Category: Make It Happen - ALLIED ATHLETES

ALLIED ATHLETES

How to Get Motivated

8/3/2019

We, as people, we are resilient. We grow, we change, no matter what comes our way. I think that’s what makes us pretty special, no matter what our external circumstances are. We are able to push past those difficult times. So when you’re having a rough day, think about how much you have overcome. Gain some strength from that!

When you feel like "everything is happening to me"...

See what you can do to shift this narrative. Identify what actions you can take to play the main role in your story. Life can be tricky. Make room for yourself and what you need. Take the time to reconnect with people who know you as the wonderful being that you are. Ask your friends what they admire about you? We all need those reminders from time to time.

BE open & Flexible.

You might not know it, but something will come your way that will make you smile, if you’re open to it. It reminds me of that Jack Kerouac phrase about pursuing the “road less taken”. From a literal standpoint, maybe, if you take a new route home, you might run into some friends that you haven’t seen for some time, or you might see the mountains from a new perspective. Or it might be just as boring or predictable. The reason I bring up this openness, is that sometimes if we are open to something, we will land upon something that might spark something within us.

Trust Yourself.

I know, it’s definitely not an easy task. So how do we go about trusting ourselves? Start taking small actions that please you and only you. If you want to be bold, try something without worrying about how your actions might affect others. Of course, I am giving you the benefit of the doubt that you are kind and respectful when you try these new things. Why would these actions matter? You’re practicing what feels good to you! You’re putting yourself first, and therefore, you’ll be better equipped to make decisions that align with you and what makes you happy. Trust that you will have the skills to continue despite the rough patch you might be encountering.

HOW CAN I STAY MOTIVATED?

7/14/2019

You've set your goal. Maybe you're focusing on getting more sleep. Maybe you're trying to practice mindfulness three times a week. Whatever your goal is, it's normal for your excitement and motivation to vacillate. The novelty may have worn off or maybe you're still energized. Just like we're completing a puzzle, new habits take time. Change isn't necessarily linear, even though we'd sometimes like it to be.

Here are 4 ways to cope with progress and bumps along the way.

1. Go easy on yourself!

Unfortunately, I think society has taught us that if we encourage ourselves, we'll remain complacent and not remain focused. I'm here to tell you that that's not the case! We don't need to criticize ourselves to be motivated. So when you're adjusting to new habits, acknowledge every step that you've taken. It's the small changes that lead to larger ones. So every time you accomplish something--even if it's going to bed 10 minutes earlier, celebrate and revel in this step!

2. Try not to make too many changes at once.

If we go back to the puzzle analogy, what if we placed the puzzle on a rubber ball. It'd fall to pieces. I'm not saying that you'll come crashing down if you go for multiple changes! It's just that you'll set yourself up for success and be more likely to follow through and accomplish your goal if you only focus on one change.

3. Patience

It takes time. I'm not perfect and patience is definitely one of those virtues that I continue to work on. It's like the puzzle, if you take a break from working on the puzzle, you'll be more likely to add more pieces to it when you return to the puzzle.

4. Roll with the Discomfort

Because you’re implementing changes, recognize that it will be uncomfortable. Acknowledging that you’re uncomfortable can alleviate some of these feelings. Now how does that work? We’re validating our experience and we’re recognizing it through a more objective lens. By avoiding the discomfort, you are more likely to compound this discomfort. We can also tell ourselves that it’s not something that has become nature YET.

In these worksheets, you will find a series of prompts and exercises ...
So that you can start ACHIEVING your goals now!
You will gain tools to CRUSH your endless to-do list.
You will find that EASE and COMFORT.

YES, I'M READY TO CONQUER PROCRASTINATION!

How to overcome your fears

7/7/2019

1. Visualize
Visualization is not only for athletes. It's been shown through studies that imagery helps us gain confidence.

So how do you use guided imagery to overcome your fears?
Write down the specific details of your fear.

Use all your senses to imagine this situation. Imagine the sounds and smells surrounding you. The idea is that you will access all the details of this feared situation. As you close your eyes, see yourself feeling confident. What does your posture show about your confidence? Imagine yourself handling the situation smoothly, whether you are using words and performing an action.

2. What's the worst that could happen?
Detail the worst scenario. Elaborating upon our fears can elicit the underlying issue related to our fear. Maybe it's the fear of being alone or the fear of not trying. Writing down these fears can take the power out of it.

3. Write a list of skills and apply them to your fear.
You're right--the worst scenario might be downright awful. It's hard when we don't know how things will turn out, but acknowledging that we have the courage and skills to get through this situation can alleviate some of our concerns. If you want to get extra credit, write about past experiences didn't go "well" and write about what you did to overcome these difficult circumstances. Reflecting upon our growth and our resources can help us work through our fears.

getting sick of setting goals?

