Every Inning is a Game

Letting go of the past helps you keep moving forward.

I never thought that I would be a baseball mom. I also never would have thought that I would take lessons from the field to my office. The truth is that I love it and have seen all the very valuable lessons it has taught my boys on and off the field. 

A youth baseball game at my sons’ level was comprised of 6 innings. My younger son had a coach who would tell the team: “every inning is a game.” The focus was to compete and win each inning. The message was clear: Keep moving forward. It doesn’t matter how the last at bat was, your last pitch or your last catch. You need to focus now and be prepared for the next situation that will be coming your way. There is always another opportunity to do better. 

I have found that the every inning is a game concept is also helpful when working with some of my clients. Many times I have seen people struggle to let go of a mistake or mishap. They not only have trouble recovering from it in the moment, but also the next time they are in that situation. Letting go, from a psychological perspective, is an important process for mental and emotional well-being. It requires individuals to release their attachment to negative experiences, emotions or relationships and allow for healing, growth and positive change.