Yelling at Referees!

A few nights ago, I found myself giving the referees at my son's basketball game a hard time. For those of you who have ever attended a sporting event with me, this probably isn't going to come as a surprise. My supportive father tends to be entertained, my kids might be a tad embarrassed and my husband gently lets me know on the ride home that I might have been a bit out of line. I suppose this behavior is typical of me. Yikes!

Now that a few days have passed, whatever I was hassling the referees about is hard to recall. On one hand, I was in the moment. I like to be in the moment. But, hello! I wasn't in the game. I was on the sidelines, frustrated but with absolutely NO control over what was happening on the court. And odds are good that I was probably more worked up than the players. Maybe I need to get a grip?!?

Funny thing about the above is that it can apply to how we live our lives. How often do we find ourselves really frustrated about something we can't control? How many times have we been so "in the moment" that we lose all perspective on the big picture? How many times have we reacted in a negative way? I support my kids playing sports because I believe that it helps create physically and mentally healthy individuals. I believe that winning & losing builds character, and their ability to deal with the ups and downs of it all will serve them well in future life situations. It seems yelling at referees isn't really a part of that BIG picture...

My challenge in the days ahead (please feel free to join me!) is to stay focused on the BIG picture. To remember that some aspects of life are out of my control and it's okay to thoughtfully spectate. As to the things I can control, I will remind myself daily to take actions that serve a positive purpose for those around me (this means not yelling at referees!). Please know, I'll be taking this challenge one day at a time, and if you happen to be sitting by me at an upcoming competitive event and see me falter, please feel free to hit me in the back of the head with chocolate or popcorn so I can correct my behavior. My family, friends and the referees will thank you!