see what the outcome would be. Needless to say, he brought the heat and got me where I knew someone would, so I had to tap shortly after the match began.
After some time to think, I realized that competing is a great experience. It allows us to visit parts of the country with the team, have fun, and test ourselves. However, we can get so caught up in the sport instead of the martial art that it clouds our minds into thinking that the wins, the medals, and time in the spotlight are what matter. I think it’s safe to say that while those are nice to have, they are not that important. What matters most is the time you spend on the mats with your team, building each other up and, more importantly, realizing that you are becoming a better version of yourself—both physically and mentally. If you can beat the version of yourself from the beginning, then you are reaping the real benefits of the art. Reaching your fullest potential, whatever that looks like.
After the competition, I went up to a special place in my life, a few days in the Adirondack Mountains, in an attempt to clear my mind and recharge for the change that is coming along with the months ahead. A sense of the unknown caused me to feel scared because life got comfortable, and it is known that comfort is a silent enemy. Comfort allows for advanced planning to take place, but as the match reminds us, everyone has a plan til they get caught in a chokehold. No matter how much you plan, one thing can throw it off. So relax, do what you can, control what you can control.
Ending the trip with a stop at Gettysburg and seeing those white marble headstones and memorial statues brought me back to reality. That my problems are not problems at all; they're privileges. This life, this journey, is one I’m grateful to have and to live in a country where it’s possible, because those seven thousand resting souls in the rolling hills of turf gave us that chance.
“Adversity is a privilege.” - UFC Featherweight Champion, Alexander Volkanovski.
Peyton.
