My yoga teacher, Liz Chapman, talked about ‘dropping the ball’ in class.
She was referring to starting new habits, like yoga, fitness and meditation. When we start we’re keen and do it all the time and gradually over time, we stop and ‘drop the ball.’
Her words made a big impact on me, as I frequently implement new techniques into my life, such as daily meditation and self-development practices, and then have a tendency to fall out of the habit. As soon as I miss a day or 2 and ‘drop the ball’, it’s easy to think that it’s not worth starting again.
Here are her wise and caring words on ‘Dropping The Ball’:
Drop The Ball:
The ‘Urban Dictionary’ gives this as an example:
1. Make an error; miss an opportunity; fail.
2. To make a mistake, especially by doing something in a stupid or careless way.
3. To fail to keep working to reach a goal.
This expression comes from the game of American football, where it’s not a good thing to drop the ball when it’s in play.
It’s mainly used based on failure and mistakes. So, if you want to tell someone how important it is to succeed in a particular activity, then this is a good expression to use.
MAN #2: You can trust me.
~ Mr. Terrence L. Trezvant November 19, 2006
MAN #1: I don’t know. Every time I depend on you, you drop the ball.
For example, if we attempt to cultivate a self-practice at home, of asana (poses), pranayama (breathwork), and/or meditation, the mind kicks in with anything from ‘I will definitely be able to do this’ or ‘I probably can’t stick to it’, to ‘no way am I even going to try because I know I will fail.’
‘I will definitely be able to do this’ is usually most disheartened/angry if they drop the ball.’
‘I probably can’t stick to it’ throws in a bit of doubt in case they drop the ball. They can say to themselves and others ‘See, I knew I would fail’.
‘No way am I even going to try’ never gives themselves the opportunity to even look at the ball since they have never picked it up
Here’s the point…it’s not actually about the ball, at all. It’s about us. It’s about realising that if we ‘drop the ball’ (even if it seems to roll out of sight) we can choose to pick it up again.
Taking the opportunity to hold onto it, to look at it for even a moment, can bring a great change in our belief about ourselves.
Learning that if we drop the ball we are not failing. There is always an opportunity to pick it up and to put it right back down as many times as we like.
It’s not the dropping or the picking up
copyright – Liz Chapman
yogahouse.org.uk
As I implement healthy and positive habits into my active life, Liz’s words help me realise that if I don’t meditate, stretch, workout, eat healthily, think positively, say my affirmations (the list goes on) for a few days, it doesn’t mean I need to start at the beginning again. I can just pick the ball back up and start where I left off. By picking the ball back up, my intentions are heading in the right direction and the habit may begin again.
Thank you Liz for your words x