Well, it has certainly been an interesting couple of months. Everything was going along as normal, and then suddenly & unexpectedly, the world was thrown into chaos by a global pandemic that shut down businesses (including my own), and forced all of us to be quarantined inside their homes and limit their contact with the outside world. For many, this caused fear and panic. Our lives were turned upside down and the only thing that was certain was more uncertainty. However, from the beginning of this crisis, I tried to look at it as an opportunity, and try to find the positive in all the chaos. Now, as we finally start to get back to training and back to our normal lives, I try to look for the lessons that we can take away from this chaotic situation. For me, the one overwhelming thing that keeps coming to my mind is gratitude.
This situation hit my business (and many others) hard. We were forced, due to a situation completely out of our control, to close our doors. I will admit, while I knew that we had a very strong core of amazing students, it was very concerning....to think of the possibility that everything I had worked hard for over the past 10 years could just be taken away due to something that I had no control over at all. I asked for the patience, understanding, and support of our students. Even in the face of the uncertainty of the situation, and with the economy of the whole country in trouble and many people out of work, the vast majority have stood by us. Of course, we lost some people. This was understandable, and expected. However, I was overwhelmed by the many people who stepped up, who sent messages of support and just checked in to see how I was doing. Some even offered to help pay other people's tuition who might not be able to afford it, and several offered to even help cover the rent/expenses of the academy! And while I did not take them up on these offers, the support and generosity did not go un-noticed! We have a very solid group of loyal students, who have done everything that they could during this time to support the academy, because they see the value in what we are creating together. It would be easy to just leave. To take this opportunity as a convenient excuse to quit. But the vast majority of our students stayed strong. This, to me speaks volumes about the quality of the people that we have on our mat, and the strength of our program. I am very grateful to have the opportunity to pursue my passion of teaching Jiu-jitsu, and it wouldn't be possible without the support of all of our students and families. And I have received many messages from our students expressing the same sentiment of gratitude for the program that we have built. I really believe that the success of our program, is build upon creating a culture of respect and loyalty, built upon a mutual feeling of gratitude! And I believe that it is because of this culture, that our academy has survived this crisis, where some others have not.
Sometimes, as the saying goes, you don't know what you've got, until it's gone. It is easy to take things for granted. This forced shutdown certainly gave me the opportunity to gain a new appreciation for what we do as a team, and the people that I am fortunate to have surrounding me and supporting it. As much as the time away gave me the opportunity to focus on spending some quality time with my family, and getting some projects done that I wouldn't have had time to do otherwise, I truly missed my mat family. I missed seeing everyone on a daily basis, training with everyone, laughing together and choking each other! There really is nothing like it and no substitute. I'm sure that many of you feel the same way. Hopefully, this has given us all the insight to refocus and rededicate ourselves to training. It is easy to fall into a pattern of complacency. "Maybe I'll just take tonight off, I can go anytime...". Well, this situation clearly shows you, things can be unexpectedly taken from you at a moments notice. It should be a reminder to all of us to live for today, because nothing is guaranteed in this life.
I appreciate the loyalty that you have shown towards me and towards our team and academy throughout this challenging time. I know it hasn't been easy to sit on the sidelines, unsure of what the future holds. Loyalty is a big and often misconstrued topic in the martial arts world. To me, it is a two way street. I have loyalty towards my teachers, my students, and my team, not because it is demanded of me. Rather, it is because I have such gratitude for what my teachers and my team have done for me, and the opportunity that my students afford me to do what I love for a living. If we operate in an environment of mutual respect and loyalty for each other based upon gratitude, we are all better off for it, and we all grow together. All of you guys are the reason that I have the privlidge to get on the mat and teach everyday. This year marks the 10th year since we opened our doors. The academy has evolved and grown tremendously during this time. Many have come and gone. But to those who have made the decision walk the path along with me, you will always have my loyalty as long as you want to be part of what we are doing together. You become the core of what our program is about. This academy is way more than just me. I can't do it alone. Each and everyone of you plays an important role, and I want you to know that I am grateful for you. We're not completely out of the woods yet. There's still a lot of work to do to get back to where we were before. And I still have bigger goals and more plans in the works beyond that, that I can't wait for all of you to be a part of. We will continue to grow the team and become stronger together everyday. I encourage you to keep doing your part, keep showing up, not just for the team, but more importantly for yourself. Realize the value of your place on the mat, and really make this YOUR team! It is amazing what we can accomplish together!! I appreciate all of you! Thank you!
