Have you ever gave a BIG speech or presentation and wished you had someone there to guide you?!

Bronwyn does that! 

She helps people give the talk of their lifetime...TED talks, CNN, American Idol, etc.

Bronwyn and I sat down for a podcast interview, where she asked me a ton of questions to empower people to get out of their own way and BE the BEST version of themselves.

The interview was
...fun
...inspiring
...and packed full of mindset tips and trick that'll you get you thinking like a champion. 

If you haven't listened to any of the podcasts I've been on, I DEFINITELY recommend listening to this one. Click Here. 
 
Or...if you feel like reading rather than listening, then see what Bronwyn has to say about our interview below... 
 
"In today’s episode, I ask Dr. Chris things I’ve always wanted to know, like:

… how important is meditation, really?
… how do you get a runner to push past mile 45 in an ultra-marathon?
… how do you arrest a full-blown freak out happening to a climber who’s facing a terrifying obstacle, high above the ground?

And more importantly, are any of these techniques transferable to us average folks??
 
I LOVED this conversation, and I learned some new techniques that are pushing me to higher ground.

AND my hope is that listening to this episode will do the same for you.
 
Click here to listen to my conversation with Dr. Chris Heilman.
 Show NotesWe covered a lot of ground in this conversation, but here are the ideas and tidbits that really knocked me out:

• Want to have the biggest possible impact on the world? Become the best version of yourself. What tends to hold most of us back are the stories we tell ourselves about what is possible. And while some of these stories are designed to keep us safe, some of them are outdated, misguided and downright false. And while we can’t control a whole lot in this lifetime, we can control our ability to sift through these stories to sort the useful from the hurtful.
• Thought patterns really do have physical consequences. Chris’s exercise using the “strength test” is an eye-opening experiment to see just how much our thought patterns influence the amount of physical strength we bring to bear in a situation.
• I loved hearing about Chris’s approach to dealing with negative thoughts. She calls her own negative mental storyteller “Bob” which is an acronym for “Big Old Bully.” Sometimes Bob shows up with some really vital guidance to keep you safe. But sometimes Bob is just there to mess with you, and to keep you playing small. I dug her approach to working with Bob so that she can peacefully co-exist with this aspect of herself. “Bob is a guest you can choose to welcome in, or slam the door if the situation demands it.” The key is to be in a good position to distinguish which strategy is right for the situation. 
• What if you accidentally let Bob in, even though you know it was the wrong call, and now you’re freaking out?? According to Dr. Chris, you hit Bob with the Triple A’s: Acknowledge. Accept. Act. First, acknowledge that you are having an attack of negative thinking. Don’t push it away or bury it. Call it what it is. Next, accept it. It’s ok and it’s perfectly natural for negativity to arise, especially if you’re attempting to play big. Be kind to yourself. Lastly, act. What can you do right now to improve your situation? This takes us into a place of choice and strength. Before you know it, Bob will be on his way out the door. Here's a link to a terrific blog post Dr. Chris wrote on this topic. 
• Joy drives excellence. Finding joy can seem like a luxury item, but it’s the key to peak performance. How might you find ways to incorporate more joy and pleasure into any aspect of your life you’re trying to improve on?
• Begin experimenting with listening to your own intuition, which is its own form of intelligence. Train yourself to notice when something “feels light or heavy.”
•  “ACE” your  Performance:  Attitude, Concentration, Enjoyment. 

ATTITUDE Before you begin something: check in with your attitude, because as Chris said, “Your attitude determines your altitude.” Your self-talk will determine your success (or lack thereof). If you find that your attitude is in the toilet, ask yourself what you need in order to get into a better head space. Do you need to wallow for a bit? Set a timer for 3 minutes and lean in to the wallowing. Or go for a walk, or listen to music that makes you feel good. Give yourself what you need, and then get back to business.
 
CONCENTRATION: Wherever your focus goes, everything follows. Do what you can to block out interruptions, and stay as present as possible. Before you begin something, ask yourself, how might I guard my focus and concentration?
 
ENJOYMENT: Ask yourself: how can I put a smile on my face right now? “Lose your mind and come to your senses.” Instead of indulging in negative self-talk, look around … what do you see? What do you hear? What can you feel?

