I’ve always felt that soccer is a giant metaphor for life, the adversity that we face, being an opportunity to practice for when real life was to hit.
One of my resolutions for 2015, and something that I think was one of the keys to lasting through many hard times in my soccer career was realizing that while we often can’t control what happens to us, what we can control, is how we react to it.
It’s a cliche statement but bluntly, it translates to “life, throw whatever the f you want to throw at me, because I will always win by turning everything into something positive.”
I truly believe that if we can master that, that if we can take everything that happens to us, that we don’t want to have happen to us and look back on it as the best thing that ever happened to us there is nothing to fear in life. There is nothing to be upset about, and every situation good or bad, allows for space and energy to grow immensely as people, not being held back by using energy negatively.
At some point I figured that out in my soccer career, and I was able to take many disappointments framed in that manner, and they helped motivate me to turn them into something better, as I slowly became better and better and better with every (and many) challenge that came along, whether it was losing an important game, or sitting on a bench.
Instead of being upset, or frustrated or thinking that it defined my self-worth in some way, I took it as a blessing that I’d make sure I’d look back on through my reaction after, and be happy it happened.
It’s funny that we are only 5 days into the new year, but the universe is already challenging me in this way, but I’m up for it. A whole year to turn everything into something positive. It is truly a blessing.
This is a great quote I came across today that I think sums the thought up. I am glad my good buddy Nietzche and I are on the same page (from the Philosophers Notes):
“Nietzsche was the one who did the job for me. At a certain moment in his life, the idea
came to him of what he called ‘the love of your fate.’ Whatever your fate is, whatever the hell happens, you say, ‘This is what I need.’ It may look like a wreck, but go at it as though it were an opportunity, a challenge. If you bring love to that moment—not discouragement—you will find the strength is there. Any disaster that you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege! This is when the spontaneity of your own nature will have a chance to flow.
Then, when looking back at your life, you will see that the moments which seemed to be great failures followed by wreckage were the incidents that shaped the life you have now. You’ll see that this is really true. Nothing can happen to you that is not positive. Even though it looks and feels at the moment like a negative crisis, it is not. The crisis throws you back, and when you are required to exhibit strength, it comes.”
2015 let’s do this baby. Love your fate. Go out and kill everything with those loving arms wrapped around you.
Essays on Life 
Ciara, saw a movie last night, and the main character reflects back on the many things her mom use to say, one of which was ” be your best self” this line and several others remind ed me of this blog entry that i read on the same day.
The name of the movie is Wild, i think you would like it, or at least the main characters mom.
DRS