I catch myself saying this phrase a lot lately, to myself and others…”You won’t always hit it out of the park.”
What do I mean? You aren’t going to always be perfect. You aren’t going to always make the best choices. You aren’t going to have everything lined up at all moments of the day and days of the week.There will be certain phases of life that lend itself to this more than others. There will be times when you have access to better resources than others. But rarely are we 100% with it. But do the best you can.
And guess what? You don’t always have to hit it out of the park. Pardon the baseball analogy, but it takes singles, doubles, sometimes triples, and home runs to compose a baseball game.
If we look at life as a 9 inning baseball game, it isn’t home runs that win it. It’s the consistency in the small at-bats with a few perfectly situated home runs! (Fun fact: Around 11% of hits are actually home runs in a season!)
But even better–many singles can add up to scoring a run. A lot of little things can add up to the big success.
So how does this apply to our health?
1.) When you can hit it out of the park, do it.
When you are home with a full kitchen available and can make your food, do it.
When you have an extra 5 minutes to pack healthy snacks, do it.
When you have the time and energy for a high intense workout, go for it.
Simply, when you can, do.
2.) Don’t get hung up when you only hit a single or double.
Don’t beat yourself up when what you do isn’t 100%. For example, I am usually running out of the house every Wednesday morning in a hurry to volunteer at my son’s school. I can’t eat my normal breakfast so I put something together that looks like this.
It isn’t bad, but it isn’t the best. That’s ok though. A hit to first base will move me along in my journey to second and so forth.
3.) When you strike out, remember that there’s always another at-bat coming.
Let’s face it. Some days are just terrible. You missed the ball not once but three times and you are sitting back in the dark, dingy dugout. Remember that there is another at-bat coming. Brush yourself off, refocus, and make your next at-bat count. You can’t win every at-bat, and you can’t win every game. Each season of life will bring us different problems. Stick with it. Consistency wins.
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Here are a few things to consider…
– Do you have a tendency to give up if you can’t hit a home run?
– What can you do today to change this mentality?
– How can you set yourself up to hit more consistent home runs?
– Does this apply to any other area of life than health for you?
I’d love to get your feedback! Please comment below!
I needed this so desperately today! I definitely haven’t hit it out of the park in any way this week, and I needed to hear that it’s okay. I don’t have to be perfect – I just have to keep moving forward.
Thank-you so much! I was feeling so discouraged and disheartened after starting once again to get healthy and gaining not losing weight! I was so ready to just give up for good! I’m going to post this on my fridge and my bathroom mirror! ANYTHING is BETTER than NOTHING!!!! My motto: just keep swimming! I love your blog and your inspiration! Keep it up!! Thank God for wonderful people like you.
This was a TREMENDOUSLY ENCOURAGING post & you are a BEAUTIFULLY ANOINTED woman of God! Keep up the good work – the BEST is still ahead! Hugs, Heidi
Thanks, Clare! Just what I needed to hear today. I’ve been struggling off/on for way too many years. I’m at the point in life that my excess weight affects my health daily, so I’m glad to have this encouragement.
By the way, I am taking your FebYOUary challenge and have just become acquainted with the myfitnesspal app – I love it! I even have a friend who’s helping me stay accountable through it, too.
Thanks again!
Love this! Definitely have hit a ton of singles this week.
such truth in this! I could have given up several years ago. I spent most of 2012 in and out of the dugout. Now I’m sprinting around the field, resting when necessary. 🙂 great analogy!
Truthfully perfect! Just the words I needed to read this morning. Have had a hard week of lethargy and strange weight fluctuations. Feeling like I haven’t been able to give 100%. This re-invigorated me for the weekend and next week. Hugs my friend! Thank you for sharing.
I have been doing my physical assessment and I see how much I need to change if I really want to change. I’m just not sure how to do that. But my eyes are open and I’m ready to learn! Thanks for all your encouragement on this blog.
So true, and when I’m not hitting a home run, I have a tendency to just sit on the sidelines and let the game go by the wayside while I order the hotdog & popcorn!
You are so right, we are not always perfect. In fact, I am never perfect, but I do my best to be my best every day. That does not always happen though. This last week I have been struggling with eating again, but I keep getting back up to bat, every single day and doing my best every day. Thanks for this, it hit home for me as well and I needed to hear this and that lots of others are struggling also!! Have a blessed week everyone!!
I love this too! However, getting out of that mentality of either hitting a home run or being too frustrated to even play, is so tough and easier said than done for me. I’m feeling so discouraged today about my eating. I just don’t know how to lose my all or nothing personality.
This came at a great time for me. I fell off the healthy wagon yesterday and needed to get back on track. This reminded me that one bad choice doesn’t need to lead to continuing poor choices. So I jumped back on the myfitnesspal app and got back to business! Base hit today!
Thank you for the encouragement. I have not been able to get a workout in for three days, but I am on my way out the door for Zumba class right now!
I agree with this post.Nobody is perfect.
I know this is definitely what I needed to hear this time of year. I stay pretty focused, but with hubby, kids and papa here.its been crazy and hard to stay on track and it does get me down, my problem is remembering I am not perfect and I need to really focus on that and know there is only one who is perfect and I need to back down and follow Him. Thanks so much for this reminder!!
I think with your new website you’re really hit it out of the park!
Hi Clare, you are such an encouragement in your writings! I just read your post on your Disney trip and do we ever know what you’re talking about when you talk about so much food on the dining plan. Since we drive, we end up taking several counter lunches, and snacks the day we leave and have our lunch on the road! I’m glad you had a fun trip and I’m sure you will go again. Your daughter sounds so much like my granddaughter who is 4 to be 5 this October. Regarding this post using the baseball game as a guide to our health choices, really helped me a lot, I can do better when I have a mental picture of something that I am doing. I will definitely use this in my life as well as sharing with my friends. I used to be a lot like you when I was younger, high end aerobics, so much more disciplined and I felt better. I’m 65 and have 2 bum knees (one knee replacement, one needing replacement), so I can’t do the jumping anymore but I need to do something. And that is what you have challenged me with your post. Thank you so much for your commitment in what you do and helping so many ladies everywhere.
Thank you Clare for this post. If you have ever doubted if your ministry is making a difference, I can honestly say it has greatly impacted my life! I’ve read this post before, but today it blessed me in a profound way. I am in a season of transition that seems so overwhelming and my ability to “hit home runs” in regards to my health isn’t what it used to be. I tend to be a “0-60 person,” and I have such a hard time accepting singles and doubles, because I want every day to be a home run. This post allowed me to take this issue to God and ask for His help through my transition, so thank you, thank you!