What a whirlwind the entirety of the last week has been. Another birthday, another year older, another weekend filled with busy obligations and Jiu Jitsu events. I’ve been struggling (nay, been devastated) coming to terms with the reflection I see in the mirror lately. My face just feels different, in a way that I don’t […]
Read moreLeaping Into 2023 Fully-Assed
Samantha Schell Adaptation, BJJ, Overcoming Adversity, Perseverance, Positivity bjj, competing, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, new year, nyw, WMMA
The New Year is upon us, which to me, means a great time for leaving bad habits behind and embracing new routines. For myself personally, that means fully and wholly dedicating myself to every task that lays before me, i.e. never doing anything half-assed, but always with the entirety of all of my buttocks instead. […]
Read moreBeauty is in the Eye of the Gi Holder
Samantha Schell Adaptation, love, Perseverance, Positivity, self confidence beautiful, beauty, bjj, BJJ girls, confidence, jiujiteira, love, MMA, WMMA
I’m tired of society thinking you have to conform to one narrative to be beautiful. I have a half-shaved head, a muscular frame, gnarled fingers & toes, cauliflower ears, and am usually spotting some type of gi burn or bruising and when I tell you I have never in my life felt more beautiful than […]
Read moreBelief in Grief
Life is so damn fragile, it boggles my mind. I am so guilty of letting trivial bullshit get to me and wear me down only to be slapped in the face by a daily dose of reality every time I check the news. A beloved public figure shocking dying after privately fighting a mysterious illness, […]
Read moreTick, Tick, Tick
It’s crazy to me how these seconds turn into minutes, turn into hours, turn into days, turn into weeks, turn into months, then turn into years trickling on by. Before you know it, you blink and a decade has passed, then another. I have such a distinct memory of being in 4th grade, and it […]
Read moreI’m Not Flexible, You Just Suck at Jiu Jitsu
There is almost no greater pet peeve I have in Jiu Jitsu, than an insecure man denigrating my accomplishments due to a preconceived notion about the way my body moves. Basically, what this refers to is when a larger guy has difficulties when rolling with me, his automatic ingrained response is to blurt out something […]
Read moreSmooth Like Butter
Samantha Schell Adaptation, BJJ, Overcoming Adversity, Perseverance bjj, diet, Jiu Jitsu, MMA, nutrition, weight cut, weight loss
Wake up. Cardio. Eat. Train. Sleep. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. My schedule is like clockwork; from my training to my cleaning and chores schedule, to my meal prep. A semblance of control in a chaotic life that allows a ship to sail as smoothly as possible, creating the false illusion that nothing is out of line. […]
Read moreNobody Cares, Work Harder
Samantha Schell Adaptation, BJJ, Perseverance, Positivity bjj, fighter, Jiu Jitsu, perseverance, positivity, WMMA
It’s crazy all of the things that can happen behind the scenes whilst in preparation for a big opportunity or event in your life. In regards to an athlete, it’s often a big game or match (for me, a fight or competition). Whilst others may be a career-oriented opportunity or a networking event. I know […]
Read moreReflections
Samantha Schell Adaptation, Anxiety, mental health happiness, love, positivity, self care, self love 1
What do I see when I look in the mirror? Am I happy with the woman staring back at me? Sometimes, but in different ways than I did when I was younger, and never content because I always strive to be better and do better. See, when I was younger I was incredibly self-conscious about […]
Read more1% Better
Samantha Schell Adaptation, BJJ, Competing, Perseverance, Positivity adversity, bjj, challenges, Competition, Jiu Jitsu, overcome 4
There’s a common saying in Jiu Jitsu, that every day we strive to be 1% better. Do you know how difficult and pretty much impossible it is to be a whole ass percentage better than you were the previous day as far as continuity on that path goes? That’s because progress isn’t linear, but instead, […]
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