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As I was coaching over the weekend, a student’s parent asked me about how to deal with stress as an athlete. I have been feeling more stress than usual the past few days so I thought that this would be a great topic to share my thoughts about.
So, what exactly is stress?
Stress is how the brain and body react to a demand. Athletes, like myself, are often in high demanding situations where stress can actually motivate us to perform. Also, when in danger, our body becomes stressed as it goes into fight or flight mode. When stress is constant for long period(s) of time, or existent after the demand, it can be harmful to your health. If the stress response carries on for prolonged periods of time, it can suppress the immune system, digestive, sleep, and reproductive systems.
What sparks stress?
A specific event(s) can bring upon stress but other times its just getting caught up in the fast pace of life. Sometimes I get too far ahead of myself and my body freaks out a little. When this is the case, I try my best to make time for myself. Taking a moment to reflect, regroup, and bring myself to a calmer place. Stress is a natural part of life; how you cope with it can prevent stress from being a negative part of your well being.
What should be done to avoid stress?
Like I mentioned before, stress is a natural part of life. It can not be avoided; but rather, managed. I believe managing your stress is very important to your health. Being an athlete, I experience stress from the dreams and goals I want to achieve along with daily routine stress. It is essential for me to make sure my pile of thoughts and stressors doesn’t get too big for me to handle. Some of my body's signals for stress are feeling tired, sluggish, defeated or sad. The most important thing I've learned from my past is to notice these signals, acknowledge them, and take action.
How do I manage my stress?
Earlier this week, I was asked the question “How do you manage stress?”; the answer is different for everyone. There are many different ways to control stress in your life and I am happy to share some of the ways I manage mine.
About three years ago I learned transcendental meditation. It is a type of silent mantra meditation practiced twice a day. With an active mind like mine, practicing TM has helped me clear my head of its many thoughts, leaving me feeling happier. I also find that talking about my feelings and voicing my thoughts gives me a sense of relief. Whether it’s talking to a friend, family member, or coach, expressing my emotions out loud gives me peace of mind. I think it's important to have someone you can talk to, to avoid ever feeling alone.
Over the years I have learned how to manage my stress during a training day, and I am definitely still learning!
When my skating is not going the way I like, I begin to feel stressed. If I am having a bad session, I quickly become frustrated and upset. This does no good for my body or my skating; my body starts over compensating, I tend to put my self down, and my mood is not so pleasant. However, I’ve learned to acknowledge the stress I feel instead of carrying those feelings into the next session. That being said, acknowledging those negative feelings is not the easiest. Any path to success comes with hard days, difficulties, and struggles. Accepting the process, the hard moments, and not letting them take control is what keeps me moving forward.
One morning earlier last week, I was moving slower than usual and was in a bit in a rush to get out the door. Without realizing it, my body never calmed down from my frantic morning as I arrived to the rink. I warmed up as usual but once I stepped on the ice to begin my session, things just felt difficult. I was rushing into all my elements and things felt hard. I was definitely not relaxed nor was I enjoying myself. The harder I tried the more stress I was adding to my pile. This added stress left me feeling upset and bad about myself as I got off the ice. I knew I needed to take a moment for myself before I got back on the ice for my next session. I was able to talk out what I was feeling and leave it in the locker room. I was mad at myself for the way I was acting and decided to give my head a “time out”. Leaving my active brain in the locker room and going on to the ice a little freer, I felt lighter and motivated. I went on to skate two sessions feeling good, happy and super accomplished. One of my coaches said to me “Wow Olivia, you’re on fire!” I told him I left the active part of my brain in the locker room for a time out. Still the same girl, just with a little weight off my shoulders. When we let stress take over, it prevents us from feeling the joy in the things we love to do.
The takeaway!
Life is busy, and we tend to get caught up in it. If you are ever feeling like stress is getting in your way, find some time for yourself. A yoga class, meditating, talking to someone, or whatever helps you reach a sense of inner peace, the time is for you. In the long run, time for yourself will make a difference on your overall health and happiness.
A smile is stronger than you may think, it can change your attitude and anyone around you because smiling is contagious! So do yourself a favor and those around you and share a smile!