​

• Meditation is key to peak performance. But it doesn’t have to be hard. Even a 1-minute breathing exercise (see below) counts as meditation. Choose a simple technique and stick with it every day. At first, it won’t seem like it’s having much of an impact, but trust that the benefits are pretty major, but they happen over time.
• Final thought … take a minute to ask yourself two questions: 

1. How am I playing small?
2. What would it look like if I decided to play big?
​
 Resources mentioned during our conversation:

• Connect with Dr. Chris via Instagram and Facebook @mindsetdr
• 5, 4, 3 Meditation: Take a walk and mentally name 5 things you can see, then 5 things you can feel, and 5 things you can hear. Next, name 4 things you can see, feel and hear. Lastly, name 3 things you can see, feel and hear. By the end of this exercise, you will feel far more present and engaged. I LOVE doing this meditation while I’m walking my dog.
• Square Breathing Technique: Close your eyes. Get centered. Make sure your seat bones have equal weight, and your spine is nice and long. Head should be equally balanced on shoulders, and go ahead and roll them up and down your back, just noticing your breathing. Don’t change anything, just notice. Next, imagine a square in your mind’s eye. Any color that you want (mine is rainbow). Notice all four sides of the square, as well as each of the four corners. Begin by bringing your attention to TOP left hand corner. Inhale and breathe down left-hand side. Pause at corner. Exhale across the bottom. Pause. Inhale up the right. Pause. Exhale across the top. Repeat. Then try and turn it into a rectangle by lengthening out the exhale, which triggers your “rest and digest” reflex—the opposite of the fight or flight reaction. Inhale for four, exhale for 4-8 seconds, pause. Repeat. I swear, I feel like I’ve had a nap after I do this for a few minutes."

​What People Are Saying...

"I’d have to say that the part [podcast interview] that stuck out or I related to the most was when you chatted on hitting “Bob” with the “Triple A’s”. I find it extremely beneficial in my personal and professional life…a balance I struggle with often but your techniques are helping me play big in a safe way for me :)"  -Katie

"Just tuned in on my commute home. Loved it!" -Jocelyn

"You are a marvel...I have been putting so much of this wisdom to use!!! Thank you for being you!!!" -Brownyn

The last time you heard from me was in February, I think?

That newsletter was hard for me to write. And even harder to send to you. 

For a high achiever where pushing is glamorized, it was difficult to admit that I needed to stop.

Then, I actually had to follow through with my words and the take steps to slow the eff down.   

Feeling utterly depleted and close to burn out, it felt like if I didn't do something NOW I was going to be diseased with a thyroid issue, cancer, or something of the like. That seems a bit dramatic. But that is what my gut was telling me.

Yet, I was hopeful.

I hoped that stopping would make me start again better and stronger than before.

And I was right! 

What supported me on this journey was creating a mantra, "Pausing is more powerful than pushing".

When things felt rushed, heavy, or overwhelming, I'd PAUSE instead of defaulting to my regular mode of pushing. And it's made all the difference.

• I'm sleeping better.
• I'm exercising on a consistent basis again...finally!
• I'm training to climb the Grand Teton with my husband in August.
• I created a group called Team Teton, empowering moms to have fun and get fit with kids in tow to role model vibrant health for ourselves and for our little ones. 
• I've had interviews with Runners World, MyFitnessPal, Black Diamond Equipment, and Living Beyond 120 for my expertise in mental training (more on that in future). 

It takes a tremendous courage to do the things that make you uncomfortable.

But that is probably exactly the thing that you need to do!

Since I enjoy adventures, testing my limits, and exploring the depths and limits of who I am, prioritizing down time is uncomfortable. And it has NOT been that easy.

The important thing is that I show up and I do my best.

Some days I push myself too hard exercising my body or working my brain to run a business and I wake up at 2 am and struggle to fall back asleep.
 
So, I don't have it all figured out.

Slowly, I am learning to appreciate the slower pace. Go slow to go fast.

Scientifically, I remind myself of Newton's 3rd Law of Motion (Action & Reaction).

Newton's 3rd Law states that for each and every action there is an equal and opposite reaction which means that when a force is applied on one object then there is an equal and opposite force that is opposed by another object. 

