Do the hard things 😿

Yesterday I got my third stripe on my white belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

I was so happy to have my hard work recognised, and also to have the chance to join the intermediate class today.

The reason I love BJJ is mainly because of the life lessons in it.

It’s about showing up *consistently*.

Even when you keep losing.

Even when you’re tired.

Even when you have a legitimate excuse.

Because excuses won’t get you a stripe.

I rejoined Roger Gracie Academy and they asked how many stripes I had. I said “only two”, but I really wanted to follow it up with “that’s because I never stay in one place longer than a few months, and I do Muay Thai too, and I haven’t trained in two months, and I’ve had lots on in London since I arrived”… but I didn’t.

I knew there was no way to get another stripe without just showing up and proving my ability and my work ethic.

I’ve done 17 of the fundamentals classes in 3.5 weeks under an instructor that I’ve never met before.

Yesterday, at the end of the class, he called me forward and put another stripe on my belt and told me I can join the intermediate class when I would like.

So I was straight in this morning.

Bottom of the pecking order. Standing at the back of the room with the blue, purple, brown and black belts all filling up the room in front of me.

And that’s another thing about Jiu-Jitsu. You have to earn your way to the top, through nothing but hard work and consistency.

There are so many rich and famous people that do BJJ but they put on a blank white belt and stand at the back.

Nobody cares if you’re a movie star. You have to earn respect through being vulnerable and open to learning. You have to get beaten up many, many times but still show up.

The reward is so worth it.

That feeling of doing something you are terrified of (the intermediate class) and realising that you are more than capable, is called pushing outside your comfort zone.

It’s something I’ve lived by for years.

Travelling alone, physical training, being vulnerable online.

Not something you do when you want an easy life.

But I’ve realised recently that an easy life is not a fulfilling life.

It’s one of the reasons I moved to London.

I thrive on challenges and that feeling of being my best self.

I hope I can motivate you to do the same.

It might not be jiu jitsu (would recommend!) but it might be training a little harder, sacrificing something for the greater good in the long run, or going on a solo trip.

You don’t want to do it, but you’ll be glad you did.

Thanks for reading,

Siobhan “Chasing the blue belt” O’Hagan