Raising Resilience Daily

My daughter is 8. And she has tryouts this week. And I am; no exaggeration – gosh darn nervous. 

Why? 

Because I want her to do her best. 

Because I want her to feel proud. 

Because I want her to see that all those hours of practice, all those moments of focus and effort, meant something. 

But here’s the thing: she might not make the “A” team. She might make the “B” team. And if that happens, does it mean her hard work didn’t pay off? 

No. 

Because hard work is relative. And that’s the mindset shift I’m working on; not just for her, but for me. 

From “Hard Work” to “Doing Your Best” 

I’ve stopped saying “hard work pays off.” Instead, I’m saying: “Do your best.” Because you can give it everything in an interview and still not get the job. You can train for months and still not win the race. You can show up, give it your all, and still land somewhere unexpected. 

And that’s not failure. That’s life. I want my kids to know that if they give it everything they’ve got, they should have zero regrets; no matter the outcome. 

Wisdom from the Backseat

On the way to tryouts and games, I always ask my kids: “What’s the most important part of sports?” 

We’ve drilled it into them: #1: Have fun. But the other day, my 5-year-old son surprised me. He said: “Because it’s good for our bodies to move.” And I paused.  Because yes, I want them to learn teamwork, resilience, how to win and lose with grace. But he reminded me of something simpler: movement is healthy. Movement is fun. 

Raising Resilience Isn’t About the Outcome

 It’s about showing up. 

It’s about doing your best. 

It’s about learning to trust the process; even when the result isn’t what you hoped for. 

So yes, I’m nervous. But I’m also proud. Because my daughter is walking (skating) onto that ice with courage, effort, and joy. And that’s what matters most. 

If you’re a parent riding the emotional rollercoaster of youth sports, I see you. 

Let’s keep raising resilient kids; one tryout, one game, one deep breath at a time. 

Raising leaders, chasing goals, and occasionally losing my mind.