So this might be a long post. Don't hate me. So my wife told me today that its "awkward" to watch the game with me. She also said that i'm a horrible fan. Keep in mind I have been a die-hard Tennessee fan since I was like 8 years old. This was back when we was dominate and owned the SEC. Also i've done this while living in Alabama in a city that loves Alabama Football. Anyways thats enough back story. So around the 3rd qtr I started to realize I'm not fun to watch the game with. I just get so hyped for the games and then Tennessee's Defense just plays awful and I'm that guy that is very negative. "This is why Tennessee will always be Tennessee". "This soft defense is why we only win maybe 7-8 games a year". I love Tennessee with a passion but with the last few years I have just become so negative during the games. I write this novel to ask....How do I watch the game and just enjoy it even if Tennessee plays awful. I'm taking the first step and admitting I'm a awful fan and I wanna change lol!!!
I wouldn’t say this makes you a bad fan. What I would argue, is that this isn’t a super useful or helpful way to look at things in terms of your own happiness. You care, and that is good, but I think it is healthy to moderate how upset you become.
Some stoic quotes, because why not:
“You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” - Marcus Aurelius
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” - Marcus Aurelius
“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.” - Marcus Aurelius
“The soul becomes dyed by the color of its thoughts.” - Marcus Aurelius
“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power or our will.” - Epictetus
“Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.” - Epictetus
“Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.” - Epictetus