Marathon, Not a Sprint

It's hard to always stay positive. But I have to remember that I've only been practicing for two weeks, and I'm hanging in there fine. I came from a place known for skiing, not hockey, and I played multiple sports my whole life. A lot of these kids have only played hockey their whole lives. I may want things to work out for me right away, but that won't happen. I have to work for it. And I have two years to get where I want to get. My whole life, I've had to work to get better, but I've always played. I played varsity soccer and hockey for 4 years in high school, and I played a lot, even as a freshman. It's going to be different not playing, not being the guy the coach can count on in any situation, but it will make me work harder. My mom and dad told me they think this path opened up for me for a reason. I think so too. It's not going to be easy at the start; I still have a long way to go, but I am going to follow it wholeheartedly. Sometimes, it's hard to keep the negative thoughts out like, "Why didn't I just go to Middlebury?" or "God, I suck at hockey," when things are going bad but I try to push those thoughts out. Lately, I've been putting way too much pressure on myself to be perfect, but I have to realize it's OK to make mistakes because I'm learning. I have to remember it's a marathon, not a sprint, and I'm going to be fine if I keep working hard and learning every day.