Paintball Forums - Keeping the Flame Going

It happens to almost everyone. You might wake up on that Sunday morning, get in your car and realize half way there and think, "I don't want to do this anymore, I'll never make anything of this, this will never take me anywhere." You might pull off the road or keep driving as your mind plays a game of tennis wondering, do I want to play paintball anymore?

Many tournament players feel this. An anxiety of whether you want to get out there and fight or stay home and sleep. If you quit you might end up coming back, you can't get the same feel, the adrenalin rush you get when that clock hits zero and the buzzer rings, starting the game. Maybe you can't leave because of the friends you've made, the fights you've won, you already have too much invested to just quit. You spend your free time thinking is this what I want to do?

You lose your will to play. You're burnt out! You need a break. Maybe you're the tournament player who practices alone on the weekdays, practices as a team on the weekends, and spends the rest of his time flying across the country to compete. Maybe you're the kid who enjoys stalking in the woods waiting for the enemy to walk down the path and you unsuspectingly ambush them getting each one eliminated and they're standing there saying, "Oh my god! What just happened?" It always helps to take a break.

The Cause:
The main cause of burn out is stress. There many ways of relieving stress such as:
Yoga
Meditation
Tai Chi
Conscious Breathing Routine
and other forms of relaxation

The other thing that can cause burn out is you're tired of the repetition. The way to cure this is change your daily routine. If you wake up, shower, eat the same meal, go to work, eat lunch at the same place, come home, eat dinner, and then go to sleep; it gets tiring. Adding some spontaneity
will help keep life interesting.

The Cure:
If you're burned out you should try picking up a new hobby. Sometimes all you need is a small break. You could go to your local rec. center and sign up for a sports league. I got burnt out from playing every week. Getting yelled at by my coaches, fighting with teammates in the pit when we're down points. Arguing with my parents about if I can afford the sport or about grades. I found a quick cure. I talked to my coaches and teammates and told them that if I continued like this, I might have to quit and I needed a little break. After our final tournament of the season, I joined the winter basketball league. After that I came back to the team and practiced and earned my spot back on our top line in time for the first event of the season. For some people all it takes is to move to rec ball forever or just until they feel all of the stress has been lifted. Playing pump is a great way to hone your skills and have a challenge in rec ball. Most tourny players find that when they play a recreational game, it's too easy. Another way you can keep a tie with paintball while taking a break is to make a custom project gun. Intimidators and autocockers are good ones because there are many options to choose from for a reasonable price.

Daily Stress Reduction Tips

Note: As mentioned earlier, there will naturally be times when these tips are not used, but try to gradually incorporate them into your life where possible.

Add something beautiful to your life on a daily basis (e.g., flowers).
Do some enjoyable activities whenever possible.
Walk, work, and eat at a relaxed pace.
Take a short break after meals to relax.
If possible, go outside at least once per day and notice the simple things such as the weather, scenery, etc.
During the day, whenever you remember, notice and tension in your body (jaw, neck, diaphram, shoulders, etc.). Breath deeply and gently stretch and relax any tense areas.
If you notice your mind racing or worrying about the past or future, take a minute to breath deeply and gently focus on something in the moment such as your breath, scenery, birds.
Take breaks during the workday to relax.
Wear comfortable and loose clothing when possible. Take off your shoes when you can.
Avoid holding in feelings day after day, but instead, find a safe place to feel, express and embrace them.

Please be gentle with yourself. Some people find themselves falling back into excessively stressful habits from time to time. That is perfectly normal. Simply notice that change in a non-judgemental way and move back to the stress reduction practices and tips that promote a healthy way of life.