Confidence.
Welcome to my first official blog post! So happy you’re here!!!
In the 9 years I have been working with athletes, there has been a consistent struggle most face: a lack of confidence.
This blog post is meant to be more actionable; however, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the true impact that low self-confidence has on young athletes. Low self-confidence leads to a negative mindset, which then leads to a negative performance. That cycle will repeat and repeat and repeat until it becomes a habitual pattern. (I will be doing another blog post about habitual patterns and the brain at another time.) As we all know, athletes are holistic, meaning they are also students, friends, sisters, cousins, musicians, artists, activists, employees, etc. When we zoom out to the 10,000 ft view, low self-confidence can show up in all and any areas of your athlete’s life. If an athlete struggles with throwing a ball, making the goal, sticking the landing, learning the technique, etc. it remains in the sport. However, when an athlete struggles with self-confidence, it affects the person and not just the athlete.
Low self-confidence needs swift action. Action like provided below.
Tools for Increasing Confidence:
Daily affirmations - I recently made an Instagram post with a handful of affirmations to build confidence. Below are some great ones:
I deserve greatness, happiness, and love
I belong here
I am worthy of success
I trust myself
I love and accept myself no matter what others think
I love who I am and who I am becoming
I have endless potential
I define my success
Guided meditation - There are great guided meditations that focus specifically on confidence on YouTube and apps like Headspace and Insight Timer.
Accomplishment check-in - It is so easy for athletes to get caught up in where they are going and forget what they have already successfully overcome. Having a timeout to see and hear all that they have achieved, will allow them to gain perspective about their journey.
Confidence building journal prompts - Journaling is a great tool for introspection and adding in a prompt creates structure and focus.
What are 10 things you're really good at?
How can you love yourself more?
Write yourself a love letter.
What are 5 physical features you love about yourself?
What are 5 things you've done that you're proud of?
When do you feel the most confident?
How you can get involved:
Praise effort over outcome - The sports world is already so results driven, creating that needed balance for your athlete is crucial.
Be the model - If you or another important figure in their life struggles with confidence it is possible that they will mimic that behavior, internalize those feelings and behaviors as their own, and begin to alter beliefs and values based on what they are learning from outside sources.
Utilizing empowering words - When an athlete is struggling with confidence, using phrases like the examples below can be incredibly helpful.
"I trust you to make the decision that's best for you."
"You are such a problem solver. You will 100% figure it out."
"I'm so excited to see what you create on your own"
Get inquisitive about their internal dialogue without any judgement - Your athlete has a mind filled with perceptions, beliefs, thoughts, judgements, emotions, stories, etc. that even they don't quite understand. By lovingly and objectively questioning them, you allow your athlete to analyze their mind.
Overall tips:
The frustrating part of all of this is that your athlete is the only one who can decide that they're ready to feel confident.
Know when to seek support. At times the love and support of a parent isn't enough or isn't what an athlete needs. There are plenty of amazing coaches, therapists, and counsellors that focus on specifically supports children, teens, and young adults.
ENDLESS LOVE,
Sarah Mueller
Owner, Elevation and Success LLC
