Sabrina Gohlke, LCSW

Yes! Wise man.

Those pre-comp “nerves”? That’s your body activating resources for the demands you’re about to place on it.

It’s not a sign to stop.
It doesn’t mean you’re not ready.
And it sure as hell isn’t a prediction that you’re going to fail.

Your heart might race.
Your breathing might change.
Your perception may narrow.
You might feel restless, jittery, or like you suddenly have to p*e for the 47th time. 😂
You might ask yourself “why did I sign up for this?” Or just feel irritated and ready to argue or fight.

That’s activation. Activation is preparation.

It doesn’t necessarily mean “Something’s wrong.”

It might be saying, “Alright. We’re about to do something. Let’s fu***ng go.”

And if you ever see me at a competition running to the bathroom right before my stage or heat…
Not once, but twice, maybe thrice…

Yep. I’m activated too. 😂

Stop treating activation like a warning.
Learn how to perform with it.

How does activation show up for YOU before a comp, stage, or perceived significant life event?

Only a special type of person enjoys stage 7 at The Tactical Games NC regional & advocates on its behalf…and I’m married to him! Ian Gohlke crushing the heavy farmers carries! Love this guy.

Courage isn’t a personality trait. It’s a capacity we build.

Being yourself can feel threatening.
What if they’re disappointed?
What if they don’t understand me?
What if I fail?
What if I’m rejected?
What if I get fired?

So we shrink, people-please, overthink, wait for certainty, or stay where it’s familiar.

Courage is feeling that discomfort and staying present anyway.

You say what you mean.
Set the boundary.
Try the thing.
Let someone misunderstand you.
Choose what you actually want.

And your nervous system gets a new experience:

“I’m uncomfortable… and I’m still okay.”

That’s how courage grows.

We don’t become courageous and then start living authentically.

We practice living authentically while we’re afraid—and courage is what gets built along the way.

You don’t need to eliminate discomfort to live the life you want.

You need to develop the capacity to carry discomfort while choosing your life anyway.