7/1/2019

Goal-Setting: Connecting our Pros & Cons List with our Thoughts

Do you ever feel like, "I don't think I need to change "? Maybe it's about staying who you are, while shifting some of your habits.
If you're thinking about changing, it can be helpul to think about different obstacles or what might interfere with making this adjustment. Sometimes change is anxiety-provoking. Pros & Cons lists can highlight our level of motivation for altering our behaviors.

Here's an example: "I want to go to two yoga classes per week"

Pros:
"I will feel accomplished after going to yoga"
"I will feel more relaxed after the class"
"I want to take care of my body"

Cons:
"I have to get someone to watch the kids if I go"
"I don't know where to start. There are so many different yoga studios"
"It costs a lot, and I don't know if I can attend consistently to make it worthwhile"

Thoughts distracting me from the goal:
"I'm too tired"
"I want to hang out and relax after work "

We can shift this thought by using our "Pros" from our list:
"I might be tired, but I will relaxed after going to yoga."
"I might not want to go to yoga, but I will feel proud of myself for going to yoga"

Which parts can you relate to when making a shift?

How do you overcome procrastination?

6/24/2019

Do you expect yourself to be perfect? Having high expectations for ourselves is a positive. When we're too hard on ourselves, it can keep us in inaction.

Break it down into more reasonable chunks.

Have someone hold you accountable. Let your friends and family know that you have to complete certain tasks. Make them text you to make sure that you're getting it done!!

It's okay to re-visit the task on our list. We might not do it correctly on the first try, but we can always edit or come back to it.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH PROCRASTINATION?!!

Here are some things to try if you feel nervous or want to procrastnate more. :P

TEMPERATURE: Bring a frozen water bottle and place it on your forehead before the big event.

RAISE YOUR HEART RATE: Do some jumping jacks to decrease your anxiety.

BREATHE: Take a deep breath and hold in for 4 seconds. Breathe out for four seconds.

PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION: Tense and relax each muscle group starting with your toes and move up your body until you've reached the top of your head.

How do you cope with your nerves?

STicking to our goals when we're tired

6/20/2019

When I'm tired, I'm less likely to be mindful. I was in a meeting and I wasn't fully aware of how I was soaking up other people's anxiety. Next time, I'd like to remind myself that I might be tired and it might be harder for me to be aware of others who might affect me.

Some reminders about stress and what might get in the way of sticking to our new goals:

Identify situations that might drain your energy levels. Anticipate that it might be harder to stay with your goals when you're tired. List difficult situations and how you will cope with them ahead of time. It takes more energy to cope with stress. When we're tired, it's harder for us to maintain self-control.

Think about how schedule changes or unpredictable events might shift your behavior.

Studies show that those who did not attempt to change their affective state were better able to perform tasks requiring pain and physical stamina.

WHAT SITUATIONS HELP YOU MAINTAIN SELF-CONTROL?!

Muraven, M. & Baumeister, R.F. (2000). Self-regulation and depletion of limited resources: Does self-control resemble a muscle? Psychological Bulletin, 126(2), 247-259.

An exercise: List 5 small shifts you'd like to make

6/14/2019

For each of these, write down how WILLING you are. What's motivating you to achieve this goal?
What's your level of READINESS to make this change? Could you start working on this goal consistently and over a long period of time?

Now reflect upon your CONFIDENCE level for each of these changes. When have you done something similar to this goal?

Do your goals align with your values?

Write down each of your values. The purpose of this exercise is to gain some insight into how we spend our time and if these activities exemplify what is meaningul to us.

List your activities related to work, home, and leisure.
Rank each of your values (10=most meaningful, 1=least meaningful)
Write down the value associated with each activity.
Example:
Value=hard-work; Activity=work
Value=family; Activity=time with parents

What did you learn about yourself? What was helpful about this exercise? What didn't you like about it?

Are you always on the go?!

Where are you in the process of change?

Stages of change
Stages of Change

Precontemplation
▪ No intention to change behavior
▪ “I have faults but there is nothing I really need to change”

Contemplation
▪ Considers changing behavior in the future
▪ “I wish I had more ideas on how to solve my problems”

Preparation
▪ Plans to make a change within a month
▪ “I have decided to make a change in two weeks”

Action
▪ Engages in new behavior
▪ “I am doing OK but I wish I was more consistent”

Maintenance
▪ New behavior has become habitual

Prochaska, James O.; Norcross, John C.; DiClemente, Carlo C. (1994). Changing for good: the revolutionary program that explains the six stages of change and teaches you how to free yourself from bad habits (1st ed.). New York: William Morrow and Company.

