I’m going to Total Archery Challenge in Oklahoma in 2023, and here’s why….
I’ve been dealing with anxiety since I left the military. It’s been a challenge I never knew I was fighting with until I met with a VA counselor. Then, my world changed. I’ve written about it before, especially in my viral blog post HERE.
With anxiety come ups and downs, which is why it’s so important to push forward to break through those barriers that are stopping you from moving forward. And that’s why I’ve adopted the motto/slogan “Always Forward, Never Behind”.
According to Jack Stein, PhD, LCSW, a therapist in Florida, anxiety comes in 4 stages:
- Stage 1: The thought of standing in front of a group or being in a group.
- Stage 2: The inclination to escape to get away from the feeling of anxiety.
- Stage 3: Relief you feel from escaping.
- Stage 4: The realization that the relief is short-lived.
Arguably, the 4th stage is the most important. It’s the stage that keeps the never-ending anxiety circle churning. Just when you feel safe and free from the overwhelming feelings of anxiety, stage 4 sends you right back to reality, triggering your “flight-or-fight” response. This pattern continues as the temporary relief from anxiety teases the body into an addiction. The mind then starts to “fiend” for relief, and we look for excuses to escape in order to get that “relief”.
So, what does all of this have to do with me and the Total Archery Challenge? Like many other people with clinically diagnosed anxiety, I look for “relief”, which usually sees me shy away from things I would probably find enjoyment in. Especially NEW things.
I took a huge step in September 2022 and went to Bouchercon with my good friend and fellow author Eric Bishop, and we met up with Best Thriller Books member Todd Wilkinson, and I met tons of people including Kyle Mills, Mark Greaney, Don Bentley, and much more.
And it challenged me. My anxiety kicked in and I dreaded every minute leading up to the trip. Once I was on the plane out of Oklahoma City, I just told myself to get down to business and enjoy the trip. Once I landed I told myself the same thing again, and then did it again before that first handshake.
From there, I enjoyed the next 3 days, learned a ton, and don’t regret it at all.
For veterans like myself, it’s all about working to make progress, not regressing. So, my next big thing will be the Total Archery Challenge in March 2023 down in Beaver’s Bend, Oklahoma.
After that…I’m going to take a bit out of the big apple and travel to New York for ThrillerFest in May, and hopefully, go to Bouchercon again in August.
But most importantly, I’m not letting anxiety crush me. I’m crushing it.
