Rashadoesyoga

I tried to think about something original as to what keeps bringing me back to the mat. But the truth is, and reflecting back on the past few years, doing Jiujitsu makes me truly happy. And I believe how we feel internally and the level of contentment that we approach life with has a great deal to do with building good habits, keeping us consistent, and making us realize the agency that we play in contributing to our own happiness by actively reflecting on where we are and seeking ways to become more fulfilled in life—on and off the mat.

I always try to approach things with a deeper philosophy by asking myself, how will doing something contribute to the entirety of who I am, where I am right now, where I’d like to get to, and what obstacles and fears will it help me overcome?

Ultimately, Jiujitsu Jiujitsu didn’t make me happy because it’s some sort of a magical pill that fixed everything. In fact, it is a slow, frustrating process of getting frustrated and annoyed at myself for still having the same mental anxieties that I had before training.

But it allowed me to see that a great deal of our unhappiness lies in our own hands, and that at the end of the day, it’s up to us to take agency—or to let go of—whatever isn’t working.

It made me happier by allowing me new ways to cope with my anxieties by working with myself, instead of fighting myself, and failing to see all my progress in the process.

What mental blocks does Jiujitsu bring in you? 🧠🥋

📷:

My latest piece on Elephant Journal about defying labeling, othering, and stereotypes. May it be of benefit:

"Beyond my skin color and cheeky eyes that gave some clues to parts of my identity, it did not matter that I was someone’s daughter, friend, or, maybe even, girlfriend. All that mattered was how people saw me based on their own projection of what I could be."

The Pain we Inflict when we Confine People to Labels & Stereotypes. | elephant journal I was seen as the “Asian,” which was often associated with labels like