Here are ten little mental notes that give you insight into the fundamental philosophies that we focus on in our work with people.
1 Treat your mind like a muscle
Meaning: You can optimise the way your mind functions through learning about yourself and your mental approach. To make changes to the muscles in your body, you have to make time to activate, strengthen, stretch, and recover them. This applies to your mind; you have to make time to work at the changes and improvements you desire. We will encourage you to dedicate time for changing your mindset.
2 Be aware of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours
Meaning: Pay attention to what you think, the words or images you use, when you think these words or images, and then how these thoughts influence and interact with how you feel and behave. We will encourage you to embrace awareness as the stimulus for change.
3 Take responsibility for your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours
Meaning: You are in charge of the type of thoughts you have and as a result if you are happy with them, keep them, and if you are unhappy with them, then work at changing or ignoring them! We will encourage you to be the master of your mind.
4 Shake up your extremely clever, but inherently lazy brain
Meaning: Human brains like patterns and trends so they can take the most common path – the one of least resistance, the one that requires the least amount of energy. So to make change you will have to force your brain to work hard, use more energy than it wants to, so that you influence changes in your typical patterns. We will encourage you to make the effort to make positive changes in your life.
5 Aim for one step at a time
Meaning: Slow your thoughts down by focusing on one task at a time and being engaged with that one task. Multi-tasking is pretty much a farce and results in a very busy, exhausted brain. We will encourage you to adopt a simpler form of thought management to gain energy!
6 Engage in tall, open, and strong body language
Meaning: The way you move and behave sends messages back to your brain, which influences your internal emotions, in addition to influencing your presence with others. We will encourage you to experience the benefits of poses that generate internal and external positive power.
7 To relax your mind through optimal breathing techniques
Meaning: The link between your psychology and physiology is an imperative key to being able to relax. Engaging in exercises that help you to become an efficient breather will help you to relax your mind. We will encourage you to learn, practice, and integrate breath work into your day-to-day life.
8 Set goals to direct, motivate, and activate
Meaning: Having purpose and focus initiates action. Taking action is one of the most important elements to achieving the changes you want in your mental approach. We will encourage you to set your intentions and become a ‘doer’.
9 Look on the bright side of life
Meaning: Optimists are happier and healthier and more successful… So, it’s worth training your mind to view life in a positive light. We will encourage you to embrace that you choose your thoughts, so you can choose to always look on the bright side of life!
10 Bounce back from mistakes, failures, mishaps, and undesirable experiences
Meaning: The best way to respond to and deal with mistakes is to learn, dust yourself off, and have another go. We will encourage you to become resilient in the face of adversity.
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Andrea Furst PhD | Sport & Exercise Psychologist CPsychol HCPC Registered
Get in contact with Andrea – andrea@mentalnotespsych.com. Andrea is based in London and provides both face-to-face and virtual sport psychology services to athletes worldwide.