CHOICE
BY Joan King

Happy Holidays!

This is a wonderful time of year. It is the season of love, peace, goodwill, and brotherliness. It is a time to celebrate all that is good and joyful.

Life is a choice and you have the power to slow down and enjoy the season. Oftentimes the heart and soul of the holidays get lost in the hustle and bustle of shopping, planning, and entertaining. In the same way you can lose the joy of playing golf by trying too hard to understand, analyze, and perfect your golf swing.

The Presidents Cup which was played in George, South Africa on November 23, 2003 exhibited this feeling of goodwill. In sporting events there is just one winner. But in this high-stakes contest, everybody walked away a winner. Captains Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player decided to cancel the sudden-death playoff because of darkness and a sense of fairness. They declared the emotional roller coaster week to end with all the players a winner.

Captain Jack Nicklaus explained his decision, "Both Gary and I feel in our hearts - and I think both teams feel - that was the right thing to do, and we stand by it. We felt nobody should walk away a loser. Everybody walks away a winner now."

And player Davis Love said, "The way it ended shows the world that we are going to play these matches for fun and the love of the game."

At the opening ceremony, Gary player voiced his wisdom, "Love is the most important word. It doesn't matter if you are a president or a pauper, a soldier or a sailor."

"It is not how much you do, but how much Love you put into the doing that matters". -- Mother Teresa

Every person is the architect of their own character. Day by day, what you choose, what you think, and what you do, is who you become.

This season of brotherhood gets overcome by the heavy hand of marketing that hypnotizes us into worrying about buying the right gifts, being invited to the right parties, and wearing the right clothes. These things appear to be so important to our conscious minds. And in golf we worry about how we look, how others judge us, our reputation, and about shooting big numbers.

And so it is time to choose what is important instead of worrying about things that you cannot control. It has been said that worry is like having a handle on a snowball! Worthless!

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength". --Corrie Ten Boom

It is time to slow down and enjoy the process of creating, whether it is a holiday party or a golf swing. Picture yourself having a perfect holiday, relaxed, having fun, happy and fulfilled. What you create in your mind is what you create in your reality.

"The secret of being happy is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one does". -- James M. Marrie

The best way to create your reality is to visualize it in your mind. Take a moment and remember how you felt as a child this time of the year. Feel the love and childhood happiness you hold inside. Hold the vision and feelings as you encounter the long lines in stores, heavy traffic, weather conditions and perceived lack of time to accomplish everything. When you have activated these good feelings, transfer them to the present situation you are in. You are the only one who has control over your mind. Make it an enjoyable experience.

"To a young heart everything is fun". -- Charles Dickens

Practice visualizing and being in the present moment in your everyday life and it will be easy to do it on the golf course. What parts of your golf game can you change to make your picture perfect?

"The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed." -- Sheridan

Your future is built on your beliefs and past experiences. Build on what you have learned. Let go of what no longer serves you. Keep only the thoughts and experiences that work for you.

"Picture yourself vividly as winning and that alone will contribute immeasurably to your success". -- Maxwell Malte

It is time to leave the past behind and look forward to creating a magnificent new year. Life and golf is a choice. It is up to you to choose how you see your reality.

"If you want to know the past, look at your present life. If you want to know the future, look at your present." - Buddha

This quickly approaching New Year does make us reevaluate our reality. When dissatisfied with what you're getting out of life, this is a time to make peace with those who have caused you pain. Then those you encounter on the golf course who are similar will no longer bother you. By doing this you will allow peace in your own heart.

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves." -- Carl Jung

The Japanese take an exercise break in the middle of the work day to work out tension in the muscles. If you take a ten minute break and sit quietly breathing deeply and relaxing, it will restore your mind and body as if you had a two hour nap. You can do this when you are waiting to have your oil changed, in a doctor's office, etc. Another way to stimulate your immune system and bring you into balance is with laughter. Humor is a massage for the brain. It will revive a tired mind, and pump more oxygen into the system.

"The most therapeutic thing we can do is laugh. It's better than dieting and burns more calories than exercise".

I do not know everyone who receives this newsletter, but I wish to thank you for supporting me in my service and making me feel that I am helping you realize your potential as a successful golfer and person. Thank you for being there.

"For when the one great scorer comes
To write against your name
He writes not that you won or lost
But how you played the game". -- Grantland Rice

I wish you all a joyous holiday season, filled with love, good health and lots and lots of fun!

Joan

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