3 Steps to Send It

My home ski resort, Grand Targhee, opened a couple months ago and what happened startled me.

I was... 
Giggling with glee.
Overcoming fears.
And soaring into the unknown.   
 
Here’s what happened…
 
My day of skiing started out in total amazement. 

Somehow I was lucky enough to be the first chair of the season on the Sacajawea chairlift skiing fresh, untouched, and bottomless powder (120” snowfall, 60” base)!
 
After giggling in glee and being covered in soft, white frosting for over an hour, I stopped in the ski patrol shack to thank them for working sooo hard to get the mountain open. I ski patrolled at this ski resort so I knew what a pain-in-the-ass it was to get the mountain open.
 
One of the patrollers said they were going to open the gates to Das Boat, a north facing slope with a cliff band to ski over or slide through –if you chose to partake.
 
Das Boat is opening for the first time this season and ski patrol is inviting me to be the first to ski it…HELL YEAH!
 
The gate opened!

I slide through, smiling.

My line of choice was to ski Sven’s Rock.
 
I hadn’t skied Sven’s Rock since 2007.

In 2007, I was ski patrolling and there was a report that a male snowboarder hucked off a rock and was hurt.
 
I was the first ski patroller to respond to the scene.

I decided to ski to Sven’s Rock to look for the injured party.

Surprisingly, I noticed my roommate...she was trying to soothe our injured friend under the rock.
 
With my heart pounding, I hopped over Sven's Rock and safely skied to my injured friend.
 
After my medical assessment, I backboarded him and skied him out…he broke his back.
 
 
Fast forward a decade... 

I'm approaching Sven’s rock for the first time in 10 years.

I start to notice old feelings emerge.
 
My heart is racing.
 
My breath is quick and shallow
 
And the butterflies in my stomach storm around like a swarm of bees.
 
I was nervous.

Really nervous!

I was overtaken with anxiety -bombarded with the fear of getting hurt if I hucked over Sven's Rock.
 
I was scared, but I overcame my fear.

Here's how:

First, I told myself…
"You know how to do this. You are a sport psychologist.”
(p.s. speaking in 3rd person helps….you’re dooping your brain into thinking it’s someone else so you don’t take yourself so seriously)
 
Second, I acknowledged my nerves... 
“It’s normal to be nervous in this situation.”
 
Third, I did a risk assessment...

• If I fell, I might not get hurt at all. Then, I’d get to ski some sick powder!
• If I did get hurt, then it's probable that I’d get bruised. Worst case scenario, I would likely break a rib.
• I decided that this was a risk I was willing to take.

 
Lastly, I did a quick evaluation to prime my mind for flow before I soared into the unknown.
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3  STEPS TO SEND IT: Priming Your Mind for Flow

1. Sigh: Stretching further than you can reach is often nerve-racking. Breathing is one of the best ways to check in with your mind and body and release any unnecessary tension. That’s why the first thing I do to prime myself for flow is to take a slow, rhythmic belly breath. I begin by taking in a deep, gentle inhale through my nose, allowing the breath to fill up my entire belly region in all directions –similar to a balloon expanding. Then, I consciously exhale out through my mouth, making an audible sigh to release tension. I take another full breath to center myself (Note: I am able to breathe, calm down, and center myself within 1-3 breaths because I’ve been practicing this for a long time. It’s called Cued Relaxation, details can be found in my book, Elevate Your Excellence). Deep, rhythmic breathing is helpful because when we are stepping outside of our comfort zone the sympathetic nervous system, the part of your autonomic nervous system that manages fight-or-flight response, is activated. To balance out the rush of stress hormones, like cortisol and adrenaline, you must take time to stimulate the opposite part of the autonomic nervous system –the parasympathetic nervous system or rest-and-digest response. Deep breathing is one of the fastest way to do activate your parasympathetic nervous system and balance out your fight-or-flight. 
   
2. See It: After I’m calm and centered, I pause for a moment to take in all the smells, sounds, sights, and even tastes. I sense that everything is right…just as it should be. Next, I imagine skiing my line with as much detail and as much confidence as possible. Imagery is meant to evoke a positive sensory experience that empowers us to enjoy and embrace skiing at our best –especially when we are trying to send something that pushes our ability. There are more than 200 studies that support imagery as an effective mental training tool for optimizing performance (Cumming & Ramsey, 2009; Martin, Moritz, & Hall, 1999). In fact, highly skilled athletes are reported to use imagery more regularly than less accomplished athletes (Cumming & Hall, 2002). So, try experimenting with imagery to positively impact your performance.  
   
3. Statement: Finally, I tell myself the same thing I always tell myself when I’m scared and fearful, yet excited and committed to test my limits in skiing, “Breathe. Move. Breathe. Move.” Repeating choice words to yourself when you need to focus helps direct your mind away from self-defeating thoughts toward a more positive experience, thus helping you to stay in flow and perform at your best. 
   

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I begin to repeat the mantra in my head...“Breathe. Move. Breathe. Move.”
 
My skis start moving.
 
My breathing is deep and rhythmic.

I see my line.
 
I instinctively hop over the rock.
 
And PLOP!

I effortlessly dropped into deep, glorious powder.
 
This is awesome!
 
 
No matter what sport you’re in that feeling of transitioning from fear to flow is the same.

The moment before takeoff is exhilarating. 
 
And it never gets old.
 

If you’re looking for ways to fight your fears and win.
 
If you’re looking to fill your toolbox so you are better equipped to achieve amazing feats of mental and physical performance. 
 
If you’re looking for expert advice and actionable steps to be the strongest, healthiest version of yourself...in sports, wellness, or all walks of life.
 
Then, I invite you to invest in your most powerful asset…your mind.

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