The Hardest Part of the Season & How to Get Through it
Sometimes I think the time leading up to football season is harder on me than the actual season. The anticipation and the build-up. The knowing that our fun summer together is about to come to an abrupt halt.
This is my husband's 10th season as a coach, and it still gets me every. single. time.
And to be honest, sometimes when I'm feeling that anxious anticipation about the season getting closer, I'm not the nicest person to the person I love the most.
What's funny is now that fall camp has started and I'm at the point where I only see my husband when I go to the cafeteria, or late at night before we both go to bed, it's still not as hard as the anticipation of leading up to that time. Now that it's here, I'm doing so much better than I was while I was anxiously awaiting it to get here. And that's how it is every football season for me.
Maybe you can relate to that too.
The point of this blog post is not just to talk about my feelings or tell you guys about how I can let my anxiety of the season get the best of me. This blog is to take what I've learned about that hard time of year for me, and share some of the things that help me through it! Some of those thing are...
1. God, and spending more time with him.
A verse that has been following me around lately is:
"Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you." -1 Peter 5.
That includes being sad that I don't get to see my husband as much, and also my anxieties about how crazy my life is about to get now that football season is here. He cares about even the little things, and He wants us to go to Him about them.
Another super helpful tool for me during this time of year is a devotional that a coach's wife, Cecelia Simon, wrote and published last year. This devo helped me in SO many ways last year in trying to have a good attitude about the difficult parts of this coaching lifestyle. It also helped me have more patience with my husband in those times when he's so tired and maybe not meeting my sometimes high standards.
And in those times when I wasn't the most patient, it helped me see things in a different light and attempt to offer more grace instead.
2. Friends and family, and being intentional with them.
Go on a road trip to see the people you love who live far away! Make a coffee date with a friend. Make time for the people in your life that can be a support to you during this crazy time of the year, and be a support to them as well.
This past week I have had a few coffee dates, a potluck with my co-workers, meals with my fellow coach's wives, and a few other things. If you're extroverted like me, it's really good to try to fill your extra time with interactions with the people that you love.
3. Staying busy.
This means taking the time to do those things you don't always have time for, whether that be deep-cleaning your home, exercising, working on some crafts, reading more, getting out of the house, diving into your work, or anything else you can think of. For me, sometimes watching too much TV can depress me, so it's important that that's not the only thing I do when I have more downtime on my hands.
(Though I do really enjoy finally having full access to the remote while my husband is too busy for it)
4. Trying to make those short moments count when I get to see my husband.
For me, this one means pausing Netflix as soon as he gets home, or setting my phone aside so I'm not tempted to become distracted by it. It also means trying to eat meals in the cafeteria with him when they have their breaks. I've also been trying to send encouraging texts throughout the day, and just trying my best to be a positive sounding board when he tells me about his day. During this time of year, it is definitely quality over quantity, and I am attempting my best at making my interactions with him as quality as possible.
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What are some other things that help you during this time of year? Be sure to share in the comments below!
Also, if you don't already, but sure to follow @CoachWifeLife on Instagram! I share lots more posts about the funny day to day things that a coach's wife can relate to! My goal is that my followers know they are not alone in the struggles and triumphs of being a coach's wife, and to provide a positive outlook on your marriage.