Relating this to my situation, the force of achieving, pushing, and testing my limits needs an equal and opposite force of resting, pausing, and relaxing in order for me to reach a higher level of performance and health.

And I think the same might be true for you too?! (from one high achiever to another...wink, wink)

If you are interested in learning more about how to champion your inner excellence to achieve challenging goals...without destroying your health and well-being in the process...

...then I'd be honored if you joined join me for a FREE 20-minute Consultation. I'd love to help you uncover the holes, hurdles, or hiccups holding you back and give you simple, straight-forward strategies you can use immediately to reach your full potential and enjoy yourself in the process.  

Until next time...be bold, move mountains. 

​I got something very vulnerable to tell you…
 
I’ve been struggling with insomnia since I got pregnant over four years ago.
 
While you’ll often find me smiling and giggling, I have a hard-charging personality that loves to push because stepping outside of my comfort zone is exhilarating!
 
I find the pushing, grinding, and testing my physical and mental limits fun because I have an opportunity to explore the depths and limits of who I am –discovering strengths and powers I didn’t know I had.
 
However, I have been pushing myself too hard, for too long.
 
For example, in my 20s I worked 60-80 hours/week as a university teacher and athletic trainer at the University of Wisconsin -Oshkosh. On top of my regular work week, I volunteered for ski patrol, trained as a search and rescuer, and competed in triathlons.
 
Now as a 40 year old mother of a toddler, I wrote a book while running a business, processing childhood trauma, and grieving for too many young mothers, fathers, and clients who left this world too soon.
 
Sadly, my fitness has significantly decreased because I simply don’t have the energy to do it all.
 
I’m wearing out.
I’m feeling depleted and rundown.
And I’m tired of being conditioned that to BE more means you DO more.
 
And I don’t think I’m alone.
 
That’s why I want to create a powerful new paradigm in human performance where we
…Balance winning with well-being.
…Exert effort with enjoyment and ease.
…Demonstrate flexibility rather than force.
 
Why?
 
Because I believe that grace is more powerful than grinding.
 
I believe that stopping and slowing down allows us the space to let go of the things holding us back.
 
I believe that rest is the root of living a life we want.
 
I believe if we take rest seriously, we are more healthy, well, and wise.
 
 
However, I have not been practicing what I believe.
 
And that’s okay –it happens to the best of us.
 
 
At the core, I want to better understand how to be the eye of the hurricane.
 
I want to be still and calm amidst the challenges we all face in our daily lives –in athletics, academics, work, wellness, and parenting.
 
But, I’m at a pivotal point where I want to, I need to, stop, slow down, and discover simple, yet profound practices that support mental, emotional, and physical health.
 
Why?
 
Because I’m burning out.
 
I absolutely love what I do. But, I’m doing too much.
 
If you live in busy mode for too long it keeps the sympathetic nervous system active –the part of our autonomic nervous system that manages fight-or-flight.
 
According to Karen Brody (2017) author of Daring to Rest, this puts stress on our entire nervous system.
 
The result?
 
Anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.
 
To reduce this stress, we must take time to activate the opposite part of our autonomic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system (rest-and-digest) –for balance.
 
For a quick fix, I teach athletes to exhale longer than they inhale because that activates the parasympathetic nervous system. But, when you’ve been in overdrive for too long this breathing technique is like putting a band-aid on a gaping wound.
 
It’s time for me to address the gaping wound, be brutally honest with myself, and be well-rested so that I can operate from my full power.  
 
 
I also think that in the world of sports with hard-charging athletes and coaches, this is a worthy conversation to initiate.
 
If we want to sustain achieving amazing feats of greatness, then we need to balance that with rest.
 
If we live in a culture that is obsessed with performance and productivity, then we need to balance that with rest.
 
If we live in a world that is over-heating –including ourselves, then we need to balance that with rest.
 
 
Rest is giving yourself non-active time to allow your mind and body the opportunity to restore and rejuvenate.
 
Rest means you are doing NOTHING!
 
Rest means quietly watching a sunset, sitting in a chair observing the beauty around you, or taking a bath…with bubbles!
 
Rest means taking a time-out.
 
