Difficult emotions can get under your skin if you're not careful. Sport and performance consultant Jessica Garza calls this the "jumping cholla effect," inspired by a sneaky kind of cactus that detaches and burrows its spines into unsuspecting passersby. In this empowering talk, she shares four mood-regulating strategies to help you gain self-awareness of your feelings, avoid catching other people's emotions and perform at your peak -- whatever the prickly situation may be.

At this point, we are certain that we have no idea what's happening next. Fall sports have changed or moved to spring, athletes are sitting out, having to decide between sports, or forced into retirement. Regardless of the situation, there are a couple basic things we can do to take some semblance of control in the short-term. HAVE ATHLETES FOCUS ON GOALS IN SHORTER CHUNKS OF TIME When we set closer finish lines, we can: 1. Make more confident decisions 2. Adjust more easily Therefore, start with 30-Day increments for both you and your athletes. As things become more concrete it will be easier to forecast farther out. ENCOURAGE THOUGHTFUL ROUTINES The irony in this statement cannot be understated. We strive to create strong habits and yet it's our routines that create "autopilot". Autopilot is what will stop progress. Have athletes engage in routines that are thought provoking and intentional. A couple examples include: 1. Mindfulness and present focus 2. Celebrate and reflect on small wins each week (Great workouts, practice, daily activities) The best way to keep the program moving forward is to integrate best practices of psychology into your athletes day to day. These are just a couple examples of what that can look like to keep your athletes making progress and staying ready to pivot. #ultier #mindset #2021 #routines #thoughts #mindfulness #focus