Because I'm running from one thing to the next, I'll prioritize what needs to get done for work vs. family vs. fun/friends/taking care of myself.

Sometimes we plan and then something more pressing comes up so...

I'll think about how much time I anticipate the task to take, and then I'll usually add on an extra 10-30 minutes. That way, if something comes up unexpectedly, I won't get as frustrated and adjust the amount of time needed for that task that needs to be completed.

IS YOUR TO-DO LIST ENDLESS?

I used to worry about all the things I needed to do for the day.
Priorizing has lessened my anxieties.
How I generally break tasks down into chunks:

What needs to be accomplished...
In 1 hour?
In 3 hours?
By the end of the day?
By tomorrow?
In 2 days?
You get the idea!

Have you ever abandoned your goals before you saw the results?!

6/12/2019

I can relate. I used to avoid goals because I didn't know where to start. I thought that if I didn't set the goal, I wouldn't have to disappoint myself.

I no longer worry about giving up along the way. Now I've realized that "thinking big" means breaking the goal into smaller chunks and being kind to myself.

It means knowing what obstacles you might face along the way. But now with that self-awareness, you can continue to chase those dreams and transform them into realities!!

Before, I'd find ways to talk myself out of setting goals because I'd be so overwhelmed by the idea of starting. I only looked at the end result and thought, "There's no way".

I had no idea that it meant making small adjustments. With each shift, I found myself gaining confidence and seeing progress overtime.

Do you procrastinate?

5/28/2019

Break down those tasks into smaller chunks

Write down all the tasks that need to be completed related to the larger task. Let's say that you have to return an item by mail. The smaller tasks might include finding the return slip or the address, getting postage, and going to a UPS drop-off center.

Set a timer

For those tasks that we're really not looking forward to doing or ones that we've been avoiding, set a timer for 20 minutes. Most likely, you'll continue working past 20 minutes once you get into the groove.

Think about how you'll feel afterwards

There's nothing like that gratifying feeling when you check something off your list. Maybe this means finishing one of the tasks required for the bigger task.

Yes, we all have those moments when we wait until the last minute to get something done. Here are some tools to keep in mind to work with your procrastination because we won't always be perfect and on top of things.

5 Ways to better sleep

4/23/2019

I’ve always had trouble maintaining a regular sleep schedule. I’m not sure if you feel that your sleep cycle gets off kilter when you go out for a night and then you’re tired for the next few days. After a few more days, you feel sleep-deprived. You can’t seem to wake up at five thirty because you went to bed at two a.m. the previous night. You’re not alone.

1. Meet up For Coffee

Have someone hold you accountable to meet you for coffee or for a walk. You'll have a reason to wake up early and you won't want to miss meeting that person in the morning. Having a friend call you is a bigger motivation. Make it into a fun game where you can try to wake up before the person calls.

2. Remind yourself that you'll be happier

We’re all in a better mood and think more clearly when we get more sleep. Even studies show that college students experience more positive moods and are more extraverted when they get better sleep. Focus on the benefits of getting to bed an hour earlier. If the motivation is coming from within, we are more likely to follow through with the desired behavior.

3. Find a nightly routine

An hour before bed, create a bedtime ritual. Whether that means turning off the lights and getting out your favorite book (on Kindle or in tangible form), do something relaxing on a nightly basis. When you start to do this activity, your body will associate bedtime with this activity.

4. Watch your caffeine intake

I’m definitely guilty of this. We all need our caffeine. If you need your daily cup of coffee, see if you can stop drinking coffee by 3pm. This way, your body has time to rid of the effects of coffee before you go to sleep. Studies show that coffee intake six hours prior to sleep can disrupt sleep quality.

5. Invest in a bedtime tea

Sometimes I think that it’s the act of drinking tea that is calming. In the case that we're trying to get better sleep, avoid caffeine-based teas before bed. Herbal teas including valerian root, chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm can reduce stress and anxiety.

Amsterdam, J.D., Li, Y., Soeller, I., Rockwell, K., Mao, J.J., & Shults, J. (2009). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of oral Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized anxiety disorder. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 29(4): 378-82.
Drake, C., Roehrs, T. Shambroom, J., & Roth, T. (2013). Caffeine effects on sleep taken 0, 3, or 6 hours before going to bed. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 9(11): 1195-1200.
Gray, E.K. & Watson, D. (2002). General and specific traits of personality and their relation to sleep and academic performance. Journal of Personality, 70(2): 177-206.

Interested in learning more? Contact me!

In these worksheets, you will find a series of prompts and exercises ...
So that you can start ACHIEVING your goals now!
You will gain tools to CRUSH your endless to-do list.
You will find that EASE and COMFORT.

YES, I'M READY TO CONQUER PROCRASTINATION!