“The mind leads the energies of the body-this is how it is.”
Tulku Thondup
Having coached and counseled at the NCAA, elite club, and high school levels for many years I understand traditional approaches intended to support student-athlete well-being and personal development do not always work. In fact, they can be counterproductive.
My Well-Being Coaching supports high school, college, club, world class, and professional athletes to grow as people first, athletes second. In an open, caring, and supportive environment we focus on your personal development by applying future focused positive psychology and self-compassion exercises designed to give you the courage and confidence to successfully address what is getting in the way of your felt sense of well-being.
As a result, you will be able to face your blocks directly, manage them, and even use them to your advantage as you learn new ways of caring about, and for, yourself while simultaneously manifesting courageous intention for moving in the direction that you want to go.
My Well-Being Coaching works synergistically with your performance goals. In-order-to maximize your potential, it is imperative that you fully address what is getting in the way. Typically, these blocks include worry, anxiety, self-doubt, self-criticism, and a case of the “shoulds.”. These can be transformed! (see Well-Being and Performance).
My doctoral dissertation research focused on the efficacy of positive psychology interventions for student-athletes as they transitioned from high school to college. Here is what I found:
POSITIVE INTERVENTIONS THAT WILL UNLOCK POTENTIAL AND MANIFEST WELL-BEING
Mindful Acceptance & Self-Compassion
Adopting a Growth Mindset
Super-Strength Development
Resiliency Skill Development
Hope & Optimism
Flow State Development
Self-Awareness
Self-Determined Motivation
Body Wisdom
Intentional Action
Getting on a Roll and Staying There
“The healthier one is the more likely they are to explore their vast potentiality, creativity, and mastery experiences.”
Abraham Maslow
WHY WE NEED A POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
“(When) our internal organization becomes faulty or poor with anxiety we perform badly.”
Moshe Feldenkrais
When our challenges are viewed from the lens of a deficit, we end up circling the drain. In- order-to stay afloat we are forced to use most of our energy to avoid getting sucked down. Exhausting!
According to positive psychology theorists, we rarely, if ever, get better by focusing on what is wrong. Instead, we need to view our limiting beliefs and life circumstances by looking through a different lens. That is, by recognizing and utilizing our gifts and strengths, becoming more self-compassionate, and manifesting courageous intention in the face of adversity.
Research on this approach is quite convincing (Thompson, 2017). In fact, not only do positive interventions lead to increased happiness and well-being they empower us to enhance our capacity for future success. We can even learn to create this success in advance! (Hypnosis).
In fact, research tells us people in positive emotional states are more likely to take on challenges and to exert power and volition in-the-midst of difficulty. (Dweck, 2005; Frederickson, 2001)
HOW MINDFULNESS & ACCEPTANCE CONTRIBUTE TO WELL-BEING
“If you begin to understand what you are without trying to change it, then what you are undergoes a transformation.”
Jiddu Krishnamurti
The Buddha famously decried that all life is suffering and as a result we tend to ride the roller coaster of enjoying the “good” and agonizing over the “bad.” But what if we were to adapt a mindset that life IS. What if we could learn to become more mindful of any thought or feeling, accept it without judgment, and then let it pass peacefully?
How would your life be different if you could add 5-10% more mindful, and compassionate, acceptance to your life happening as it is?
How would your performance be different if you could let go of self-doubt and self-criticism?