Page 26 - SB-Take me out to the Ball Game

In our story, three boys are playing baseball. A fly ball is hit into the outfield and all three boys miss the ball. The first boy’s automatic thoughts lead him to become angry as he blames the others for his failure to catch the ball (the fight reflex. He continues to think about the “missed ball” and his emotion of anger causes him to strike out when at bat.
The second boy’s automatic thoughts lead him to blame himself for the failure to catch the ball. He is embarrassed and sad. He thinks that he should quit the team (the flight reflex. When he comes to bat, he is too afraid to make a mistake and is called out because he does not swing the bat.
The third boy experiences the same thoughts and emotions but holds them in check. This allows him to assess the situation,
I missed the ball, evaluate it, But I did fairly well for our first game of the season and choose from alternative ways of feeling (he may feel slightly angry, embarrassed or disappointed but not uncontrollable upset.
With manageable emotions, he is able to stiffen his resolve to not dwell on the mistake and accept that it just happened. Because he is OK with the “Missed Ball” he hits a home run when he comes to bat.
The skills illustrated by the third boy will allow you to not over or under react to a situation. In addition, you will be able to stay with your decision regarding the situation, regardless of the pressures applied by others to get you to change your mind.
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