Rest means allowing your body to relax and your thoughts to slow down.
 
 
I hear so many people, including myself, that are tired of feeling frazzled and fatigued because doing it all is bullshit.
 
Well, I’m courageously stepping away from my business and taking a break from working every day. 
 
This is hard for me! It’s easier to push than pause. It’s easier to be strong than to be still.
 
But, I’m being pulled to pause and be still.
 
And I want to honor that visceral instinct in the bottom of my gut.
 
I want to find a powerful place that leads me to feeling rested, energized, and empowered...to do what is important to me…to make a meaningful impact…to feel unstoppable again...and to share my findings with you!
 
Because stopping makes us start again better and stronger the next time.    
 
If this at all resonates with you, please send me an email. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic…even if you think I’m acting like a baby and need to suck-it-up, buttercup.  
 
Until next time…I dare you to rest.

My home ski resort, Grand Targhee, opened a couple months ago and what happened startled me.

I was... 
Giggling with glee.
Overcoming fears.
And soaring into the unknown.   
 
Here’s what happened…
 
My day of skiing started out in total amazement. 

Somehow I was lucky enough to be the first chair of the season on the Sacajawea chairlift skiing fresh, untouched, and bottomless powder (120” snowfall, 60” base)!
 
After giggling in glee and being covered in soft, white frosting for over an hour, I stopped in the ski patrol shack to thank them for working sooo hard to get the mountain open. I ski patrolled at this ski resort so I knew what a pain-in-the-ass it was to get the mountain open.
 
One of the patrollers said they were going to open the gates to Das Boat, a north facing slope with a cliff band to ski over or slide through –if you chose to partake.
 
Das Boat is opening for the first time this season and ski patrol is inviting me to be the first to ski it…HELL YEAH!
 
The gate opened!

I slide through, smiling.

My line of choice was to ski Sven’s Rock.
 
I hadn’t skied Sven’s Rock since 2007.

In 2007, I was ski patrolling and there was a report that a male snowboarder hucked off a rock and was hurt.
 
I was the first ski patroller to respond to the scene.

I decided to ski to Sven’s Rock to look for the injured party.

Surprisingly, I noticed my roommate...she was trying to soothe our injured friend under the rock.
 
With my heart pounding, I hopped over Sven's Rock and safely skied to my injured friend.
 
After my medical assessment, I backboarded him and skied him out…he broke his back.
 
 
Fast forward a decade... 

I'm approaching Sven’s rock for the first time in 10 years.

I start to notice old feelings emerge.
 
My heart is racing.
 
My breath is quick and shallow
 
And the butterflies in my stomach storm around like a swarm of bees.
 
I was nervous.

Really nervous!

I was overtaken with anxiety -bombarded with the fear of getting hurt if I hucked over Sven's Rock.
 
I was scared, but I overcame my fear.

Here's how:

First, I told myself…
"You know how to do this. You are a sport psychologist.”
(p.s. speaking in 3rd person helps….you’re dooping your brain into thinking it’s someone else so you don’t take yourself so seriously)
 
Second, I acknowledged my nerves... 
“It’s normal to be nervous in this situation.”
 
Third, I did a risk assessment...

• If I fell, I might not get hurt at all. Then, I’d get to ski some sick powder!
• If I did get hurt, then it's probable that I’d get bruised. Worst case scenario, I would likely break a rib.
• I decided that this was a risk I was willing to take.

 
Lastly, I did a quick evaluation to prime my mind for flow before I soared into the unknown.
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3  STEPS TO SEND IT: Priming Your Mind for Flow

1. Sigh: Stretching further than you can reach is often nerve-racking. Breathing is one of the best ways to check in with your mind and body and release any unnecessary tension. That’s why the first thing I do to prime myself for flow is to take a slow, rhythmic belly breath. I begin by taking in a deep, gentle inhale through my nose, allowing the breath to fill up my entire belly region in all directions –similar to a balloon expanding. Then, I consciously exhale out through my mouth, making an audible sigh to release tension. I take another full breath to center myself (Note: I am able to breathe, calm down, and center myself within 1-3 breaths because I’ve been practicing this for a long time. It’s called Cued Relaxation, details can be found in my book, Elevate Your Excellence). Deep, rhythmic breathing is helpful because when we are stepping outside of our comfort zone the sympathetic nervous system, the part of your autonomic nervous system that manages fight-or-flight response, is activated. To balance out the rush of stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, you must take time to stimulate the opposite part of the autonomic nervous system –the parasympathetic nervous system or rest-and-digest response. Deep breathing is one of the fastest way to do activate your parasympathetic nervous system and balance out your fight-or-flight. 
   
