PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Give Yourself A Break This New Year
The Holidays are always a little hectic for me, especially since it comes smack in the middle of basketball season, and this year the day after Christmas our basketball team met at 4:00am to catch a flight to California and returned December 30th at 10:30pm. We met friends early the next day, stayed out late New Year Eve and had friends over to watch football on New Years Day. I had a great time but today I was tired.
I could really tell I was in need of a break when my husband asked me to go play basketball after my practice this morning and I said, “No.” I waffled several times after my initial response, (because there was a part of me that wanted to be on the court), but for once, I didn’t REALLY want to play.
I am way behind on my To Do list and since I had been going non-stop all week, I decided to stay home and work, but as soon as my husband left, I couldn’t get motivated. Finally I gave up and moved to the couch. Thirty minutes later the front door flew open and so did my eyes and amazingly enough I felt refreshed and ready to stat our last basketball game and put away Christmas decorations.
Sometimes we just need a break. Maybe it’s an entire weekend away or maybe it simply means taking the time for a quick nap to recharge for the day. Do what you need to keep yourself healthy and happy this New Year!
Wishing you all the best in 2015!
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Alive With Music
Yesterday I noticed that there was a free concert at the library in our neighborhood. The Ladies Musical Club of Seattle was performing. Two sopranos were singing Mendelssohn and a pianist and violinist were playing Schubert and Brahms. I had to go.
Now I’m not a huge fan of classical music, but I enjoy it. When I was young I was in choir and my mom was always singing in a choir, so I have some appreciation, and though I couldn’t convince anyone else in my family to go, I made my way to the concert.
I sunk into my chair and listened, and when I closed my eyes it was difficult not to cry. It wasn’t that I was holding back tears of sadness, it was just that emotions were stirring inside me. Thoughts from my past, good and bad. I felt at home. I felt alive.
WRITING PROMPT: Sit down with your journal, or at your computer, and turn up some music that you haven’t listened to in years and see what happens.
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Finding Focus
I have homework due…yesterday. I’m not sure if the fact that it isn’t finished yet is because basketball consumes me this time of year, or if I’m simply avoiding getting to the real work on my young adult novel. Writing is a lot of fun, but it is hard work too. And writing a synopsis goes into the hard work category for me.
Today however, between picking up new basketballs at Baden Sports and getting a new score book for the JVC squad (whose game I will be coaching as well as the varsity game today) and coaching two games, I will make myself take a few moments to breathe and focus on my writing.
WRITING PROMPT #1: Take a moment to sit and breathe. Why do you write? What do you want to achieve with your writing? What stories are inside you? Write a list of your thoughts on writing.
WRITING PROMPT #2: Snug against the concrete wall, Lisa shivered as…
PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: TEDx TALK: Always Believe In You
A link to my TEDx TALK arrived yesterday. I was nervous to watch it and when I finally did, late last night, I broke out in a cold sweat. Of course I noticed my mistakes and that my family photo didn’t get included in the video, so I added it here, (You’ve gotta love our matching Schat’s Bakery shirts), but overall I was happy. I’m glad that I spoke and hope that the message that I shared is helpful and inspiring.
Tedx Talk by Sonya G. Elliott…
Meet Sonya
Meet Sonya
Sonya Elliott’s memoir, Back on the Court: A Young Woman’s Triumphant Return to Life, Love & Basketball, is her story of finding hope in the wake of tragedy after she and her fiancé were hit by a train. She blogs about writing, basketball, and life and is currently working on a Young Adult Novel and a Non-Fiction Coaching book. Stories of her career as a fashion model are woven through her memoir, as both the Soloflex and Easy Spirit Shoes commercials were filmed during that time period, and this unique and intriguing business continues to be a part of her life.
Sonya played basketball at Eastern Washington University and was a starter for the Big Sky Champion team that went to the 1987 NCAA tournament. She coached for almost 25 years and was voted Seattle Times Coach of the Year, Seattle Officials Women’s Basketball Association Coach of the Year, and twice voted Metro League Coach of the Year. She loves the game of basketball and is thankful, not only for her husband and kids but for her ability to continue to get back on the court.
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PeaceLoveBasketball Friday: Inspired to Work Hard
Last week I talked about hanging up my basketball shoes. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to play the way I want to play. And though I’ve found that this is how it works as I get older and don’t practice much, this feeling would hit me on occasion even when I was young. I LOVE basketball, but there were many times during my career when I went through slumps, times I literally feared the free throw line because I knew that my shot wouldn’t go in. One slump was so bad that during an overtime game against Idaho State, the entire opposing bench (including their coaches) yelled out, “foul number 10,” when they needed our team to go to the line so that they might have a chance to get the ball back.
I was #10.
It took a long time […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: Good Routine
Photo Credit: Jeff Zaruba
I’ve never been one for routine. Not that I wouldn’t want to have a little more of a schedule to my life but it’s just never been the type of life that I’ve led. I guess when I was playing and coaching basketball competitively there was some routine, but practices where often moved around, do to gym availability, and we were traveling with games, so there was always some change.
And though I have loved having a career as a fashion model, it is far from routine. Castings and jobs vary tremendously and often happen spur of the moment. Not conducive to a regular schedule. When I was in my 30’s I fantasized about getting up every morning and meditating and doing yoga. Having a morning ritual. But I also like sleep, and I had […]
Monday’s Pen to Paper: One Step at a Time
I decided to take part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) this year and, I’ll have to admit, it wasn’t the most productive first attempt. It did, however, help me to get nearly 4000 more words of my novel written. Every little bit helps.
What helps to motivate you to write? To work out? To meditate? To do those things that you want to do, but you keep putting off? Try new ways to push yourself. Take baby steps if you have to. Even if the attempt isn’t completely successful, the experience will help you grow.
WRITING PROMPT #1: Write down how you will reach your goals.
WRITING PROMPT #2: Shandra gazed at the tall peak one last time before she tied her boots up tight and…
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