Lately, I’ve been pondering the significant areas of life that have shaped my experiences and how each of these influences intersect with one another; common threads and how they weave together. For example, what do Faith, Sports, business/self-improvement, and improving personal relationships all have in common? I found this to be thought provoking. I concluded, this would be an area to explore and delve into as my next series. How could this topic improve your life and your thinking?
My thoughts went to, do we compartmentalize our lives or do those significant areas crossover and intersect with the other areas? Let me explain.
As I’ve shared previously, I’m a Christian. I love learning. I’m a reader. I love audible books and podcasts. And for the past 40 years I’ve studied the Bible, business ideas with personal development, sports psychology, and relationship enhancing books. It’s what I’m drawn to. I have tried to read fiction and found myself drawn to historical fiction because I wanted to learn something. I believe this is in my DNA. I am not only inspired by new ideas, but I also love to share these ideas—especially when they have had a profound impact on me! We are a combination of influences. I am going to pull the lessons from each of the areas and share the common thread.
Would you consider yourself a lifelong learner who is open to expanding your thinking? If so, I believe this series will have a life altering effect on you and how you think about your life.
This series for the woman who has played or is currently playing a sport or loves being a spectator of sports, the woman that has business desires and loves business principles, the woman that has a Christian faith and wants every area of her life to reflect that, the woman that realizes life is ultimately about relationships and the that the better our relationships, the better our life. I am so ready to delve into this idea! We are going to discuss each of these areas, I’m going to share my take, ask you to consider my thoughts, and journal your own thoughts. Let’s expand our thinking, we have multiple interests and experiences and if we take the time we can conclude how they have made us who we are and bringing forward the benefits of these experiences we can continue to build our better future and understand ourselves better. Expanding our thinking and contributing with our lives is what I believe God has designed for.
Sports
I’m going to start with sports! I’m not sure what your personal thoughts are, but I hope to sell you on the significance of sports and how they can better our lives.
I came to love sports at an early age. I hope as you hear my stories, it brings up some of your own that you can relate to.
My love of sports probably points back to my mom. She was a diehard Dallas Cowboy football fan. How about you? Did you have a sports enthusiast in your life? I remember as I was growing up, so many Sunday afternoons, my sisters, brother, and my mom and I watching football. Like my mom used to say, “We have to watch America’s team!” From these early experiences, my siblings and I became very educated on football rules, strategies, and players. I had no idea how much this would influence my love for sports to this day. My sisters went on to find other pro-teams to follow, but not me, I still root for the Cowboys. I can feel the anti-Cowboy sentiments now. That’s ok, I still root for America’s team. Just kidding!
I also began to play sports at an early age. I started with basketball. My mom played girls rules basketball when she was growing up in Oklahoma. Six-man rules—where you only played offense or defense and you didn’t cross the half court line. They didn’t think women could run the full court. Women’s sports have come along way! My mom taught my sisters and me how to play. I went on to play not only basketball in high school, but volleyball, and became a high jumper and shot putter in track. My current sport is tennis and I play pretty regularly! Sports have been an integral part of my life since I was a kid. How about you, what has your exposure to sports been?
I love sports and I’ve learned profound lessons not only from playing sports, but the books I’ve read, coaches I’ve learned from, and even some valuable lessons learned from coaching. I also watch a lot of sports. I’ve always been intrigued with what makes a player excellent. Why do certain teams gel and go on to win championships and others get close and fall short. I picked up tennis at 40 and continue to take lessons, play the game and continue to read sports psychology books.
What about you? What are your thoughts on sports? These days pickleball seems to be the craze. Have you picked it up? Personally, I love most sports for so many reasons. When someone says she don’t understand the rules, etc., I can relate. There are many sports for which I don’t know the rules. But from my experience, it’s just like anything else, it’s a matter of being curious enough to learn the rules to understand the game. It’s really that simple. I have never regretted understanding a sport and the life lessons that sport can teach us. As women, we often underestimate our ability to understand the value of sports.
My adult children were all involved in sports as they were growing up. I have to say the mental growth sports gave my children has had an impact on who they are and their career success! It wasn’t all about winning. They experienced many setbacks and I feel those experiences have been invaluable.
I hope I have piqued your interest! I’m hoping to bring a different take about sports and give you an appreciation, or add to your appreciation, of sports that you may not have considered before.
Benefits of Sports
Here are 10 benefits of playing, or at the least understanding, sports:
Physical Fitness: Getting into sports is like giving your body a power-up—it amps up your heart health, strength, and agility, keeping you in awesome physical shape while having fun.
Teamwork and Cooperation: Team sports foster collaboration, communication, and the ability to work effectively with others towards a common goal.
Discipline and Time Management: Engaging in sports requires commitment and complying with schedules, which in life helps develop discipline and time management skills.
Social Skills: Sports provide opportunities for social interaction, building friendships, developing social skills, and offer a sense of belonging.
Leadership Skills: Team sports often offer leadership roles, allowing individuals to develop leadership qualities such as decision-making, motivation, and responsibility.
Stress Relief: Physical activity in sports can serve as an incredible stress-reliever.
Goal Setting: Setting and achieving goals is a major key in sports, developing a sense of purpose and motivation.
Healthy Lifestyle Habits: participating in sports encourages a healthier lifestyle, including good nutrition and rest.
Resilience: Dealing with wins and losses in sports helps develops resilience, coping mechanisms, and the ability to bounce back from setbacks.
Focus and Concentration: Concentration is crucial in sports, and this ability to stay focused translates to improved productivity and performance in other areas of our life.
I hope to expand your thinking about sports by sharing some of the advantages of being involved in sports! Sports aren’t just about scoring points; they’re like a personal growth playground. From keeping your body in check to boosting your brainpower and social skills, the lessons you pick up on the field or court spill over into school, work, and our personal journey. It’s like your own little training ground for a well-rounded you.
My second pitch is the benefit of watching and understanding sports is more than just being a spectator. It’s like tuning in to a crash course in life. It’s about decoding strategies, witnessing resilience in action, and recognizing the intricate dance of teamwork. Beyond the game, you’re absorbing lessons in adaptability, the art of focus, and the sweet taste of victory, and the bitter pill of defeat. Observing sports isn’t just about watching plays unfold; it’s like peeling back the layers of life’s playbook, learning about strategy, and appreciating the unpredictable beauty of the game.
Obviously, I’m a sports nut! This is an introduction to this new series. As we continue, I’ll be addressing Christianity, sports, business/personal development, improving our personal relationships and how these areas all weave together.
Monette hosts a weekly podcast: Mornings with Monette. She has been a lifelong learner and and appreciates the opportunity to share what she has learned–both through her podcast and here at The Best-Life Project (based on the content of her weekly podcast). Her messages are raw, honest and straight from the heart. She lives in Albuquerque, NM with her husband Leland. They have three adult children and are enjoying living their best lives filled with travel and adventure.