Here’s a Hit for When You Are Feeling Stressed

Are you stressed? Nowadays, you probably are. And, I would bet you'd welcome an effective way to manage or lower it. I have something to pitch to you - watch or listen to a game of baseball.

Baseball, with its pace, length, and many life lessons, provides a welcome antidote to the daily grind. 

Don't feel bad if you are stressed - it's downright normal. According to a recent American Psychological Association survey, stress levels, regardless of an issue, are the highest they've been since they started their survey 15 years ago. Go search on Google, and you'll find 481mm offering solutions to stress reduction. 

Baseball, whether you are a fan or not, provides multiple ways to focus, get centered, and calm that racing mind. 

You've heard many times that the only constant in life is change. Baseball, with its 162-game season puts more emphasis on the constant. With an average season lasting six months, you can find a game to watch almost every night. That nightly routine is like an old friend - there every night to bring you comfort and consistency.

I dare you to watch a baseball game and not get lured into the slow space. The tempo of baseball, whether watching or listening, is methodical and deliberate. The movement of the game brings the heart rate down and soothe anyone's nerves.

You'll marvel at how much stillness there is between the action—getting the catcher's sign, the pitcher's wind up, a batter's routine, and the subtle build-up to each pitch from the announcer. A baseball game will either lull you into a peaceful trance or narrow your focus on each pitch blocking out any other mental chatter. 

Baseball, like life, is unpredictable - a reminder to enjoy the journey. No two pitches, innings, or games are alike. That's the point - we don't need to know who wins. The joy of watching baseball is every pitch - a series of individual moments that do not need to rest on the outcome. You can't predict a winner just like you can't predict your future; you simply need to focus on the present and forget about what's ahead. 

For those who say baseball is boring, I say that's the point. You can take the baseball game and distill it down to the simple interaction between pitches. Who cares what team you are rooting for each game. There's no need to get caught up in the wins and losses or unnecessary statistics, just focus on the simple battle between pitcher and hitter and find clarity, and feel centered and calm. 

If you want stillness, just simply listen to the sounds of a baseball game. The announcers' soothing voice, the baseball's pop into the mitt, the bat's crack, and the fans' chatter in the stands. Baseball's myriad of calming noises throughout a game provides a near meditative trance for the average person.  

"Life is like a baseball game. When you think a fastball is coming, you gotta be ready to hit the curve" - Jaja Q.

We all feel stress from time to time, but the game of baseball brings us a simple, peaceful nightly routine that can bring calm and focus, and reminds us that unpredictability is our friend. Step up to the plate and give it a try tonight.