What happened in Vegas?

This is an additional topic for our blogs! It falls more in the personal story category of what has contributed to the foundational core of why Stacked Intent came to be and who Becca is as you look at some very pivotal moments for me over the last five years. I know that if I didn’t begin jiu jitsu August 13, 2019, the path would have been very different, and my life would look different. The unexpected can be challenging to deal with as we have mountains and valleys in life. Though as you read this part of my life, I hope you can see the thread of how I was able to keep my mindset positive, most of the time. There were definitely times in all of this that I got really angry or had a really hard time, but I have found ways to find the positive mindset. Throughout this I have always been able to practice gratitude, positive self-talk (thought at times I am my worst critic), set goals, embrace the areas where I might have made mistakes, be able to stay optimistic, and be able to challenge negative thoughts.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019, marked a pivotal day that changed the course of my hobbies and lifestyle. It brought me unforgettable moments as I signed my annual work contract and discovered that I had been overpaid for 2.5 years, resulting in a sudden drop in income and a need to repay this back quickly. This prompted me to make decisions about my future path. Simultaneously, I was preparing to meet my older brother for a trip to Las Vegas to attend a jiu-jitsu tournament. We enjoyed watching the tournament together and he competed, but I briefly left to take maternity photos in a lavender field with a friend. Upon reuniting with my brother, we indulged in ordering from multiple Uber Eats deliveries simultaneously, creating a memorable experience. The following day, we stopped by 10th Planet Las Vegas for an open mat session before flying back home. This visit sparked my interest in martial arts, realizing it could be a rewarding hobby outside of work for achieving a work-life balance. Inspired by my brother's decade-long martial arts experience, I decided to pursue this physical outlet for personal growth. This sparked a phone call to my brother to find a place to train near me.

From the beginning my brother joined me a couple of times a week to train together—which helped to develop our adult sibling relationship. This has been amazing to watch what that has looked like over the past five years. Initially, I trained at one gym, but later transitioned to 10th Planet Perry, an all no-gi gym, as I discovered my passion for training and my love for learning on the mats. During this time, being single and focused solely on work, I dedicated numerous hours each week to training. I attended 21 classes before entering my first submission-only tournament, which ignited a newfound thirst for knowledge in me. The beauty of being on a jiu-jitsu mat lies in the ability to shut out the distractions of the outside world and immerse oneself fully in the present moment. For me, it's parallel to swimming, providing a form of exercise that promotes relaxation and balance in life.

The journey I've been on has brought unexpected blessings. Initially, my job wasn't on track to align with my master’s program completion, which got delayed by a semester. During this period, a job opportunity emerged as I began applying for career positions, June/July 2016. In April 2019, I purchased a house, only to discover I had been overpaid in June 2019, putting me in an area for full access to jiu-jitsu. Interestingly, I found the head instructor of my second gym at my first gym. This led to quality time spent with my brother both on and off the jiu-jitsu mat. Making new friends from all over the country while training and meeting my husband, who was a friend of my brother's before we became a couple were highlights. Hosting weekly gatherings at my house during the only season the Professional Grappling Federation (PGF) that was aired as a weekly drop on Friday nights created a space for group activities and growth. These experiences led me to a fulfilling relationship after eight years of being single, where I found someone who cherished me for who I am, from my messy hair to my authentic self. Jiu jitsu was a cornerstone to our relationship and one of our ways for quality time together, which I cannot wait for weekly time on the mats together at our fifth gym together. Why is this so important in our relationship? Because at our wedding, which we fully did our way, we had a “first roll” to have our jiu jitsu as part of the day. This was included to make it so special for how jiu jitsu has become an inaugural aspect of my life. Since this time jiu jitsu has brought so much into my life from friends to travel. Jiu Jitsu opened the door for self-defense through the Women’s Self Defense Network which gave me the ability to create a unique connection between self-defense and intentionally knowing yourself through a one-day seminar. 

The providence of my trip to Vegas brought a lot of joyous moments into my life, but I truly believe a lot of this started with the moment I found I was overpaid. Because I took it in a stride. Was it hard? Absolutely. I had to restructure my spending plan and pay off the debt I had charged to my credit card during the move with a payoff plan, but that was gone overnight. I already followed my spending plan well, but this period in time really helped me master the waffle technique [read here] of creating really strong categories and not spending outside of those times. The other piece of jiu jitsu has been to find ways to share about my Crohn’s, which is living with an invisible disease that affects day to day life and I had to learn how to communicate this aspect of my life without it becoming a hindrance.  When I started Jiu Jitsu, I would have already been diagnosed for seven years and struggled with what this could look like. Five years later, I have made some major improvements in my health and jiu jitsu has helped me along the way to continue to learn from the side lines when I have had a flare. If you want more on my Crohn’s journey head over to the blog talking all about this invisible disease.

Developing self-care has been a crucial aspect of my journey. Writing this blog serves as a reminder that how we treat ourselves significantly influences our life's outcomes. Always keep in mind that unexpected events could alter the course of life, sometimes in small moments that carry profound significance.