4: Preparation

First of all, let me apologize for the lack of blogging yesterday. Like I said before, I want to do this consistently, but I know there will be a few days where I may have to skip on a blog due to other things. Currently battling the flu is no fun, but I am a TON better when compared to yesterday. I have to be as I prepare for the coming weeks.

​Preparation varies for person to person, at least it does in my opinion. To know me personally, you would know that when I set my mind to preparing for either a big weekend or a big trip for wrestling in general, I crack down on my diets, training, and workouts so I am as physically and mentally prepared as I can possibly be. Others may prepare differently, I would know, because I used to have an overall different way of preparing for things as well,

​See, when I was young, I was the biggest worry-wart on the planet. I would worry so much that sometimes, I wouldn't even know what I was worried about. My outlet at that time for stress, or for mental preparation, would be food. Food and video games, which obviously was a recipe for an unhealthy disaster. But in my head, these things would mentally relax me and be the things that would help me prepare for anything I had coming up. It wasn't until much later in my life that I would discover other outlets for my stress and other ways that I could set my mind at ease while preparing for certain things.

​For instance, this coming weekend I will be traveling to Arkansas for a very important match against Ring of Honor star, Delirious. A few reasons that this match is so important to me are: Delirious has been somebody that I have studied for a very long time, he is somebody that can help me improve my own craft, and I want to prove to him that I am much more than who I was when we met a few years ago.

​A few years ago, I made a trip (the first of five) to Pennsylvania for a tryout at Ring of Honor in their own dojo, where Delirious is head trainer. Over the course of these trips, I would be told how much my improvement showed, and that I was a standout. These trips even got the attention of the trainers enough to put me on a few of the Ring of Honor televised events. As great as those times were, and as proud I am of myself I am for making that happen, I still never got that contract. Probably, in part, due to my lack of preparation.

​The irony here, is that literally 6 days shy of one of the most important matches of my career, I am here bedridden writing this blog while I am getting over the flu. Obviously I am going to be just fine in time for Saturday, but my preparation has not been what I would have liked because I fell ill. In the past, I would be fine just laying around and doing nothing. Now, however, it feels like an absolute living hell just laying around and not being able to go to the gym or do other things to make myself mentally stable for the big show. Although, this blog and my newfound passion for networking is taking my mind off of things, so I guess there is a little bit of preparation in the small things we take for granted.

​Usually, I would say that I am as prepared as I could possibly be, and that I am always ready for the coming challenges that this weekend, or any weekend, may throw my way. However, I'd be lying if I said any of those things. I'm slowly shifting my mindset from the old "worrywart" I used to be into a confident mindset that is accepting of any challenge. And as I've said before, I enjoy the road rather than the end goal, and this current road has had all kinds of twists and turns that I have had to endure. I feel like it is only fitting that such an important weekend would throw me a curveball, and would challenge me mentally all the same. And honestly, I could either take the easy route and dwell on the negatives of the timing, or see this as an opportunity to seek a new way to mentally prepare for the challenges ahead, and not look at the negatives in such a negative way. After all, negatives are only negative if we allow them to be. In a correct light, it is something we can learn and grow from, and I feel like this week has been one of growth for me so far.

​All in all, I think preparation is mostly something you can do in your head. Making a mental decision to prepare yourself for the future is going to be that key first step, and then your own personal way to prepare your body and mind is ultimately up to you. As I've said, negativity is only negative when you allow it to be, and it is what will stop that mindset of preparedness only if you allow it to.

​And with that, I guess you could say that mentally I am as prepared as I have ever been. Accepting curveballs in your own story is part of the game, and they are to be expected when we would least expect them. With my 2018 wrestling career starting with a spot of the flu, it tells me that I have to learn to adapt and grow constantly, and be ready for challenges at any time.

​How do you prepare? Cope with stress? Let me know.

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Thank you for reading, more to come very soon.



-BB