Self Love is Tough Love

So this is one my favorite photos to date. Although this kid's emotions sometimes get the best of him in a game, they really make the best still frames. There are many, many things in this world to make us humans feel defeated- feel like failure. How we take those things and process it helps define us. However we decide to take a defeat and put it into something constructive is what BUILDS us up. As I've mentioned in a previous post, I treat every moment in life like A possession in a basketball game I'm trying to win. It wasn't just a healthy outlet for me it was a safe haven. I love to witness players that still have that passion because these days I feel like it's just been sucked out of their being before they even reach adolescence. I understand them. I have been them. Basketball was and is a lifestyle. And it's because of basketball I have learned to handle defeat. To recover from failures. And I know some of you younger ones don't see it yet but there is a bigger purpose for you and a reason for your struggles. Including the physical pain you go through because Lord knows- your bones don't get any better as you get older. And I hope you teach your kids someday that, "you're gonna be okay." Or my favorite one... "it's not gonna kill ya." Because running one more set of suicides will not be the end of you, a 15 page midterm paper will not break you, and those mistakes you take too much time beating yourself up over WILL NOT DEFINE YOU. Self love IS tough love ya know? So take a breath when you need it. Get your crap together & get your hands off your knees & get back out there!!