For a while, I have been wanting to properly learn how to play tennis to give myself an activity that I could enjoy for a long time and expand my bubble to make new friends. I had a lot of lessons when I was younger, but never really took them seriously, so I was basically starting from square one. My Grandmere played tennis from the time when she was a young girl all the way through her late seventies, which is amazing. When she wasn’t playing tennis, she was glued to the TV watching matches. I wanted to find something I was that passionate about, too. I took a few group lessons last fall after I got married, but just didn’t vibe with the set-up to keep going.
The realities of COVID-19 reiterated that life is short and you can’t take any moments for granted. (Cliche but true.) Like many people, I used some of my quarantine time to reprioritize my focuses on what made me happy. “Play tennis” remained on my list, and was a safe activity to do outside and remain socially distanced. I used my birthday as my start date and picked out must-haves for my gift wishlist, including lessons and a fun tennis bag to get started. (I already had a racket and plenty of clothes.)
I have been playing for a month now and LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I am very competitive as “achiever” is my top strength for those who have done the Gallup StrengthsFinders test. Playing tennis has taught me to relax and slow down. Success comes when you wait for the ball… not charge it. It is also excellent for stress relief!
My advice to anyone looking to start tennis or any new activity:
- Make it easy to participate. I play twice a week early in the morning so that I can still go no matter how crazy my work day gets. Also, I play at a spot near my house so it is easy to get there… no excuses!
- Find a coach that vibes with you. My coach is awesome! He is good at critiquing, but also encouraging. I did a lot of research to find someone who is highly skilled, would challenge me, and also meshes well personality-wise. Don’t be afraid to ask them a lot of questions.
- Have fun with it! I got gear that added to my excitement to play! My favorite color is pink, so I got overgrip tape in a fun bright pink, a sparkly heart dampener, and my tennis bag is bright pink with my monogram! It may be “loud” but it makes me happy and that is all that matters!
I hope this post helped inspire you to find an activity or spark joy in something you are already doing for fun!
