My most frequently visited social media platforms are currently oversaturated with Gypsy-Rose Blanchard content, the young woman who had been controlled by her mother for years with fake illnesses and then conspired with her boyfriend to have her murdered. After serving 8 years in prison, she has now been released. It’s easy to see why […]
Read moreNot Good Enough
Why is it that sometimes we always feel that nothing we do in life will ever be good enough, and we always have these unattainable standards to hold ourselves to? It seems that we can accomplish so much in life, but unless we are always reaching that #1 spot, or best of the best, it […]
Read moreVerify Me, Zuck
I’m sorry, (well, not actually sorry, but I know this is about to hurt some feelings), but if you pay to have a verified blue check mark on instagram, people are definitely going to reserve some judgment. By people, I am definitely including myself in that sentiment. Sure, who am I to proclaim how absolutely […]
Read moreKiss My Muscle-Toned Ass
Y’all, it’s truly crazy the eras and phases my mind, body, and spirit have gone through over the past 3 decades, and the future arcs I will enter going forward. In early adolescence, it was all about lack of self-assuredness and shame over my body. The last of my friends to flourish and bullied by […]
Read moreBeauty is in the Eye of the Gi Holder
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 moreThere is No One Alive Who is Youer Than You
A sea of sameness all around, and it’s the uniqueness in our constitutions that differentiates us all and sets us apart from the next. The things that distinguished me from a crowd when I was young and insecure and filled me with embarrassment and shame when all I wanted more than anything was to blend […]
Read moreGetting Back on the Horse
So you didn’t have the best last experience when it came to competition, right? Maybe you suffered a devastating loss after months of hard work and preparation, or suffered a freak or catastrophic injury, or even were the victim of illegitimate reffing and a bad call (gee, wonder what that can be in reference to)? […]
Read moreLet Them Eat (Cinna)Cake
You know, the older I get, the more I realize I could give two shit’s about what others think of the way I live my life. I have the people in my life that I care about and that matter to me and everyone else can have whatever opinions of me that they would like […]
Read moreShould I Compete?
I could probably make a list of the top frequently asked questions asked in grappling pages and groups on social media, and the one in the title would be in the top 10, and probably crack the top 5 if I am being perfectly honest. It makes sense; many people are unsure of themselves when […]
Read moreWhat’s Wrong With Being Confident?
Always a tough line I’d struggled with finding the right balance between for a long time. I wanted to have faith in my demeanor and abilities but suffered with the fear that it would come across as arrogance and cockiness. How can I exude an air of being strong and confident in myself without portraying […]
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