2. See It: After I’m calm and centered, I pause for a moment to take in all the smells, sounds, sights, and even tastes. I sense that everything is right…just as it should be. Next, I imagine skiing my line with as much detail and as much confidence as possible. Imagery is meant to evoke a positive sensory experience that empowers us to enjoy and embrace skiing at our best –especially when we are trying to send something that pushes our ability. There are more than 200 studies that support imagery as an effective mental training tool for optimizing performance (Cumming & Ramsey, 2009; Martin, Moritz, & Hall, 1999). In fact, highly skilled athletes are reported to use imagery more regularly than less accomplished athletes (Cumming & Hall, 2002). So, try experimenting with imagery to positively impact your performance.  
   
3. Statement: Finally, I tell myself the same thing I always tell myself when I’m scared and fearful, yet excited and committed to test my limits in skiing, “Breathe. Move. Breathe. Move.” Repeating choice words to yourself when you need to focus helps direct your mind away from self-defeating thoughts toward a more positive experience, thus helping you to stay in flow and perform at your best. 
   

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​
I begin to repeat the mantra in my head...“Breathe. Move. Breathe. Move.”
 
My skis start moving.
 
My breathing is deep and rhythmic.

I see my line.
 
I instinctively hop over the rock.
 
And PLOP!

I effortlessly dropped into deep, glorious powder.
 
This is awesome!
 
 
No matter what sport you’re in that feeling of transitioning from fear to flow is the same.

The moment before takeoff is exhilarating. 
 
And it never gets old.
 

If you’re looking for ways to fight your fears and win.
 
If you’re looking to fill your toolbox so you are better equipped to achieve amazing feats of mental and physical performance. 
 
If you’re looking for expert advice and actionable steps to be the strongest, healthiest version of yourself...in sports, wellness, or all walks of life.
 
Then, I invite you to invest in your most powerful asset…your mind.

Injuries suck.
 
The joy of testing your limits, connecting with like-minded people, and doing what you love is suddenly stripped away. During these uncertain times, it’s easy to get sucked into the pain cave.

But, is there a better way?
 
Can you take advantage of using mental training to aid in your recovery?
 
Joel Hatch, co-founder of Trail Manners a podcast series for trail runners, contacted me for an interview on just that. Joel has an injured friend who wants to know the optimal way to psychologically deal with an injury and what tools can be acquired during the recovery process.
 
I was psyched for the interview as this topic is close to my heart.
 
Because of my own athletic injuries in high school, my chosen career path was athletic training. For several years I practiced as a certified an athletic trainer for youth, collegiate, and Olympic athletes.
 
What I came to realize is that I not only helped athletes heal their injuries through physical rehab but more importantly I helped athletes recover from the mental misery of enduring an injury so that they could confidently return to play, which is one of reasons I quit my athletic training career, pursued a sport psychology doctorate degree, and started my business Mindset.
 
In the podcast interview, you’ll learn:
 

• Go F.A.R.
• Make a Suffering Inventory
• Reframe the Blame
• Imagery for Pain & Recovery
• Jar of Awesomeness

 
For a sneak peek into the interview, Go F.A.R. stands for Feel. Accept. Recover.
 
Feel: Honor the present. Injuries can sometimes be traumatic. Rather than deny your emotions and let them build until you burst, allow yourself to feel into hurt, anger, disappointment, and frustration (this is also true for a crappy training day or competition). Acknowledge the emptiness, despair, or confusion, but have a lightness on your face. As the adage goes, “This too shall pass”.
 
Accept: Pain is our resistance. Holding onto tension wastes precious energy. You can waste energy fighting against not wanting to be injured or you can accept your current situation and find ways to make the hardship an opportunity to make you stronger. Can you embrace the change versus fight against it?
 
