Find a quiet,
Comfortable space where you can take some time for yourself.
Settle in.
Laying down with your hands out to the side,
Palms up,
Or in a relaxed,
Seated position.
With your feet grounded on the floor.
Now allow your gaze to soften,
Or your eyes to gently float closed.
As your shoulders drop away from your ears,
The tension melts away from your body,
And your jaw softens.
Take a deep breath in,
Allowing that breath to fill all those spaces that need to soften.
And exhale deeply,
Allowing anything that doesn't serve you right now to slip away with that long exhale.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
Inhale slowly for a count of four.
Hold for two.
And exhale out your mouth for a count of six.
Again,
Inhale for four.
Hold for two.
And exhale for six.
Repeat this breath for a moment.
And as you return to the natural rhythm of your breath,
Pay attention to your body.
Notice where it presses into the surface beneath you,
And imagine rooting down into those anchor points,
Allowing this connection to be the foundation from which you can draw power and stability.
Now start to scan your body for tension,
Starting at the top of your head and working down.
Relaxing your forehead,
Letting go of those worry lines you might be holding.
Unclenching your jaw.
Dropping your tongue from the roof of your mouth.
Allow your shoulders to drop away from your ears.
Feel your chest open and expand with every inhale.
Relax your arms,
Hands,
And fingers.
Move your attention down your abdomen,
Through your hips,
Thighs,
And knees.
Softening and allowing tension to melt away with every exhale.
Finally,
Relax your calves,
Ankles,
Feet,
And toes,
Allowing your body to embrace this feeling of lightness and ease.
Begin to bring your mind to your purpose as an athlete.
See yourself in your element,
In your home training space.
Picture yourself preparing and training for competition.
See the environment around you,
And be where your feet are in this moment and notice the familiar colours,
The sounds,
That distinct smell.
Feel the ground beneath your feet.
As this image comes to your mind,
Pay attention to your movements.
See them as fluid,
Precise,
And powerful.
Each action feeling effortless,
Purposeful,
And perfectly executed.
Now let's shift your focus from your training space to competition,
The purpose of this dedicated training.
Listen for the sound of your breath.
The sound of your feet landing on the floor.
The sound of your opponent in your space.
The cheer of the crowd.
Or maybe focus on the quiet of your mind as your focus sharpens.
Feel the energy in your body coursing through your veins,
Fueling every step,
Every motion,
And every decision that you make here.
In your mind's eye,
See the view of the competition venue and sit in that moment.
Allow yourself to soak in the energy that's present in competition and view your outcome.
Now let's move your focus to the recovering systems activating within you.
Allow your breath to deepen again.
With every exhale,
Your parasympathetic nervous system engages,
Your heart rate starts to lower,
Your cortisol reduces,
And you allow repair to begin.
Picture the oxygen moving efficiently through your bloodstream.
Visualize the nutrients entering muscle tissue,
Supporting protein synthesis,
Rebuilding those micro-tears in your muscles.
Your inflammation decreases,
And your reaction time recalibrates.
Your neural pathways refine.
This is where adaptation occurs.
Your body is not just passive right now,
It's upgrading.
See your nervous system balancing.
You're not losing your edge taking this time for yourself,
You're sharpening it.
Recovery increases durability.
Durability increases confidence,
And confidence increases your performance.
You are building a system that can sustain power under pressure.
In this state of calm,
Reflect on your athletic journey,
The effort put in in training,
The time set aside for practice,
The food you've eaten to fuel yourself.
Acknowledge your strength,
Your commitment,
Your focus,
And feel gratitude for your body and its ability to take you on this journey.
Do not change your breath,
But be aware of it.
As you return to the room around you,
Allow yourself to notice the sounds,
The temperature of the air on your skin.
You can start to focus your gaze or open your eyes.
Bring some motion back to your fingers,
Your feet.
Now as you move forward in your day,
Remember,
You can return to this focus at any time.
Noticing and returning to your breath and allowing distractions to sit by the wayside.
