One of my newest favorite topics: curveballs. And, the timing is pretty fantastic. Let me set the scene…
Our son had a baseball game on Wednesday, and my husband got home early enough to attend. I was thankful since the girls had their respective shots that morning and were not feeling too hot. So, I went home, my husband stayed for the remainder of the game.
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Fast forward an hour…
I get a call that they are headed to the ER, but everything is fine. As it turns out, T-man stole second and went around to third. Catcher through it to the third baseman, but he missed the ball and our son got pegged in the earpiece on the batter’s helmet which in turn smacked his eye. The policy says he had to get checked for a concussion and cleared before his next game.
A literal curveball. Ha!
He’s fine, but it made for a super late night. Therefore, my husband took Thursday off of work, we all slept in, and my daughter was able to take her daddy to donuts with dads at school. It worked out for us in the end. Definitely through us for a loop, but silver linings and all that.
Life throws these curveballs, literal and otherwise, constantly. The only difference from person to person is how you respond to those setbacks, obstacles, or challenges. Honestly, some days you may be more capable of responding well than other days. If I had been at that game, I probably would have caused more panic in our son than my husband because holy crap, he got hit in the face with a freaking baseball. I’m grateful it was him there to support T-dizzle and not me.
How do I handle curveballs thrown at me? Here are a few ways:
Breathe
Some of my friends can attest to the fact that I repeat this statement over and over. For good reason. It works. If you find yourself in a stressful situation, facing adversity anticipated or not, or simply come up against a new struggle (physical or mental), take a second. Shoot, take a day or two if you need that time. But, step back from it and breathe. Focus your energy on something other than what your brain keeps shouting at you, and see what kind of clarity or help you receive. All too often, we get so wrapped up in a moment that we forget about the bigger picture. Once we have that perspective, dealing with whatever hurdle we’re up against becomes easier.
Troubleshoot
I mean that in the least technical way possible. Haha Blame my day job, but the analogy works. The same way you would work your way through a computer or technological issue, you can submit a problem to your brain. The wiring is similar if not a bit more complicated. Do you need to unplug and reset? Do you just need a restart or reboot? Maybe there’s a virus or a bug to be worked out. Whatever the case may be, it’s likely that you can solve your curveball with a little troubleshooting.
Grace, Always Grace
As I mentioned, some days you’ll be better prepared to tackle troubles with positivity than others. And I’m here to remind you that that is A-Okay. Also, having a support system (even if it’s just one person you can go to to help you gain a different outlook on situations) will be SO invaluable. Not only someone to bounce ideas off of, but someone who will tell you how far you have come, what a great job you’re doing, and to give you a boost from time to time. We all need reassurance now and again. There is no shame in that. You can provide the same for that person or people in return. Chances are if you need a reminder, so do they.
What do you do when life throws curveballs at you? Does your system look similar to mine or do you have a completely different set of steps? Whatever the case, I want you to know that we all stumble and you are not alone. Keep doing you.
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