I will forever remember the smell of fresh cut grass, and the feeling of the dirt underneath my spikes. I will always cherish the two to three-hour car rides with my dad to get to countless softball fields every single summer. I will always hold the game of softball near and dear to my heart. Of course, it may just seem like a game, but for me, it was so much more and here are some lessons that softball has taught me throughout the many years.

1. You must be willing to work for what you want in life.

Nothing worth having comes easy. If you want to be the best p[layer on the field, you better start practicing on your own time. If you want to be the best employee you can be, you better be willing to go above and beyond what is simply expected of you.

2. Believe in yourself.

When you're up at bat, two outs, two strikes, that’s the time to tell yourself that you can do this. When life throws you a curveball, get back up and try again because you can and you will get through this.

3. Support those who support you.

When a ball gets through the infield, the outfield is always there to back them up. When a friend is going through a rough time, make sure you are always there for to back them up when they need it most. In turn, you will have people that will be there for you when you need it.

4. Learn from your mistakes.

As much as we all like to win, we can always learn the most from losing. When you let that ball go between your legs because you didn’t get your glove down fast enough, you learn how to stop the ball next time. If you did everything right in life, you can never learn from the mistakes you made. The times you made the wrong decision are the times we can reflect on and determine how to handle that situation in the future.

5. Have fun.

If there is anything that softball taught me it is that life is too short to not have fun. There are times to be sad and times to be serious, but don’t forget to have fun -- a lot. Those are the times you will remember most.