Why we should honor the good, the bad, and most especially the ugly

I think it’s about time I step out of my comfort zone and share some of the real things I’ve experienced as an athlete and beyond. Who knows where this journey will pull me, but we all know it’s when we get out of that comfort zone where we learn more about ourselves than we ever thought imaginable.

So, here goes nothing…

Okay, here’s the deal. I’ve always encouraged my players to write down the good, the bad, and the ugly that happens to them in softball. It sounds silly, but hear me out. I have them write things like: their favorite softball memory of all time, those tiny details of their routine that allows them to be their own, unique self, maybe that terrible strike-out to end a REALLY important game which left them feel defeated or even that cue that “clicked” in their brain which brought out the best swing they’ve ever felt in their life.

I truly believe writing things down helps our brain work through problems and bring out new thoughts in the process. When one of my players feels something “click” during a lesson, I have them stop what they’re doing and write down everything they just felt (in a journal or on their phone) immediately. Why? So they remember it! The last thing we want to do is forget that amazing feeling when something truly WORKED. (You know that feeling where your eyes get huge and you’re like…woah. How the heck did I just do that?!…THAT ONE!) It’s one of the best feelings sports gives us, so why would we ever want to forget it!? As athletes, we want to learn from our mistakes and recover from them quickly, and looking back at these entries can remind us how far we’ve come not only as an athlete, but most importantly a person. I whole-heartedly believe journaling helps us understand ourselves better as athletes and human beings, so I’m encouraging you try try it, and tell me how it goes! I wanna hear what you think! Comment below or DM me on Twitter or Instagram!

I’m pretty sure this journaling concept that I PREACH to my lessons is the reason why I was pulled to start blogging, so let’s see where it takes us…Shall we?!

“Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.”