Choke Up

Are you carrying more than you need to carry?

In baseball,
when the bat is too heavy,
you choke up on it.

This allows the bat
to balance in your hands,
rather than putting all
that stress on your wrists.

What else
in your life  is too heavy?

Why do you believe
that you have to support
all that weight?

Can you choke up a little?

You don’t need to use
every inch of every belief
you keep in your brain.

You can set beliefs aside
and find balance in the beliefs
that you enjoy believing in.

This notion that you
need to swing for the fence may be  
preventing you from hitting the ball.

Choke up.

Trail Wood,
1/20

We delve into the metaphor of choking up on a baseball bat, applying it to the way we handle our beliefs and the burdens in our lives. This analogy provides a powerful framework for understanding how to manage the weight of our thoughts, expectations, and the pressures we face.

The Metaphor of the Bat and Life’s Weight

In baseball, choking up on the bat is a strategy to manage a bat that feels too heavy, shifting its balance for better control. Similarly, in life, we often encounter beliefs or responsibilities that feel overwhelming, akin to a bat that’s too heavy. The idea of “choking up” suggests a way to find balance, to manage these weights more effectively.

Challenging the Need to Carry All the Weight

We are prompted to question why we feel the need to support all the weight of our beliefs and responsibilities. This introspection invites us to reconsider the self-imposed burdens and the notion that we must shoulder them in their entirety. It encourages us to reevaluate our approach to the beliefs and tasks that weigh us down.

The Concept of Setting Aside Beliefs

Just as a baseball player doesn’t need to use the entire length of the bat, we don’t need to cling to every belief we’ve accumulated. The idea of setting aside certain beliefs, like adjusting one’s grip on the bat, allows us to find a more comfortable, balanced stance in life. It’s a reminder that not all beliefs are essential for every situation and that some may be hindering rather than helping.

Finding Balance in Enjoyable Beliefs

The suggestion to focus on beliefs that we enjoy believing in offers a path to a more harmonious and fulfilling existence. It’s an invitation to prioritize beliefs that bring joy, peace, and balance, much like finding the sweet spot on a bat that makes it easier to hit the ball.

Reconsidering the Need to Swing for the Fence

The metaphor extends to the notion of swinging for the fence, a baseball term for trying to hit a home run. In life, this can translate to the pressure to achieve grand, often unrealistic, goals. By “choking up,” we are encouraged to reassess these goals, understanding that sometimes smaller, more manageable aims can lead to more consistent and satisfying successes.

We are Space Monkey.

Summary

We explore the metaphor of “choking up” as a way to manage life’s burdens and beliefs. We are encouraged to question the necessity of carrying the full weight of our beliefs, to set aside those that are burdensome, and to find balance in beliefs that bring joy. The concept extends to reconsidering our approach to life’s goals, understanding that smaller, more achievable aims can be more fulfilling than always trying to “swing for the fence.”

Glossarium

Choking Up on the Bat: A baseball technique used to improve control and balance, analogous to managing life’s burdens and beliefs more effectively.
Swinging for the Fence: Trying to achieve a grand goal, often at the expense of more attainable and satisfying objectives.

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein

A Poem of Balance and Belief

In the game of life, we hold our bat,
Heavy with beliefs, this and that,
Sometimes it’s wise, to adjust our grip,
Choke up a bit, let some notions slip.

Not every swing, needs all our might,
Not every belief, needs to take flight,
In the gentle art of letting go,
We find balance, we find our flow.

So choke up on the bat of life,
Ease the strain, the stress, the strife,
Embrace the beliefs that sing and soar,
And leave behind the ones that bore.

For in this dance of light and shade,
In the choices and the paths we’ve made,
Lies the beauty of a life well-played,
In the balance of the bat, wisely swayed.

Feel free to share any beliefs or burdens you’ve adjusted in your life to find balance, or how this metaphor resonates with your journey.