03/28/2026
I don’t typically put personal pictures up here. We’re a watch company. That being said I’ve built personal relationships with so many people on this platform that I try to use it to spread things I found helpful. Random stuff that sometimes we miss adulting, like get your colonoscopy done!
Started jujitsu nearly two years ago, striving to not be a do as I say not as I do parent, with both of our kids participating in the sport. I found myself getting in classes where I was able to, mainly prior to the sun coming up or in the evening after bedtime. What stated as showing my girls we as a family do the hard things (kind of a family motto), turned into an outlet.
After leaving special operations or the military in general I found myself in a strange spot for the first time in over 20 years of consistently working out…and I really didn’t care to. Kind of just lost interest. Just going through the motions due to training being a habit, but I no longer had the motivation. I wasn’t preparing for a war anymore. Most certainly wouldn’t be back in a gunfight, so why train as hard?
When we leave the military/leo/fire you name it even things like professional sports, we loose some of our identity. At least it feels this way. We loose a circle of friends that are still in the machine doing what they need to do as they’re in the arena still. As I’ve heard from many people since starting jujitsu and noticed it myself, it’s one of the few cultures that everyone on the mat wants to see you improve. Make no mistake, everyone’s competitive and wants to choke you out, but they want to see you become a better version of yourself. Rising tide lifts all boats idea.
Holistically, it seems like the closest I’ve found to a tribe we can get. Without being pushed you find yourself eating healthier, hitting the gym just a little harder. During a hard time mentally about a year ago (we all have them), aside from my wife the only people that noticed ended up being training partners between rolls. That community becomes tight and bonds over hardship. I guess what I’m trying to convey is that if you find yourself lacking connection give jujitsu a try.