What to Do When Life Throws You a Curveball

What to do when life throws you a curve ball:

Keep batting and don't give up. Learn to hit them right out into the stands and run all the bases for a home run. Hear the crowd go wild. Feel the glory inside that you didn't throw down your bat in defeat.

We are all pitched a few curve balls in life. Some can throw your whole game off if you aren't prepared to deal with them.

We only have to watch the news, read the newspaper, lose our jobs, become ill, lose a loved one, have problems in relationships, age, or experience financial setbacks to know we have just been thrown a curve ball. Just about anything can feel as if we were pitched a deuce.

It can leave us feeling frustrated, discouraged, defeated, anxious, angry and depressed.

So, "how" do we handle these unexpected curve balls?

That is the question and the answer. It is all in the "how". Even if you miss the pitch, it doesn't mean it has to throw your whole game off, or that you are out of the game. It's a temporary setback, an unexpected toss, a curve ball.

The thing is, we will experience challenges from time to time in our lives. The more curve balls we are thrown, the more practice we will have at hitting them and running those bases for a home run.

You have to know that when you hear, "Strike One, Strike Two, Strike Three, You're Out", it doesn't mean you are out of the game. It means you are only out until the next time you are up to bat.

There will be another inning, another game, another chance, and "how" you handle the curve balls is really up to you. You can lose your confidence, your spirit, your love of the game or, you can take your stance at home plate, swing like you have never swung before and know you have a chance a hitting that ball far out into the outfield or the stands.
In a sense, you're the batter, the team, and the crowd. Your attitude is what gets you onto the first, second, third or home base. You are your own team and crowd cheering you on, or booing and beating you down. Which will you choose?

If you choose to have an attitude of defeat, guess what? You will be defeated. Yet, if you have the attitude of "how" am I going to get to the first, second, third or home plate, you are opening up a whole playing field of opportunities.

Yes, you might get a little dirty, in fact, even muddy. You might strike out a few times and not get to any bases right away, but know they are there in every game and you will get to them.

You just have to pick up the bat and you will be hitting home runs again in no time at all. Perhaps it's time for a new stance, a new bat, a new team or crowd. Maybe... you missing the curve ball is really an opportunity to hit a home run on the next time up to bat.

You see, you never know when you step up to bat what kind of ball is going to be thrown your way. All you can do is practice at hitting different ones and know that one of them is going to be a home run, and that there are other innings and other games.

It's not about winning the game. It's really about "how" you handle those curve balls and whether you throw down the bat in defeat, or know that your next time up to bat could be a home run.

Which will you choose?

Remember when you Shine, the world shines brighter because of you!