Slow, Steady Improvement

It never occurred to me that tennis lessons could actually improve my game...at my advanced stage of living. I thought I was doing the best I could by willingly taking to the hot courts several times a week and flailing away at the ball. It's not like I was sitting at home in my rocker watching Jeopardy! (Not that this is a problem if others do rock and watch!)

I had grown content to win a game or two off of Pete per set and tamp down my natural inclination to compete for a win. I thought this was me being mature. But it turns out, I was wrong.

What I missed, by a lot, was this amazing concept called tennis fundamentals. After a few weeks of feedback, tips, drills and regular practice - my game has improved. My backhand is solid, my forehand is actually worse, and my serve is more inconsistent. This is progress.

It means, I am told, that I am trying new techniques that will eventually pay dividends. I can already see the truth of this; although my serve is less consistent, when it does land in the right box it has some spin on it and I can even exert some control over placement.

Tennis is no big deal but the capacity for humility - assuming there are answers out there and someone can help me - is huge. I am applying this to other areas of my life too. It turns out, in virtually any area of my life, there is someone else out in this wild world of ours who can coach, mentor and guide me. People like to help!

And I love it. I love it so much. It brings me joy to lean into learning and change.

What areas of your life have you given up on changing? Not so fast? Maybe you, like me, just need a little help from your friends! Who can you reach out to?

Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.

Psalms 25:4 NIV

Stop Sleepwalking!

For a month’s worth of posts, I (Scott) am critiquing my own past blog posts. I’m viewing this as an experiment in being willing to admit when I’m wrong, change my mind, and to do so publicly.

How do we stop trying to regain control in such destructive ways?

I am, obviously, not an expert.  I can only pass on some things I've been taught but haven't yet learned.  

We cannot sleepwalk through life and expect to see any progress in our relationship to unconscious living.  Diligent attentiveness paves the path forward.  Attentiveness to what?

We'll start with triggers.  This has, unfortunately, become a politicized word.  Some seem to find pleasure in boasting about how strong they are with the implication being they do not experience triggers.  

We all experiences triggers.  When your reaction to a circumstance, or something someone says to you, or some such thing far exceeds what is rational for that specific circumstance at that specific moment in time then you have experienced a trigger.  

Looking back: 2021 Scott TAKES DOWN 2017 Scott

I have nothing negative to say about myself here. It’s true- we cannot sleepwalk through life. It’s important to know our desires. It’s important that we know what kind of life we want to live. It’s important to know what kind of life we can realistically live- and create. It’s important to accept the limits we may have in pursuing the life we want to live. And it’s important that we stretch ourselves to grow and continuously add new things to our lives so that, no matter what life throws at us, we have things that help life feel as if it’s worth living.