the tuesday transition - issue 42
February 14, 2023: I’m not that into holidays. I don’t need a special day for anything because I’m fully invested in celebrating everything that’s good EVERYDAY. Every time I get out of bed in the morning I strive to celebrate and enjoy what comes my way.
But today I’ll jump on the bandwagon, because on this Valentine’s Day I do want to share a message of love. A message of SELF-LOVE in the form of helping soccer players put themselves first by gaining the #1 tool that they need to start getting out of their head, stop the overthinking, keep the self-doubt at bay and FINALLY be able to move towards true, stable confidence and strong belief in themselves and their abilities.
The biggest, greatest act of self-love that a soccer player can do for themselves is commit to the hard work of self-reflection and introspection.
Aka gain self-awareness of the way our mind works. And then use that self-awareness to expand our game to new levels we never thought possible. Being self-aware is where you start your journey toward becoming a better, more mentally prepared soccer player. It is only when you have self-awareness that you can begin to EFFECTIVELY make changes to the mental side of your game.
Mental skills training only works if you are TRULY INVESTED in digging in. It only works if you are ready to do the hard work of holding a mirror up and looking at where you have room to improve and grow. Gaining self-awareness can be one of the hardest pieces of starting mental skills work because it can be REALLY DIFFICULT to look at yourself objectively and actually identify what is going on.
Self-awareness in soccer has two pieces. The first is consistently working to gain better self-awareness of our mental and emotional processes through looking back at things via reflection. The next step up is helping ourselves learn how to be self-aware IN THE MOMENT, basically meaning being aware of our thoughts, feelings & actions as we are doing them, not just noticing later via reflection.
So - what act of self-love can you take this week to start working on growing your self-awareness?
Here are some ideas for simple things you can do right now:
1 – Pay attention to your inner state by frequently checking-in with yourself (How do I feel? Where is my head at right now? Am I in my optimal mental state? If not, how can I get there? What types of thoughts are playing in my head right now? What actions am I taking, are they reactions or responses?)
2 – Start a journaling habit to begin processing your thoughts through writing. This is very similar to checking-in, only this allows you more time and space to rest, think, and get deeper with your introspection.
3 – Dive into a meditation practice. Not only does meditation help you become more self-aware and in tune with how you feel and your current mental state, it also immensely helps you increase your focus and ability to play with composure on the soccer field {read our meditation guide for beginners here}
4 – Begin trying to actually feel your feelings, you don’t need to cover them up or pretend they don’t exist even though that is the message that the world around you often gives. Pay attention and get curious to what you feel. When you are fully aware of how you FEEL, then and only then, can you move toward emotion regulation – which means choosing how you respond instead of letting your emotions run the show through reaction.
Self-awareness IS self-love. Self-awareness IS putting yourself first. Self-awareness is standing up for yourself, having your own back, and telling your inner critic that they are yesterday's news.
On that note – Happy Valentine’s Day,
💎 What I’m digging: This amazing quote from Carson Tueller on his Instagram spoke to me today as soon as I saw it, “Overcoming my fears and anxieties happens most quickly when I actually do the things I’m afraid of.”
👩🏽💻 What I’m reading: This fun story about the Hocking twins being the first ever set of sisters ever drafted in the same NWSL Draft!
🎧 What I’m listening to: 3 Ways to Start Changing Your Mindset from Jon Acuff’s All it Takes is a Goal podcast is on my to-listen list this week
Grow your confidence through preparedness.
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Hi everyone! I’m Jenn and I create content to help female soccer players and coaches maximize individual and team potential by developing healthy mindset skills. Join other subscribers and sign up for the newsletter for all my best tips and advice!
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