One of the greatest challenges I have had in my life has been quieting my mind. I wouldn't say that I am a naturally anxious person, but it's difficult to stay focused on one task at a time. Jiu-Jitsu has been one tool that I have used along with others to help quiet the mind. In fact, it is still one of the best ways to quiet the mind that I have found so far.

Jiu-Jitsu forces you to live in the present

When you're on the mat, there are no distractions and nothing else matters except what's happening right now. All other thoughts disappear and all that's left is the fight. There's no time for worrying about tomorrow or what happened yesterday. All that exists is now, and you have to deal with it.

Your mind is constantly occupied, but not overwhelmed

Your mind is constantly occupied, but not overwhelmed. You are thinking about what you need to do next, how you will execute this technique, how you can get out of this position and so on. Your mind is active but not distracted.

This is what makes jiu-jitsu so relaxing and meditative: the fact that you are focusing on something specific and concrete means that your thoughts are not wandering all over the place. You don't have time for that when you're sparring or drilling techniques. You must be present in these moments because it's only in these moments that you truly learn anything worthwhile in jiu-jitsu.

Jiu jitsu can also give you perspective on problems you might be having in your daily life

It's hard to have the same perspective when you are dealing with something that is happening right now. When you are dealing with a problem, it feels very real, and it seems like the only thing that matters. But when you step away from it and try to look at it from another angle, it can help you see where you could improve your situation.

When I was in college, I had a really hard time making friends or even talking to people. This was especially difficult because I lived in a dorm where everyone lived on their own floor and didn't interact much outside of class time. So I decided to start going to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes at night after my last class ended at 9pm (the school didn't offer any other activities).

I ended up making friends with some of the guys who were training there and we would go out together afterwards for food or drinks. They were all great guys and helped me become more comfortable socializing with other people.

Practicing patience

The biggest thing I've learned is that patience is key. Jiu-Jitsu is an art and a science, and it takes time to learn. No matter how hard you work at it, there are always going to be areas where you're weaker than others and need to focus more time on improving them.

The more time you spend training, the better you'll become. But even then, there will always be things that you need to work on improving. So don't get discouraged if you find yourself getting beat up by someone who has been training for less time than you have!

The Importance of Breathing

Breath is the most important part of Jiu Jitsu. It is the key to survival and the key to success. In Jiu Jitsu, you are constantly put in situations that can kill you if you don't breathe correctly.

Breathing is something we do without thinking about it. However, there are many times when we hold our breath or take shallow breaths without even realizing it! This is especially true during stressful situations where your body is trying to conserve oxygen for other purposes such as running away from a predator or fighting for your life because you've been attacked by someone bigger than you.

Breath training is one of the most important things that you can do in Jiu Jitsu. Not only does it help keep your body calm and relaxed but it also helps improve your performance by increasing blood flow to the muscles that need it most and eliminating waste products that build up when we hold our breath too long or take shallow breaths during exercise.

Jiu-Jitsu is truly a great way to quiet the mind. When you are grappling with someone, or being thrown to the floor with no control, you can't keep up with all the thoughts running through your head. It's impossible. The focus required to 'work' in BJJ takes over, and in my experience, can be much deeper than just the physical exertion. You may occasionally experience adrenaline rushes and get that endorphin high, but those moments when you make a breakthrough on the mat will leave you with a sense of peace unlike anything else.