Wind Knocked Out? How to Hoist Your Sails Again (A Lesson from the Dugout)

The text message glowed on my screen: raw disappointment, heavy self-doubt. My oldest, my kid who wears his heart on his jersey, had just had a tough game. The kind that leaves you questioning everything.

As parents, that protective instinct kicks in hard. We want to shield them, smooth their path, never let them stumble. But the truth, the gritty truth we all know, is that failure is part of the human playbook. We will fall. The real question is, what happens next?

Some of us get swallowed by the pity party, digging a hole so deep it feels impossible to climb out. Others… they find a way back to the surface.

Talking to my son that night, his voice thick with frustration, I felt that familiar parental ache. Was he good enough? The doubt was a heavy anchor. My advice was simple, the kind of wisdom I’ve had to learn and relearn myself:

'Take tonight. Feel the disappointment. Let the frustration wash over you. It might feel like the wind has been completely knocked out of your sails. But tomorrow? Tomorrow, a new gust of wind is coming. Your job is to hoist those sails and catch it.'

Because here’s what I’ve seen, time and time again: so many people let those limp sails stay limp. They drift aimlessly, stuck in the ‘what ifs’ and the ‘I’m not good enoughs.’ We can’t let that happen to us.

Yes, hoisting those sails again can feel uncomfortable, unsettling even. It requires vulnerability, a willingness to try again after getting knocked down. But that discomfort? That’s the fertile ground where growth takes root and resilience blossoms.

The next morning, his call came, bright and full of energy. “I’m hoisting my sails, Mom!” My heart swelled. That simple act of choosing to try again, to embrace the new wind.

If only it always felt that easy, right? That immediate bounce-back. But then it hit me: it is that easy. The power lies within us. We are the captains of our emotional ships. We get to decide whether we let the setback define us or propel us forward.

Sure, we’ll have those days where we sink into the wallow, where the disappointment feels all-consuming. And that’s okay. Allow it. But know this: tomorrow will bring a new day, a fresh gust of wind.

The bravery lies in recognizing that new wind and having the courage to raise your sails, even if they feel heavy and bruised. The journey of being Unsettled isn't about avoiding the storms; it's about learning how to navigate them, and always, always finding the strength to catch the next wind.

What's a time you felt the wind knocked out of your sails? How did you recover?