Exercise and Gracie Jiu Jitsu for mental health and continued sobriety

I’m 44 years old. Almost 45. I started my path to sobriety in 2016 without exercise on my side. Honestly in 2016 I didn’t have the confidence to get started. I tried a few times but my body was just too heavy and I often quit before I even found any benefits. Fast forward to 2022 when I discovered my calling is to be the strongest me that I can be. I needed to put time and effort into longevity and pursuing physical achievements that I had never dreamed of. 2022 found me in my first half marathon as well as a life long dream of mine: starting Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Today, I know that I am in no danger or relapse because of the incredible feeling I get when embracing the new physical me. I remember the hangovers. I remember the soft and tired body. I remember the depression. I also remember the faux feelings of being 6 foot tall and bullet proof. I remember the cockiness of the liquid courage and I remember all of the bottles that I hid behind because I lacked confidence and ability. No more. Today I am in better shape than when I was 20 years old and fresh out of boot camp. I started with a mile. Then I graduated to just committing to 20 minutes of cardio. Little by little I grew and now I’m a runner. At the same time, I committed to slowly learning the most effective self defense system in the world. 2 to 3 classes a week, learning to be patient and calm while on the bottom has rewritten any trauma I had ever experienced. I’m new here and just want to encourage you guys to move your body and start working. Start with a silly dance party with a toddler. Start with a walk around the block. Just please start. We all decided to pursue longevity when getting sober. This is me taking it to the next level.

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