New Beginnings

At some point in your life, you made the decision to start something new. Whether it was a job, a relationship or a hobby, it took a great amount of courage to venture into uncharted territory. After all, the familiar is comfortable and safe, however the familiar doesn’t allow enough room for us to grow.

According to science, new experiences make us smarter. Any time you learn something different, you’re expanding your mental capacity by creating brand new connections between your neurons, reshaping, fine-tuning and rejuvenating the brain.

Starting anything new is exciting but there is also a level of risk and anxiety associated with it. Sometimes, in order for something new to begin, something old must end. That realization may cause grief and a longing for what is ending. Those feelings are natural, however if we remain attached to the past, it will be difficult to embrace the future.

Just imagine how different your life would be if you had never made the decision to sign up for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes? Think about all the friends you would not have made, the grappling skills you would not have learned, the confidence and strength you would not have developed. It is very likely you would not even be reading this magazine right now if you had not, one day, decided to become a Jiujiteira.

In moments like this we need inspiration. In this issue, we bring you High Rollerz, a cannabis friendly BJJ promotion created by “Mighty Matt” and “Big Lonn.”. In this tournament, competitors are required to smoke cannabis with their opponents before the match. Not everyone was thrilled about the cannabis infused approach and High Rollerz encountered a fair amount of criticism. Yet, they persevered, and a couple of years into it, HR is still going strong and growing exponentially in support and popularity (page 20).

Next up: Gabi Garcia and her announcement to retire from gi competitions during World, the largest IBJJF event of the year. The multi World Champion has a bright future ahead, which includes ADCC and a promising movie career in Hollywood (page 12).

Maybe you never imagined that trying a new sport like Jiu-Jitsu would change your life. But it did, in amazing ways. This one decision triggered a series of changes that crafted the person you are today: healthier, more confident, stronger, smarter and happier.

Traditionally, the beginning of a new year is an excellent time to start something new. So make it a personal goal to begin at least one new thing this year. Trust the magic of new beginnings! Your whole life can change for the better when you take a chance.

– Evelyn Sutton