Showing My Boys What Courage Looks Like

And Inspiring the Next Generation of Girls to Believe They Can Do Hard Things Too

Like many parents, I wanted to give my boys something that would benefit them for the rest of their lives. I wanted them to learn discipline, respect, perseverance, and the confidence that comes from knowing how to protect themselves. That’s what led us to Jiu Jitsu.

At first, I was just the mom sitting on the sidelines, watching my boys learn and grow on the mats.

The gym owner’s wife would often invite me to attend the women’s Jiu Jitsu self-defense class they offered free to the community. Every time she asked, I politely declined. The truth was, I was intimidated. I had never participated in any combat sports, and the thought of stepping onto the mats myself felt completely outside my comfort zone.
Eventually, I decided to give it a try.
What I discovered was something I never expected.

The class was welcoming, supportive, and designed for beginners. Nobody expected perfection. Nobody cared that I had never done anything like it before. Instead, I found myself having fun. Real fun. The kind that comes from learning something new, challenging yourself, and realizing you’re capable of more than you thought.

That first class gave me the confidence to take the next step and join the adult program.
Just three months later, I signed up for my first competition.

I wasn’t trying to prove anything to anyone else. I wanted to show my son that it’s okay to try hard things. That growth happens outside your comfort zone. That courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s moving forward despite it.

A few months later, I challenged myself again and entered my first IBJJF competition.
I earned a gold medal that day, but the medal wasn’t the greatest reward.
The greatest reward was discovering what I was capable of.

Jiu Jitsu has given me confidence. It has taught me resilience. It reminds me daily that I can learn difficult things, overcome obstacles, and continue growing no matter my age or experience level. It showed me that being feminine and being strong are not opposites. In fact, they can exist beautifully together.

The truth is, it took me well into adulthood to discover my passion for Jiu Jitsu.
That’s one of the reasons I created Girly Girl Jiu Jitsu.

I wanted to build a brand that celebrates women who are both graceful and fierce, soft and strong, feminine and fearless. A brand that reminds women and girls that strength comes in many forms.

My hope is that when a young girl sees our apparel, steps onto the mats, or hears our story, she’ll think:

“If she can do hard things, maybe I can too.”
Because she can! 

And that’s the lesson I hope lasts a lifetime.