How the challenges of life AND sports can be two in the same.

Holy smokes...this 8 week (already!) journey of being a new mom has been an absolute wild one. The best thing I can relate this process to is like the first time you played the game of softball. You weren't good at it AT ALL, but you loved it so much you stuck with it and strove to become as great as you could at it.

That (to me) is MOTHERHOOD.

I'm FAR from great at it, but knowing this tough season is going to make me stronger will make it absolutely worth it in the end. #teamnosleep

I'm learning by the hour, and being thrown challenges from left field, but THANK GOODNESS I had sports to teach me things that have helped prepare me for this journey like:

- Persistence: Not being able to get my baby down the first eight times but trying a new technique and FINALLY getting him down the ninth time -- feels like a win!

- Teamwork: My husband and I sometimes feel like we're BARELY above water, but because we're going through this hard season together has truly made our marriage stronger -- whether we know it or not yet. -- Shoutout to those amazingly supportive husbands doing their dang best to make us all happy -- hormones and all!

- Patience: If the plan doesn't work this time, knowing it will in the future is enough to keep me going!

- Discipline: KEEP THOSE BOTTLES AND MY BABY CLEAN! -- I don't WANT to clean bottles 3x a day or change diapers every 2 hours but I HAVE TO to make sure my baby stays healthy...so I do it.  

This grind has been a BATTLE, but thankfully softball has taught me that this hard season WILL have a reward as long as I keep chipping away at the little things, enjoying the small things like smiles and coos, and really just LIVING IN THE MOMENT!

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Mantras that I'm currently LIVING by are:

- "You were made to do hard things."

- "Everything is figure-out-able." -- thanks Marie Forleo!

- "...the hard is what makes it GREAT."

- "You have everything you need to succeed already inside you."

- "Practice makes (almost) perfection."

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If you're going through a hard season right now, all I can say is, you are NOT alone. One of the best things keeping me going is knowing there are MILLIONS of mama's out there who have gone through this season, too. So, no matter what your challenge is now, whether it's playing time, struggling at the plate, or on a 10 game losing streak, just know you can do this...'cause SO MANY have before you gave been in the EXACT same shoes as you and are even stronger now because of it!

I'm not sure where I'd be if I didn't have softball to teach me these life-long lessons, but I'm sooooooo thankful I have. 

Check out my latest episode of When the Cleats Come Off where I dive into this crazy season of life here>>>

You can do this!