Now that COVID-19 restrictions are easing, and athletes and coaches can return to sport, it’s time for everyone to reflect on what life has been like for the past year and a half. I think everyone can agree it’s bee
n difficult (to say the least). However, when it comes to going through hard times, or just life in general, it’s important to reflect on everything- the good, the bad and the ugly.
Take a second to reflect on the past year and a half. What was bad? I’m sure you came up with a tonne of answers.
What was good? Maybe not as many answers for that one. This is because as humans, we tend to dwell on negative experiences rather than positive ones. So let’s try and turn that around! One silver lining that everyone can take away from the pandemic is our ability to be resilient/mentally tough.
What is resiliency? It’s our ability to ‘bounce back’ from adversity. It relates to our ability to handle stress, pressure and challenges through a range of psychological skills. It’s basically our mental suit of armour. The past year and a half has brought about plenty of adverse situations and challenges, and we have had to deal with them in order to live our lives.
Take the time to think about a specific challenge you have faced and you overcame it. The more adverse situations you face in your life, the more mentally tough you will become. And being mentally tough doesn’t just mean putting on a brave face and not letting situations impact you negatively!
It means being prepared, emotionally intelligent, confident, motivated, focused and positive. All of these things can be applied to situations that you find yourself in every day.
Sports psychology is not just for athletes- it’s for everyone.
A big thanks to Aoife Callaghan for this piece. Aoife currently runs AC Performance psychology if you'd like to see more.
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