Like most Boston Red Sox fans, I rejoiced in disbelief as the Red Sox came back from a three game deficit to the Yankees, to go on so confidently to beat the Cardinals for the World Series Championship. It was a great sports moment, but the more I reflect on it, the more I realize that the tremendous success of the Red Sox is a metaphor for the struggle we all experience on a daily basis as we find our way to good health and wellness. To what can we attribute the success of the Red Sox? What did they teach all of us about never giving up? The key to the Red Sox’ success is that the players always believed in themselves. What if, like us, every Red Sox player got up to bat thinking “I’m a loser- I can’t do this- I’ve failed so many times before!” Where would they be today? Luckily, they ignored internal and external negativity, and played game to game- just as we need to do when our own negative self talk takes over and when everyone around us fails to support us and talks of past failures. The Red Sox did not let past failures deter them or sway them in their effort to achieve success. So many times, WE allow our past exercise and nutrition failures to determine our present and future actions. Instead, we need to take each day one at a time- each meal, each exercise session-each pitch, each at- bat, is a chance to turn things around for the better. The only way YOU can personally win your “World Series” is by believing in yourself, and surrounding yourself with “team mates” who also believe in you. Baseball is a game of endurance- a game of patience, with hours of monotony, broken by moments of pure ecstasy. We must also have patience with ourselves, realizing that the summation of all our efforts WILL result in success- just believe in yourself. As the Red Sox so beautifully put it, Why Not Us?
