I consider myself a positive person. While I know life isn't always sunshine and rainbows, I take pride in my ability to maintain a positive perspective. But even with my positive outlook, 2020 was a doozy, and so far 2021 has started off in similar fashion. What once was normal is no longer, and we find ourselves in this ground hog day like world. If you're like me, you're missing social interactions, travel, adventure, and simply walking down the street to your go to spot for a bite to eat.

While I miss those things, the lessons learned from this past year are not lost on me. I've learned patience and resilience, flexibility and adaptation. And perhaps my favorite  take away of all, something I've known but truly lived this past year, is that I CAN DO HARD THINGS. And so can you. In fact, you too have been doing hard things. Between working from home to facilitating virtual learning to social distancing to putting your mental health at the forefront, hard things are happening all around us. And whether we like it or not, these hardships have lessons embedded in them that we  can carry with us in life.

As a small business owner in the field of mental performance, this year has been especially hard. The influx of new clients has all but dried up and youth sports leagues have been cancelled for months. It's been hard for sure, but HARD IS TEMPORARY.  I remind myself of this often in my own life, and it's been the hottest topic in conversations with my current clients. Yes, this year is hard. But hard is temporary. I try to ask myself what I've learned this year, what I can do to prepare for "normal" life to return, and how I can use this time to better myself and my business.

How can you adopt this mantra? For some, it'll take a fake it til you make it approach. For others, maybe writing it down and posting it where you'll see it often. And for some, you may need more support. Either way, you can do hard things.

If you find yourself in a rut with the monotony of our current reality, or struggling to get through the hard stuff, try reminding yourself that not only can you do hard things, but hard is temporary! You got this!

DM me if you'd like to chat more about this or would like to set up some meetings.

Until next time...

KL

Focus is a common topic, not only in sports, but also in life. The key is to do your best to stay focused on the task at hand, remain in the moment, and redirect your mind back to that task at hand when it starts to wander.

Many common causes that can contribute to the loss of focus are known as internal and external distractions. Internal distractions can be things such as thoughts, heart rate, feelings, and/or emotions. External distractions can be things like fans, coaches, players, or weather. It's important to take note on what causes you to lose focus so it can be addressed on the fly.

Below are a few tips to help you focus or refocus during a game:

Pre-game walk through. In your pre game prep, walk the field and identify a place on or around that field that can become your refocusing go to that day. For example, one of the corner flags, a tree behind one of the goals, or even the whistle in your hand. Commit to these visuals as the thing that will bring your focus back to the task at hand when you need it.

Work together with your crew. Before the game, get together and chat with your fellow referees about your game plan and preferences. Being on the same page can help you stay focused on your role that day. 

Focus cue word. Before you even step on the field, identify a cue word or phrase that can help redirect your focus. For example, something as simple as "focus" or something like "here and now" can help trigger you to focus on what you want and when you need it.

Breathe. Sounds simple, but sometimes a few deep breaths can trigger you back to focusing on the moment. Breathing can help you relax between plays (stoppages, half time, etc) and give you the opportunity to check your surroundings. Pairing your breathing with you cue word or phrase can really make a big difference.

Stay in the moment. Your job is to facilitate the rules and integrity of the game and the safety of the players. Because making calls are part of your role, own the ones you make.  Dwelling on past calls keep you stuck in past moments and unable to be present in the now. Make a call, own it, move on. Leave it in the past so it doesn't influence your present and future.