Stethoscopes and Armbars: Faixa Azul

It was once said “Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles, and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful”.

Like the quote says, life is all about progress. One day we can’t walk or talk and the next thing you know you’re graduating college, running a marathon, or in my case you find yourself in medical school and training in BJJ. We as a whole tend to live our lives just waiting for what’s ahead – we think “life will be better once I hit residency, or have that great job, or get a blue belt” when what we really miss is that life is about the journey, not the destination. Each day is a little victory. I am becoming a doctor, but it’s a very slow journey and it’s all about steady progress. But it’s not the end result that has to be enjoyed otherwise I’m simply wishing 4 years of my life away– it has to be the progress that’s appreciated each and every day!

The same thing holds true for BJJ (or really any sport). Winning medals is absolutely wonderful, but there’s so much to be learned at tournaments that a medal doesn’t show. The tournament is just the end result of months of training hard, eating healthy, and putting 100% of your soul into preparing. But it’s that time spent in the academy that really shows your character, not just how you perform on competition day. Earning your next belt is an even more amazing feeling, but there’s always another belt in the distance. We can’t be so focused on the future that we fail to live in the present.

I was recently given the incredible honor of being promoted to a Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu BLUE BELT. And that belt is affirmation from my coach that all of my hard work, dedication, blood, sweat, tears, and lots and lots of bruises have meant progress. I am day by day taking small steps to become better, stronger, more skilled, and more self-confident and the blue belt is a symbol of that. I walked through the doors of the academy on my first day and had no idea what to expect. Today I can say that jiu jitsu has helped teach me the importance of appreciating the small victories and living fully in the moment.

I have come to love BJJ and my Ribeiro family and appreciate what it has done for my life – it's what I look forward to after a long day of studying; it’s a way to keep active; it’s a way to challenge my mind; it’s a supportive family who believes in me even when I don’t; it’s teammates who help you progress every day; it’s being part of a sisterhood; and it’s a way for me to gain confidence in myself. My journey has only just begun, but I’m already leaps and bounds ahead of where I was on that first day. And I am so incredibly excited for what the future brings.

Thank you to everyone who believes in me, helps me, and was patient enough to help a new white belt find her place and eventually make her way to blue. I know I’m incredibly lucky to have what I truly believe are the greatest coach and teammates who have pushed me to be my best and who have encouraged me when I was frustrated or upset. I’m also really blessed to have such a supportive family and friends who push me to train when I’m exhausted and never let me give up.