Shifting My Grip

In some of my echoes, I’ve referenced things like “shifting my grip” or “the mat.” Those words didn’t just come out of thin air. They’re drawn from my journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

I’ll be honest: it wasn’t easy at the start. I remember sitting in the parking lot before class, giving myself a pep talk just to walk through the door. Part of me wondered if I belonged there at all, if I could handle the pressure of being pushed physically and mentally in a room full of people who seemed more capable, more confident.

But something happened over time.

The mat became more than just a place to train. It became a mirror. Every roll revealed the tension I carried, the fears I avoided, and the small victories I didn’t give myself credit for. I learned that sometimes progress isn’t about winning , it’s about surviving one more round, shifting your grip, finding your breath, and trying again.

Now, I find myself looking forward to the next session. Not because it’s easy, but because it’s honest. Jiu-Jitsu strips away the noise and leaves you face to face with yourself. And for me, that’s been one of the most healing parts of the journey.

I can’t say enough good things about it. BJJ has given me a new language to describe the battles I still fight internally, and in turn, it’s given me new ways to write about them.

The echoes I carry haven’t disappeared, but the mat has taught me something vital: you don’t always have to silence them. Sometimes, you just have to shift your grip and keep moving.

What about you? Where’s the “mat” in your life, the place that strips away the noise and leaves you face to face with yourself?

"Sometimes the smallest adjustment makes the biggest difference. Shift your grip. Shift your perspective. Progress is built one detail at a time."