Six Feet Under

Way back in 2008, I fell in love.  I fell head over heels too.  I did everything for her.  I did my best to impress her.  I did my best to find common ground.  If it wasn't there, I broke new ground.
She was very tall.  She wasn't a giant, just taller than normal.  We were about the same height.  Both six feet or under.  Let's say 5'10" each.  I thought she was beautiful.  We both had mustangs, I even went out and test drove a 2000 Cobra and almost bought it.  I made sure the test drive included dinner and a movie for two with her!
It was pretty intense.  I made sure to impress her with my jiu jitsu lessons I learned.  I had just started training back then.  Little did I know that it would be what it is today.  In fact, this story builds all the way up to present day, right now.  In fact, built up to January 5th, 2013.
It is such a small world.  Would I ever have known that my life was about to fall apart again and set me up for success.  When your world comes crashing down on top of you.  Stop going forward.  Step back, re-evaluate, change your course, and move on.
When life knocks you down ...
Do a Burpee.
I had so many plans.  I wanted to do this ... and that.  I was stuck in the middle of a hurricane.  Leave it to me to go to Florida during a hurricane.  Talk about having your rainy days.
So, I drove all the way down to Florida.  I missed this girl, I missed her bad.  I barely even knew her, but I wanted to be with her.  I was talking to her every night.  She was a night owl, that's for sure.  Everything was perfect ... until Problem number 1.  She is going into the Air Force.
Talk about separation anxiety.
I tried to totally change my life.  I was tired of killing myself.  I couldn't burn the candle at both ends of the stick.  I was burnt out!  I wanted a girlfriend, I wanted a better job schedule.  I wanted to train jiu jitsu.
I had to change things when I got back from Delaware.  I just didn't know how.  How would I have the time to train and have a girlfriend?
My girlfriend got me to dance for the very first time.  We were talking and she said she loved to breakdance.  I said, "oh, I do that too!"  I googled breakdancing that night and started learning to bust a move.  She taught me how to really dance.  Her favorite song was Apple bottom Jeans by Flo Rida.  There is a little bit of irony to his name.  I mean he is from Florida after all ... This was one of the changes in my life.
I learned about bboying.  That's what "breakdancing" is really all about.  I love it and I kept it a part of my life.
I came back ... and ironically on Labor Day ... the place I had been slaving away at and laboring 40 hours per week ... went out of business.  It was pretty obvious the last night of operation, the shelves were un-stocked and barren.
When dinner started that night, there was not a steak in the building.  Why was this so peculiar?  This was a steak house!!
Haha ... well my life had just been freed up a lot!  My evenings were replaced with jiu jitsu.  My late nights were replaced with quality time with my new girlfriend.  My afternoons became the time to sleep.  Zzz ... what?  Wake up ... This isn't a dream come true, this is a nightmare!
Soon, she left for basic training.  I was all alone.  I re-enrolled in college that semester.  I wanted to be an engineer.  I build stuff and make money right?  I think electrical engineering was the best bet for me.
So, I was working a part time job at UPS and going to school full time and training in jiu jitsu.  This was probably the best part of my life.  Unfortunately, in spite of losing my job, according the FAFSA, I made too much money to qualify for financial aid.
Back to the drawing board.  I went into debt that semester.  Now, I have to get out of debt.  I got another job at the Milford Applebees.  I hated this job.  I swore up and down that I would never work in a restaurant again.
I kept training jiu jitsu though.  My girlfriend and I had separated.  Her deployment to Okinawa put a damper on our relationship.  I felt like I had failed, you know.  I was back six fee under, not in school, no girlfriend.  My life totally sucked.
Let's fast forward to the present.
Brazilian Jiu jitsu the biggest part of my life since 2008.  I couldn't even afford to train.  My instructor said, just come.  Just train, don't even pay me.  Just train.  He really impacted my life.  I faced a lot of financial hardship, scary situations, and pretty stressful life changing events.
No matter what happened, I kept at it.  I didn't deserve to.  This one guy saw potential in me, and he supported me.  Before I knew it, I had earned my keep.
Over 4 years later, Chris and I have become amazing friends.  We went our separate ways a few years ago.  We always stayed in touch, but rarely see one another.
We were catching up, I was telling him about my fitness business and how successful it had become.  Then today, he text me.  Asking me to come train him in his final preparations for a jiu jitsu tournament new month.
I am hugely honored to be at that level.  A level where one of my mentors asked me to be his training partner.  I am actually on my way to his jiu jitsu school.  We are about to train.  I know that we are both going to push one another to the next level.
I foresee a gold medal in his future.  Who would have thought that in helping me, he would later on help himself.  We are all connected.  Everybody impacts the lives of others.  I love it.
Train Hard!  I know we sure will be today.