Recover:  I know how hard it can be to feel and accept (I'm better at swallowing my emotions than letting the surface), but once you’ve made these adjustments you’re in a better head space for a speedy recovery. For example, have you ever went into a training session and felt like crap? Did you show up anyway and found a way to move on…maybe even have a superb training session? You are practicing resilience. And you can drum up these resources, and even refine them, during the injury recovery process so that you are mentally stronger and more confident for your return to sport. 
 
For more mental training tips, Click Here to listen to the 53-minute interview.

Sometimes in sports things go wrong.
Sometimes it’s because we’ve lost sight of what’s important to us.
Sometimes it’s because we fear failure.

However it happens, there’s a certain amount of mental misery that can occur. It can leave us feeling confused, hopeless and downright pissed off.

The questions we ask ourselves in these moments shapes everything.

Too many times I’ve seen athletes, including myself, stew on questions like, “WTF happened?” or “What’s wrong with me?” Or “How can I fix this?”

Rather than sliding down the slippery slope of negativity, I suggest taking a different approach.

Ask yourself: How is this perfect? 

If things have gone wrong...
there’s a good chance that there’s something you didn’t see.

Maybe it was something in yourself …like losing focus because your mind was dwelling on a mistake you made a minute ago.
Maybe it was something in the environment …like a distraction from the opposing team or bad weather conditions.
When things go wrong, it’s uncomfortable. It hurts. And sometimes we suffer. We instinctively put our blinders on and try to move through it as fast as possible.

But before breaking into a problem-solving sprint, it’s usually a good idea to slow down, take off your blinders and open yourself to different possibilities.

It’s worth setting some time to ponder on these sticky situations because it brings about greater self-awareness.

With awareness comes transformation, freedom and a higher level of performance.

EXERCISE: How is this perfect?
Set aside 5 minutes with a pen and paper to better understand how your situation is perfect.
This question is NOT interested in making you feel shame or faulting anybody.
This question IS interested in helping you to see what you haven’t seen before. Look at your situation and ask “How is this perfect?”

Try it now.

(It’s important, I’ll wait…)

 Now, let me ask you:
-->Did you learn something new?
-->How likely will you make the same mistake again?
-->Will you be a better player or person the next time this situation comes up?
Pretty powerful, right?

Next time when something goes wrong in sports, or in life, remember to take some time to slow down, take off your blinders and reflect on these 4 words: How is this PERFECT?

Despite being a pretty optimistic person (nickname Bubbles), I tend to be hard on myself. Mostly, I struggle with being an overachiever. I worry about doing my best, over think minute details and try to be excellent at EVERYTHING. 

If you’re anything like me, this pursuit of excellence can be exhausting.
That’s why I WORK HARD at...
Being resilient.
Being me.
And being mentally flexible.  
 
How?
 
By NOT being HAPPY 24-7.

Sure. Happiness can make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. But, I think the majority of people don’t talk about the DARKER SIDE of emotions because expressing fear, anxiety and disappointment OPENS you up to feeling vulnerable. It exposes your weaknesses (if there is such a thing).

Rather than adopting my typical SUCK-IT-UP mentality, INTERNALIZING my fears and PUSHING forward, I recently started scheduling a time to...
Get mad.
Get scared.
Get frustrated.
And ALLOW myself to feel my raw and often times confusing emotions. 
 
Why?
 
Carrying unneeded negativity inside of you is incredibly draining.

It takes up precious energy (which is a finite resources…when you run out, you run out) that could be better spent on things you really enjoy –like running, racing or reaching your peak potential.

Research (Csikszentmihalyhi, 1990; Thelwell & Greenless, 2006) shows that people who learn to manage their inner experiences feel
…strong,
…alert
…and at the peak of their abilities.
 
Living and performing your best, then, are something YOU can make happen.
 
How?
 
Well, you CAN'T BE YOUR BEST until you let go of your shit. Honestly. You can try to suppress your fears, doubts and frustrations, but you can’t avoid it forever. Trust me, I tried for several years. What I learned is that I can learn all the positive skills in the world, but it wasn't until I was brave enough to explore why I was afraid of the dark that I really started to excel.

