Summing up the 1st Q and looking on to the next...

It is 11:11 on Aug 22, exactly 49 minutes and 1 month away from entering my Q2 and what better way to avoid writing my major paper (which is due in 2 days) then to take some time and look back on Q1.

These Q's I'm talking about are life quarters. I can confidently say that I have had an amazing first quarter and if I were to make a basketball/water polo analogy here is what I would have say:

I owned the court/pool and gave it my all. I kept my eye on the prize and played this 1st quarter with all my heart in the game. Defensively, I choked at times and let the game have the best of me but I always knew to brush-away the disappointments and get my head back in the game. I payed close attention to some of the mistakes during this first quarter and tried my best to follow through with corrections learned form myself (while playing this game) and from people on the side lines: my #1 coach(es) (Mom and Dad), some of my teammates (my friends) and even from the on-lookers from the distance, cheering me on.

During the game, I visualized before I made each move. I was told that visualizing yourself doing something (not watching but rather being in the moment as you visualize the act) allows for your body to move some of your smaller muscle fibers into positions which are needed during a highly skillful act. An example for this is scoring. So, I visualized myself completing each shot I took on net, each stroke I pulled through the water, and each dribble towards the net (this took place off-court while at rest) in hope that my body will adjust. So once I was back on the court or in the water, it was my time to shine. My body, confident, as if I have done these skills before, I would try and charged at the net to score.

I did not score every time. Most times I didn't even make it half way to the net. But, because I was able to navigate my body and prepare it before hand, I was also able to correct mistakes faster during the game. I never made the same mistake twice on the court, but I definitely made lots of mistakes. They were always new and unique as my skill advanced to the next level. At times, this was very frustrating because I started to question my ability in perfecting my skills. However, as the quarter advanced I realized that perfection is not about doing everything right all the time. It's about experiences, good and bad, and the body saying: 'yup, done this before and this is what you should do in this case', it's being able to think on your feet when the situation gets stressful. This is called automatic movements, sub-conscious, and it's developed over time, or in my case, visualization would be another way to speed up the process. With time, dedication, patience and a lot of passion for the game I have been able to master the skills needed to get to the net and even score at times.

I never counted my goals/swish. I never had time to sit and watch the ball touch the net. Once I did, and my coach (my actual polo coach) yelled at me to "Get BACK ON D! What are you doing day-dreaming! And sure enough, the next minute the other team scored on us. After that, I never cared about my score, just shot, and sprint back to be ready on defense. See, being able to play both side of the court/pool is something I still have to develop. I don't know if I'll ever master this skill but I am getting better at it each day. I know what I need to do, but I'm not fast enough and skillful enough just yet. Also, at times I do get a little lazy and enjoy 'cherry-picking'. I mean, who doesn't like to sit back and enjoy a hard work's outcome.

It can't be always work work work. Instead, I know to pick my battles. I give it my all when I go to score on net, then take it easy to allow others to shine. I can't always be in the light. Plus, this way I can take a break while still in the game and re-charge my batteries. However, if I'm needed I am always there if a teammate needs me. So my head never takes a break and I always pay attention to what goes on around me.

Q1 has been definitely a fabulous way to start this game. I learned about myself as an athlete (person), got to know my team better and how we work best together, and got to develop my skills under various distractions. My coaches are the most supporting bunch ever and I am very lucky to have their knowledge and skill be passed onto me. It is comforting to know that they are not just there to discuss my performance but they are as excited about my success as I am.

To summarize the first quarter:

I feel that I played well, definitely have room for improvements but if I can keep this momentum going I am one happy camper. I have to pace myself and make sure that my energy doesn't run out in the second quarter since the crowd and my teammates are counting on me. I have to play smart and stay positive when things don't happen my way. To play well I have to focus and visualize my moves as they need to be performed and stop worrying on what I did wrong. For every mistake I do I have to remember the number of things I did correct. If I can keep this in my head I will have a similar second quarter or I could take Q1 and make Q2 even better.

Gosh, if I had time to translate everything I just said into real stories and memories I would be up all night and as you might recall from the introduction I have a major paper due in 48 hours. One of my life goals is to publish a book one day. Not for fame but for myself. I hope that time will slow down so I can spend some of my days typing out all the amazing experiences in Q1. I have to or else Q2 will fill up my brain and Q1 will be stored too far back in my memory bank lol.

I think that's all for now .... but this blog will have to be further expanded before this month expires.


xo
R :-)