FROM BRAIN TO MUSCLE WITHOUT ANY TUSSLE
The On-Line Newsletter of the Sierra Center for Peak Performance
Volume XIV, Number 9 September 2011

Welcome to the one hundred and fifty-third issue of the free Newsletter of Applied Sport Psychology. This issue will offer some practical and positive suggestions for anyone who would like to quickly and effectively overcome the emotional side effects of a disappointing outcome to significant competition. (LeBron are you listening?)

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
"Overcoming an Emotional Performance Whose Outcome was Less than Expected"
 by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

One of the best evidence based strategies for overcoming unpleasant emotions, such as those that might be associated with a crushing defeat for example, is to distract yourself temporarily by using a set of skills whose acronym is ACCEPTS*.

ACTIVITIES - engage in positive activities that you enjoy

CONTRIBUTE - find ways to help out others or contribute to your community

COMPARISONS - think of the many ways in which you are more fortunate than other competitors or compare yourself to those times when you were in a worse situation

EMOTIONS - cause yourself to experience different emotions by provoking your sense of humor or engaging in an activity that makes you happy

PUSH AWAY - focus your attention on the process of preparing for your next competition

THOUGHTS - use "Thought-Stopping" to direct your attention away from your uncomfortable feelings

SENSATIONS -  take a cold shower, eat spicy foods or do something else with an intense and positive sensory component to it

By using any or all of these strategies you will find that it is much easier to adjust, rebalance and move on after experiencing disappointment as a competitor.

*taken from D.B.T. in Life.

The winner of the drawing for the free Personalized Subliminal CD for September is: Nora Hunt-Lee


Nora has until Tuesday midnight October 4, 2011 Hawaii Time, to claim the free Personalized Subliminal CD.