Boosting Self-Confidence

Slowly but surely, things are going to open back up and return to “normal”. As gyms, practices, and lessons begin to resume, it is going to be extremely important to maintain a healthy level of confidence. Coming back from an extended period of time away may be similar to returning to a sport after an injury. Unlike an injury, you’ve been able to work out and practice on your own while we’ve been “sheltering in place”. However, coming back to practice may initially feel a little unfamiliar.

Here are a few things you can do to boost your self-confidence and come back to practice strong:

Focus on One or Two Goals at a Time– You do not want to overwhelm yourself by taking on too many goals at one time. Take some time to methodically think through everything you’d like to accomplish when you return to practice. Then prioritize the goals and set deadlines for each one. Think about what you can do each day to help you get closer to reaching each goal and write those steps down. Next, focus on the first two goals on your list, and make sure you take those little steps each day to bring yourself closer and closer to accomplishing them. Focused attention will allow you to reach your goals quicker, and then you can move on to the next goal on the list.

Keep a Log of Accomplishments and Remember Your WHY– Keeping a journal that lists out all of your accomplishments is a great way to boost your confidence. Being able to look back on things that you’ve overcome and accomplished, will help motivate you to continue pushing for your goals! Remembering your WHY is also crucial. Why are you involved in your sport? You probably have more reasons other than doing it just because “it’s fun”. Think about why you do your sport and let that guide you through seemingly difficult times. Having a strong WHY, and the belief that you can accomplish everything you set out to accomplish, will guide you to success.

Prove to Yourself Why You CanBe Confident – Take out a journal and write out anything (skills, technique, form, execution, etc.) that you may not feel very confident with. There is always a reason for experiencing a decrease in confidence. Think back to when that belief was formed and what caused it. After you determine why you experienced a decrease in confidence, find evidence to prove that limiting belief to be untrue. Do not let a belief, built on an overly-emotional, irrational thought, dictate your level of self-confidence!

These are some tangible things you can do to maintain a positive head-space as you begin to return to practice. Stay focused, stay positive, stay realistic, and keep dreaming big. You will reach your goals! It’s time to go back to work!

Emily Williams, MA, Owner
Champion Mindset Consulting LLC