New Year's Resolution

Yeah, I know, I’m about 8 days short of New Years Day. A lot of us have already long forgotten our dreams and goals for 2014, and, grudgingly back to the “real-world” after the holiday, have already managed to get ourselves into a slump. Thus, the reason for the New Year’s resolution blog about a week late. Everyone can tell me their new year’s resolution the day of, but when it comes back to the court, it all of a sudden becomes too difficult to pursue. Hence the crowded first week at the gym then the empty second week because everyone is sore from overworking their muscles too quickly. 

So, I think the best way to actually do something about your new year’s resolution is to make a timeline of sorts—what you will accomplish, and more importantly how you will accomplish it, and by when. I’ll tell you a story; when I was about seventeen or so (which seems like a million years ago—and no, I’m not going to tell you this story in rhyme), I decided that I was eating so badly that I needed to change my diet completely. I went from eating junk to not eating junk at all, and went full-out crazy health guru. I’m talking drinking aloe vera juice for breakfast and eating percentages of what I knew I had to eat carb, protein, and fruit/veggie wise. I have to admit, the first two weeks were terrible. I had a crazy headache all the time because I was craving the sweets I adore so much, and my skin got really bad. After two weeks though, my body communicated with my brain—okay, crazy girl, I think I know what you’re plan is now, so I got you. I started feeling better—I was amazed. I had more energy, my tennis got better because I could put in so much effort on the court and my muscles seemed to not cramp up as much and recover quicker. I loved my new diet—I started telling everyone how awesome it was and how much I enjoyed feeling like a brand new person. My mom was in the background, saying “everything in moderation,” but what do moms know, right? 

She was right. Six months in, I didn’t just get sick—I got so sick that I couldn’t play for three months, and my professional tennis career, just as I was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, suddenly turned pitch black. I would say it was fate (I ended up taking a scholarship to FSU, and, well, the rest is history), but I’ll save that for another blog when I’m feeling more philosophical. The point is, I went so extremely into one direction that I ended up getting burnt. So I learned that year about equilibrium. Yes, yes, it’s a scientific term, but it really does, when it boils down to it, make a lot of difference in someone’s tennis in more than one way. 

Equilibrium is essential to life. It essentially means balance, and it is what keeps us alive. If it were not for the equilibrium of water in our body (now, it doesn’t necessarily mean 50%, but the correct proportion—in actuality, our body is made up of 70% water, and if it is not 70%, we quickly deteriorate), we wouldn’t be alive. The correct equilibrium of carbon dioxide and oxygen makes sure our lungs and heart keep doing their job. The correct equilibrium of calcium and phosphorus makes sure our bones don’t crumble keeping us up. You get the point. Equilibrium is also a state of mind. Without balance in your thoughts, you’ll go crazy. If the majority of your day tennis is in your thoughts and you don’t leave any thoughts or strength for school and other activities, whether it be chatting with your friends or watching TV or reading a book or strumming a guitar, your equilibrium is off. If you play, play, play, play you don’t have that equilibrium of rest. If you play, then rest, then rest some more, then half-heartedly play, then play seriously for a day or two, then rest, then your equilibrium is off. 

It’s easy to go into the new year with a goal in mind, but it is just as easy to burn out on that thought—playing hard for a week won’t change your game. Make a commitment to whatever your goal is—if it is to eat better, plan out a diet that isn’t extreme. Eat a cupcake once in a while, but don’t eat a dozen doughnuts binging after eating lettuce for a week straight. If it is to become a better tennis player, first sit down with your coach at SHP and examine exactly what will make that better, and come up with strategies as to how to do that. Want to get fitter? Don’t go run fifteen stadiums tomorrow and then have a hard time sitting down or standing up for a week. Run four stadiums tomorrow, then add a few each week. Gradually make whatever it is a routine, and make it part of the equilibrium in your life.