Double Overtime. 10 seconds left. Long rebound to the three-point line with the visiting team on the ball. Dribble Dribble Dribble. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. The left-handed layup is good! Buzzzzzz!! Home 62. Guest 64.
If They Don’t Win, It’s A Shame
We grow up snacking on peanuts and Cracker Jacks, expecting a home victory, but for any sports enthusiast we know that is not always the case. Some days you start a new set of players. Other games are prepped exactly the same as the last win. However, every day is different no matter how much repetition is included in warm up. Not every day is a win.
Have you ever been on the losing side of a competition? From betting a tequila shot on the Super Bowl, to missing your free throws in bonus, to picking rock over paper, the act of losing can change your mood for 15 minutes, an hour, or even a full day. Sometimes our losses are intangible. You could honestly just wake up on the wrong side of the bed and no amount of coffee or “yas queen” comments will lift your spirit. It is important to remember that it is okay to feel that way. Losing is not supposed to feel good. Otherwise, what would be the point in the game? The game of life. The game of basketball. The game of cribbage. When you have lost, remember to feel. Feel what it is like in someone else’s disappointed shoes. Feel the stolen joy you could have had only if you put in a little extra effort. Feel the discomfort so that you try harder and harder not to return to that place again.
A Second Half Team
Monday was a day for me. Post Super Bowl AND Monday vibes? (Dear President Biden, I’d like to declare a national holiday.) I woke up cranky, prolonged my mood by watching sad videos, and eventually complained to my friends about life until I fell asleep. Typically, in this scenario, I need to move (workout, bake, travel) to activate those happy hormones. I tried all of that. I even cranked Megan Thee Stallion for 20 miles on full blast. Nothing was going to turn my day from an L to a W. Changing your mood (at least mine), is not as easy as someone saying, “smile.” I would like to force that frown upside down and believe it or not the girl who’s teeth overflow from her lips 95% of the time does struggle to smile every now and then. We all do because not every day is a win. Sometimes it takes until the second half to reveal the talent under the uniform. However, there is a silver lining to losing.
On Tuesday, I woke up and found Drew Carey funny at 10 AM again. On Tuesday, I realized how grumpy Monday was along with someone telling me I was “colder than the weather today.” It was -5 degrees. On Tuesday, I remembered that the reward of losing is finding myself again.
Try harder. Understand your imperfections. Give yourself time to fester a win. Eventually, you will steal the ball, drain the 3, and be the hero for the home team.
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