You got to understand what’s holding you back and release it.
This is peak performance.
This is fully experiencing health and happiness.
 
Here’s how: 
FACE YOUR FEELINGS EXERCISE:
Grab a pen and paper. Set a timer for 1- to 15-minutes and feel into your fears and frustrations. Listen to the silly, self-sabotaging voices in your head. Then, give it a voice by writing it down. Free form. No holding back. Try starting your statements with a feeling (mad, sad, etc). You might be surprised how peaceful you feel when you’re done.

Here’s how I write my statements:

• Angry and confused when I don’t feel a sense of accomplishment, like during a bad workout/performance or not completing my to-do list.
• Deflated and depressed when I feel like I’m not good enough.
• Perturbed at people who drive too close to runners and bikers on the road.
• Fear of not being accepted for who I am.
• Afraid that if I explore the uncomfortableness and uncertainty of my darker side that I'll spiral down into a deep depression and never get out.

And for the days I’m full of spit and vinegar…WARNING these statement are bad-mannered.

• Fuck being good at everything.
• Fuck my poor performance.
• Fuck trying to please everyone.
• Fuck inner peace and happiness.

Aw, that feels better.
 
We often think that holding back and holding it all in makes us STRONGER. But learning how to acknowledge and let go of negative emotions as they arise FREES us from any perceived obstacles or struggles that are in our way (fear of not performing up to our expectations, afraid of what people think of us and not being accepted).
 
With practice, you begin to see that undesirable thinking and feeling is NOT BAD. It’s not a weakness. It doesn’t characterize who you are. It just is.
 
Plus, if you didn’t feel the ups and downs of your thoughts and feelings, then sports –and life would be pretty damn boring.

As Mihaly Csikszentmihalyhi (1990) said in his book Flow,
““The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. Optimal experience is thus something we make happen.”

Let’s make it happen!
 
ALLOW yourself to let go of all the layers that KEEP YOU from living and performing your best by acknowledging and accepting your thoughts and feelings.
 
Then, share your experience with me. Take the courageous plunge and make a comment below or send me an email and tell me all about it. I look forward to hearing from you!

When the national anthem started to rumble at the 2014 NFL season opener last Thursday night I made a comment that puzzled my friends.
 
I said, “I’m nervous”.
 
I wasn’t nervous that my Green Bay Packers were playing on the home turf of last years NFL superbowl champs, the Seattle Seahawks. I was nervous because hearing the Star - Spangled Banner sparked anxiety.
 
Why?
 
In my experiences competing as a gymnast, a boxer, and a long-distance runner, the Star - Spangled Banner meant it was GAME TIME.
 
That’s why I love sports.
 
Game time is an inescapable feeling of anxiety AND excitement.
 
Competing in sports, or getting back into fitness, are ways to accept a physical challenge. Enjoy it. And learn more about yourself.
 
I believe that through the magic of play the world lights up.
You become more open, more receptive and more alive than ever before.
It’s a place where the boundary of in here and out there disappears.
Your internal experience turns to an outward expression.
And you enter a state of self-fulfillment, pride, and joy.
You flow without boundaries.
 
But, because of FEARS surrounding the pressure to perform well in sports, and everyday life, game time can feel anything but playful.
 
Helping athletes move from fear to flow gets me jazzed.

That’s why I’m excited to share with you a pre-performance poem to help you unleash your power through play. It’s still a work in progress, but I wanted to pass it along because just like in competition --you have to place your best foot forward with what you got right now. Here's what I got...

Performance is a time to light it up.
Be bright and full of might.
Radiate with luster and glow.
 
Show up and Ignite.
Burst into flames.
Explode into your joyful performance flow.
 
Remember, you’ve logged long, hard hours.  
So, you deserve success.
You deserve to dazzle.
You deserve to show your strengths and powers. 
 
As you huff and puff,
Believe that you are good enough.
Trust me, you are powerful beyond measure.
This is what you need to treasure.
 
Let fun be your guide and you’ll do fine.
Now, go out and play…it’s Time-To-Shine.

It's my hope that this manifesto aids you in reaching a higher level of performance and personal excellence. My goal is to help as many people as possible live and perform to their unique potential. So if you liked this little manifesto, please share it with your team and friends.