I lost my confidence... and found it on the mats

Hey friend,

There was a time I didn’t feel like myself anymore.

I was drained. Doubting everything. Confidence? Gone. Motivation? Zero.

I felt like I was just… existing.

For me, it all started after a rough breakup. Six years with someone, and then—poof—it was over.

And when they walked away, it felt like they took the strongest parts of me with them.

I stopped going out. Stopped talking to people.

Started thinking, “Maybe this is just who I am now.”

Suddenly, one day, I came across a post about Jiu-Jitsu.

I wasn’t looking for a martial art. I wasn’t looking to fight.

But something about it grabbed me.

• Maybe it was the discipline.

• Maybe it was the idea of rebuilding myself through something real and physical.

• Or maybe I just needed something to shake me out of the fog.

So I signed up for a class. Scared, but curious.

That first class?

• Humbled.

• Gassed out in 2 minutes.

• Got tossed around by people smaller than me.

But for the first time in months, I felt alive.

My brain finally shut up. I wasn’t thinking about the breakup. I wasn’t stuck in overthinking mode.

I was just there. Present. Struggling. Learning.

And weirdly… healing.

• Each roll helped me piece myself back together.

• Each class reminded me that I’m not broken—just rebuilding.

• Each tap was proof that I could get back up and try again.

Confidence doesn’t come from “feeling ready.” It comes from showing up—especially when you don’t feel like it.

Now, two years later?

I still train. I still get tapped. But I walk with my head a little higher. Jiu-Jitsu gave me my strength back—not just in my body, but in my spirit.

So if you’re feeling off, stuck, or like a piece of you is missing…

Try stepping on the mat.

• You don’t need to know how.

• You don’t need to be in shape.

• You just need to show up.

Because the journey isn’t easy… but man, it’s worth it.

Keep rolling forward.
—Ben at jiujitsu-news.com

P.S. Ever used Jiu-Jitsu to work through something heavy? I’d love to hear your story. Just hit reply. 👊