The first time I experienced the lightbulb moment I was still very new to sparring .
I had recently started working with Pro Boxer Stephen Ivory.
When I first started sparring with him everything moved so fast. Punches were flying at me and it felt like the world had sped up .
I couldn't process everything that was happening and I was trying to survive in there rather than actually do or achieve anything. The advice I was constantly given was "Relax Becky, just relax"
But during those moments in the ring getting punched hard in the face and body that wasn't so easy to achieve.
" Alright I get it just relax , I'm trying to relax" I'd mutter to myself not truly listening to or accepting the advice.
I've never been one to quit something hard so
I kept on getting in to the ring , day after day , week after week to be dealt my punishment.
The world would get faster and I'd try to survive. Then go home and repeat it all over again the next day.
Eventually I became tired of being so fearful and of stressing out so much before and during the sparring.
One day I climbed Into the ring and with a shrug of my shoulders and an air of giving up I said to myself
" Fine you win. I'm going to relax , I give up. Relaxing is all I have to do. What does it matter if I get hurt, I'm getting hurt anyway."
That day I chose to be different. I relaxed and the whole world slowed down. Right there in the middle of sparring Steve during the second round.
When the world became slower I started to see openings. I could see what was coming at me and make plans and most importantly I could breathe .
The gym itself got brighter and it truly seemed like a lightbulb had been turned on .
Did I spar flawlessly that round? No, but I sparred better.
My coach Billy Smith was watching it all and he knew that something had changed in me at that moment.
That Light Bulb Moment taught me to always be open to advice and to try something new however uncomfortable it might feel.
Don't quit!
Everytime you learn something new the whole world changes.