Lessons from figure skating: part 01

I finally broke down and bought a subscription to IceNetwork.com. Now I get to see all eight sections of every figure skating competition throughout the year. The trouble is…it takes so much time to watch. Yesterday, I spent four-and-a-half hours watching just one section of the European Championships. No wonder I don’t seem to get anything done during skating season.

But all this time in front of my computer monitor watching skaters has made me think about the life lessons to be learned from figure skating.

Lesson One: You have to be flexible.

Before each competition, there is a draw to determine the skating order. A skater takes a different approach depending on when she skates. If she is first in the skating order, she takes it easy during the warmup period, knowing she has to conserve energy for her performance. If she is in the middle of the pack, she can push harder during the warmup and have time for a breather before her performance. If she skates last, she works up a sweat during the warmup and then has to stay focused and keep her muscles warm and loose until it is time for her performance.

This is an area where I still need lots of work. I plan my day and have it all scheduled out, then something goes awry. I forgot to thaw the chicken I planned for supper. I get to the allergist’s office and find they aren’t giving shots today. On Saturday morning, Carlos suddenly decides we need to wash the cars.

Aaaarrrrrrgggggg!

Jesus told his disciples “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27 ESV)

All my growling and complaining will not change a thing. What they do—is ruin the rest of my day. I don’t need that.