So, practice...I'm writing about practice

I am sure we have all heard that practice makes perfect or that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert or some variation of practice is a good thing.  I think there is some merit in that, ok, a lot of merit.

Think about the things we do on a daily basis that we have become experts in, did you think about it, good this entry is done, I am kidding obviously.  Even if you think about some of the most basic activities, brushing our teeth, taking a shower, running the vacuum, etc., we get better the more we do it.  We simply figure out more efficient ways to get things done.

Even more complex things become easier, or we at least become quicker at handling them.  When you try a new recipe it may not turn out the way you want, or maybe it takes about 30 minutes more prep (or it should have taken you 10 minutes less to cook, if you're me...I burn stuff) the first time you try it, but you get better the more you make it.

Heck I remember the first couple of times I made Kraft Mac and Cheese for my son.  I measured the butter and milk to perfection.  Now, I know how much should be in there and I just plop and pour it in (don't tell the Crossfit people, but I steal a bite or two).

I push myself to write everyday, even when I am not in the mood (can you guess the entries that I force myself to write?).  I do it because if you want to become better, you need to work everyday to become better.

At Crossfit, I push myself to do extra work after the daily workout so I can improve my weaknesses (stupid upper body and really stupid belly).  I do it because I know the more practice I put in, the better the results (and handstands are fun).

So with all that said, why is it that I (and probably a lot of us) are not experts at dealing with setbacks and adversity (I seriously just typed diversity and had to correct it...wow)?  I had a rough couple of days that started to spread into a weekend and has threatened to spread into a week.  Why am I not able to stop it?

I, like everybody else, have dealt with bad days or setbacks (heck my son had a broken collar bone before he was born and a fractured skull at four months old) in my past.  I know I have enough practice dealing with getting knocked down to know I will get back up, but why is so hard to envision sometimes?

I think, for me at least, it can be because I have practiced focusing on the negative.  I have not done it on purpose (usually), but that is just how some of the chips have fallen in last few years (or decade).  I know that I will come out of my funk.  I know that if I put in the work, I will see results (even if they aren't the best).  I know that I am surrounded by amazing people.

I need to practice being positive (and distracting myself) as often as possible.  I need to fake it until I make it.  Once I make it, I need to remember how I did it and practice that so it gets easier and better.

Breaking the practice of sliding down that slippery slope of negativity is going to take, yep you guessed it, practice.  The really good news is the world is going to give me plenty of opportunities to hone my craft.