Tight Mind Monday: Choose Compassion for Yourself & Others
Tight Mind Monday 9-26-16: Compassion
Having compassion for ourselves will help our gymnastics when we need it most. When you are too hard on yourself, you tighten up. One way to be compassionate with ourselves is to find compassion for others. When we can sense what someone else is going through and send them positivity, we can look inward and send ourselves relief when we need it. This helps when learning a new skill, recovering from an injury, or trying to hit in competition. Compassion helps build up the team and ourselves.
We can look at the media and Facebook pages filled with condemnations, opinions, and judgement–we don’t need that in our gyms or our lives. This mental skill improves situations–compassion for others and compassion for self.
Here are some tight mind tips:
1. Be careful of being quick to judge when you haven’t really walked in another’s shoes. It may be an athlete experiencing a fear you just don’t understand, or a fellow coach going through a difficult period in their life. When you see an athlete struggling, take a moment to breathe and ask yourself, “What does this person need from me right now?”
2. Be aware of having self-compassion. In our Type A world, many of us are the hardest on ourselves. When our own self-critic is running rampant, we tend to over-try, over-think, and act out of desperation. Then we feel horrible about ourselves! This week, remind yourself that you are doing your best and sometimes challenges are going to be hard.
3. Practice having compassion for those that have wronged you, caused others pain, or have driven you crazy. Even if you disagree with their actions you can still have compassion for them. Many times these people are the most wounded and also can be our greatest teachers.
Remember, sometimes a hug, listening ear, or just someone to lean on can go a long way. This week, practice letting your compassionate heart lead the way.
More Tight Mind Mondays:
Tight Mind Monday: Keeping a Positive Outlook
Tight Mind Monday: Committed To Excellence
Tight Mind Monday: Embracing Your Leadership Role
Tight Mind Monday: Channeling A Tight Mind
Tight Mind Monday: Dare to Dream
Tight Mind Monday: Getting Focused & Staying Focused
Tight Mind Monday: Commit To Being Coachable
Tight Mind Monday: How To Be Mentally Relentless