Stay Loose, Be Confident

Today was the first time in a very long time that I really panicked. Actually, it made me think about all of college, and I couldn't think of a single time that I was so stressed out about something. And it's pretty ridiculous because I'm in probably the best situation I could be in, and my problem might fix itself by tomorrow. I have great friends, great support, great options for the future. But for some reason I almost broke down. I started thinking, I don't know what to do, I don't who to listen to, I don't know if 'following my heart' is enough. How much money is going to be enough? How will I handle living on my own? What's the best career path? What do I really want to do?

And then it just came back to two things my high school football coaches told me. First, "Stay loose, and adjust." - Coach Cooper.
 I hear it all the time in my head. We had new coaches, a completely new defense that kept changing every day. Coaches were telling us different things, everyone's confused, team's falling apart. And those four words, for whatever reason, focused me. I had a new mentality for the rest of the season, and really, for the rest of my life. I still think of those words today and live by it, no matter how simple/silly it sounds.
Second, "You're locking their one all day. Just do what you do."- Coach Arneson.
When I was a sophomore, the speed of varsity was too much for me. Everything was a blur. During a camp the next summer, Arneson told me, not only was I going to start, but I would be guarding the best receiver. But the way he said it, the way he gave it to me, he gave me so much confidence. I went out and played really well. It's a really weird thing, but everything slowed down. Dramatically, almost movie-like. I was no longer struggling to keep up, I was in total control. I wish that everyone could feel what I felt that day at least once in their life.

Back to today. I realized, I need to just be confident in what I know I can do. Slow things down, roll with the punches. I've been picked for a reason, I'm in a good situation, I just need to work hard and good things will follow.

"That's a champion. Because if I was on the outside looking in, that's somebody who ain't afraid to work. And anybody who ain't afraid to work, greatness will chase them, most of the time they don't have to chase it." - Ray Lewis