Why Looking in the Mirror Is the Secret to Raising a Resilient Athlete
Hi !
It's so easy to point fingers.
As I mentioned last week, the eclipse window we're in is prime time to have emotional intensity come up to the surface.
When that happens, we all have a decision to make- either point fingers at the people who are triggering us, or look in the mirror.
It can be a difficult task to pause before reacting, look at oneself and ask, "What is this bringing up in me in
this moment?"
Many people simply point at others they avoid the opportunity to grow and evolve.
Having trouble looking in the mirror?
You can also look at your child.
They are mirrors for you as well.
Just like your parents did for you, your children adopt your patterns and behaviors.
It can be humbling indeed, at least it is for me.
When I observe my son being stubborn or speaking in a critical tone about others, I often hear myself and I cringe.
And I know when he behaves in those ways he's in some sort of dysregulated state.
And I know it's my job to keep the balance of staying calm, loving, and also keep boundaries firm when needed.
When I do that, he typically shifts.
This happens quite a bit when it's time for homework.
There are ample opportunities in life when dysregulation occurs.
What I find is that the
journey in sports is a powerful platform for the false-self to arise for athletes, coaches, and of course parents.
And it's an incredible opportunity to grow, evolve, and mature.
With athletics comes competition, opening up the door for the greatest fear of the shadow-side to arise...
the fear of not being good enough.
When parents spend thousands of dollars and expend a lot of time related energy for sports, the stakes are higher.
When egos are on alert and ready to defend or attack, the collective energy intensifies.
When that threat comes up, it's easy to blame the referee, the coach, the other team, the fans, or even our own athlete.
That's why parents who can observe that and not get caught up in it have athletes who enjoy their sport more.
Keeping that balance of trust, love, patience, and also communicating in a confident and conscious way is a great recipe for parents to avoid burnout.
That combination also slows the rate of dropout for athletes, which is 70% for
children 13 years and older.
The more aware and conscious parents are, the more likely their child will reap all the long-term benefits sports have for them:
Learning to deal with adversity
Building resiliency in a safe
container
Physical fitness
Lifelong friendships and more
When you can create a safe and supportive home base for your child, he/she will flourish in all ways.
And your relationship with your child will as well.
It all starts with the courage to look in the mirror
Are you ready?
