Curve Balls of Life

In this postseason of the ALCS and sweep by KC Royals, it seems only natural to talk baseball lingo.  Baseball calls it a curve ball for a reason:  you just don’t know where some pitches will land.  Life inevitably throws us curve balls, unexpected circumstances that remind us to expect the unexpected. How do you react when life throws you a curve ball?  Do you tense up?  Do you go with your original plan, regardless?  Or do you adjust to the curveball life sends you? Next time, try doing the following:

1.  Relax – in baseball, the secret to hitting the ball is to relax.  It’s the same in life.  If we go through life worried, nervous or fearful of when the next curve ball is going to be pitched, we won’t fully enjoy life.  Relax and seize the moment!

2.  Pick up the spin on the ball – A good hitter gives careful attention to the balls coming out of the pitcher’s hand.  If you are truly focused, you can pick-up the spin on the baseball and notice that it’s a curve ball.  With some practice, you can anticipate the direction of the curve, and then be ready for it.  In life, if we pay careful attention to the smallest details in our life, we open our minds up for bigger things.  Be mindful of changes and to the change in direction in order to address the ball being pitched.

3.  Slow down – The mechanics of a batter’s swing is all in the timing.  You need to be able to judge the ball’s speed, otherwise you’ll never hit it out of the park.  To hit a curve ball, you need to slow down, stay balanced and keep your eye on the ball.  Take a deep breath, slow down, evaluate and investigate before making a decision of taking a swing.  Don’t let yourself react blindly to the curve ball. 

4.  Swing through the ball – In baseball lingo this means striding forward and watching the ball hit the bat.  Oftentimes batters open up their stance when thrown a curve ball and pull their head out of the hitting zone.  If you do this, you will be lucky to hit the ball.  In life, sometimes we need to move forward with the confidence that we are moving in the right direction.

Curve balls can be thrown at us at any time in our lives – sudden loss of loved one, loss of job, loss of health, loss of finances – just relax and react to the curve ball by keeping your eye on it and not allowing it to pull you out of the strike zone.  Whether you hit it out of the park or a base hit – you still got a hit.  Then it’s on to the next pitch in the next inning of the game of life.