The Queen of Energy (Finale)

Chapter 16: C.A.D

Sierra approached Electra, who was quietly writing in her notebook, lost in thought. "Mom?" she said softly.

Electra looked up, her hazel eyes meeting her daughter's. "Yes?"

"I had a really tough loss today," Sierra began, her voice tinged with frustration. "It was the tennis tournament you encouraged me to join. My team and I gave it everything we had, but we lost by just a few points. I shook hands with the other team and tried to play it cool, but... it still stings."

Electra closed her notebook and gave Sierra her full attention. "Really?"

"Yeah. And now, I'm so tempted to demand a rematch. But I know that would be bad sportsmanship. How do I move on from this? How do I make sure it doesn't happen again?"

Electra knelt down, placing a reassuring hand on Sierra's shoulder. "Losses happen to everyone, no matter how hard you fight. You can't avoid them, but you can learn from them—and most importantly, you can reframe them. But before we go further, I have a question for you. Do you hate losing more than you love winning?"

Sierra paused, thinking it over. Then she shook her head. "No, I love winning more than I hate losing."

Electra smiled. "Good. That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Since you love winning, reframing losses becomes easier. It's all about using what I call the C.A.D. method."

"C.A.D.?"

"Yep! Control, Alt, Delete. Three simple steps. Let's break it down together. First, control yourself. Want to know what helped me avoid lashing out after a tough loss?"

"What?"

"Humming. It quiets vengeful thoughts and helps calm both your mind and body. Go ahead, give it a try."

Sierra nodded and hummed a random melody, but Electra gently stopped her. "Not a melody," she corrected with a smile. "Just a single note. Melodies are distracting—they're nice, but they don't really help in the moment. A single note keeps things simple and steady. Pick a note that feels comfortable and hum it."

Sierra tried again, this time choosing a steady note to hum. After a few seconds, she felt a surprising calm wash over her, and the urge for revenge faded almost entirely.

"Great," Electra said. "That's step one. Now, step two: consider alternative options. You didn't lash out at the other team, which was the right call, but you still had those lingering thoughts about wanting a rematch. That's natural, but here's how you can handle it differently next time. Acknowledge those thoughts, and instead of demanding a rematch, say something that acknowledges the other team's victory while hinting at a future comeback. For example, you could say, 'Congrats, you played great! But next time, we'll be ready.' It's playful, respectful, and it keeps things competitive without being unsportsmanlike."

Sierra's eyes lit up. "I like that idea! I'll come up with some lines later."

"Perfect! Now, step three: delete the situation. This loss may have stung, but it's over. Don't dwell on it. Instead, use it as motivation. Forget the past, focus on improving, and come back stronger next time. Remember, tennis matches happen every two weeks, so you've got time to strategize and prepare."

Sierra smiled, her confidence restored. "Thanks, Mom. I already feel a lot better. And, like you always say, winning isn't everything..."

Electra grinned, finishing the line with her: "...but it's worth strategizing for!"