Dear Me from June 2010,
I have such exciting news. We stuck with Jiu Jitsu. For THREE AND A HALF YEARS and going strong. I’m so proud of you, because you kept at it and you kept trying. I want to show you some of the things you can now do, and they’re amazing. I know that right now moving your body is hard. It doesn’t do what you want it to, but keep trying. You get lean and you get STRONG. Look at this:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Antk5wmSifE]
HOLY CRAP! YOU STOOD ON ONE HAND!! FREAKING AWESOME! Not only that, but MOVEMENT becomes so much easier. Look what you did today:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFCemUt1EYc]
FANTASTIC! Look how easy that looked! Not only that, but your jiu jitsu DOES improve! Your coach chose you twice to teach a beginner class. He wouldn’t do that if you were really the worst. Remember that – slow progress is still progress, and you’re progressing at your own pace.
Your body is an amazing gift, and I’m so thankful that you bravely chose to step on the mats that day. I cherish movement and strength, which I know seems alien to you – but you’ll come to cherish it, too.
Don’t give up – just keep going, and keep trying. You do amazing things – in fact, I’m crying right now as I write this because I’m so grateful to how positively jiu jitsu impacted you – it’s truly a gift and a wonder.
Jiu Jiu
Jiu Jiu’s Question: What would now-you say to then-you? Then-you being the absolute beginner in what it is you’re doing – jiu jitsu, running, biking, skee-ball, etc. What encouragement would you give then-you? What would you show them or tell them to show how far you’ve come? New Years is often a time of negative reflection – what is WRONG and how you can FIX it. For just a moment, focus on how far you’ve come and please share.
Dear Me-from-1984,
Don’t eat onions before class. It’s true that you can brush your teeth and freshen your breath, but it’s not the air that comes out of your mouth so much as the other end. Oh, and you’re going to be doing this martial arts thing for a while, so there’s no need to rush. Take it easy.
Dear me-from-2011,
Thanks for taking a chance on that old body and signing a three year contract. I am sure I would have given up on one of those go-home-crying-in-the-car-I-am-useless-at-anything-physical-and-no-one-loves-me days if I hadn’t made the commitment.
And Dear me-from-1993 (my first tai chi class in a rec center near London UK that took me to japanese jujitsu, taekwondo, aikido and eventually to bjj in the USA)
You don’t know what you’re letting yourself in for!!
Dear me-from-2008, you will eventually care about getting a blue belt, and be even more excited to get your purple belt. No, it will not stop hurting, in fact, some things are going to hurt worse than the broken foot. But you will grow to love laying in bed and counting the sore spots. Your crazy husband may have gotten you into this, but he will need your help to make his dreams come true, which they will. Before long your dream vacation will be to spend a week doing BJJ not relaxing on some beach.
[…] recently had a great post about what you would tell your past self when first starting out in jiu jitsu. I thought I would write mine down here: feel free to comment […]