What I Learned from the Tampa Bay Rays and the ALCS

I’m not a huge baseball fan, but I am a big sports/competition fan. So no matter what sport it is, when playoff time comes I become an instant fan of that sport. I was fortunate enough to attend game 3 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in Tampa Bay where the Tampa Bay Rays were visited by the Boston Red Sox. It was a great game to watch. I actually left early and finished watching the game at home since it went into extra innings. The Rays won that game.

What Got Me Thinking
Fast forward to game 7 of the ALCS. I was invited again. This was actually last night. The game was amazing. Before last night I had never been in a stadium (Tropicana Field is where the Rays play) that loud. It was so loud my ears were ringing. Simply amazing. After the Rays won I was thinking to myself…these guys are determined and full of support.

Then on the drive home I started thinking about how the Tampa Bay Rays had persevered throughout the entire season and especially in the ALCS. They were up, then down, then up, then down, and then pulled through to win. It doesn’t get any better than that.

What I Learned
By now you must be thinking to yourself, “Okay bub, what’s the point and what did you learn?” Well, I learned that in life you will be challenged. Sometimes you get challenged by small things you can overcome easily. But there are those times when you get challenged by something bigger than you, forcing you to dig down deep to try and overcome it. You may fail, as the Rays did in games 5 and 6, but if you believe in yourself and do the things you need to do, you will overcome.

How It Applies to My Weight Loss
I can apply that to my weight loss journey. I have had my ups and downs, but I always manage to get myself back on track. It helps to have a “team” behind you. By team I mean a support mechanism. That “team” can be teammates (like the Rays) or it can be family and friends, or a blog with readers, or a notebook to write in. Or maybe even imaginary friends… Anything, so long as it supports you goals.

The Journey Is Always Worth It…
I’m a realist and understand that sometimes you just can’t overcome things, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. You never know what can happen…right? Even if you don’t overcome that “thing,” isn’t the journey worth it? I think so. I have learned a lot about myself, both mentally and physically, during this iteration of my weight loss journey. I always knew how to workout, but never really knew how my body reacted to specific things. I always knew that I was mentally tough in some areas and not some, but now after writing about my weight loss for over a year, I can zero in on what the exact areas are that I need improvement in.

Even if the Rays hadn’t made it to the World Series, they would still have been a strong team for going through what they have so far. The same goes for the Boston Red Sox. Although they lost, they are a way better team for having made it this far, plus they lost to something greater than them, not something weaker. That will help them become better.

While I have not yet reached my ultimate eight loss goal, I can honestly say that I am a better person because of this blog. So, it has been 100% worth it.