Our program will stress that we are in control of ourselves and our responses to the world. While the approach below will be the prescription for basketball related activity, one can clearly see how this leads to taking this approach into one’s daily life. Sport is the ultimate metaphor for life, we just need to help make the connection for our athletes…

• Breathe: In deeply through the nose, fill the lungs, let it go. Connect to the breathe and only the breathe.
• Observe & Acknowledge: Let your negative thought come, observe it like all phenomena to be observed. Acknowledge it is just a thought, label it for what it is.
• Reframe: Reframe the stressor as feedback and take note of what was useful and what can be different for next time. Nothing more. Nothing less.
• Let It Go: Let it go. Let go of all unproductive thoughts, emotions, and all those things that don’t serve a purpose at the moment: self-doubt, worry, fear, or even feelings of silliness. Letting go, letting go, letting go.
• Affirm. States your personal sports-related affirmation quietly to yourself.
• Refocus: Come back to you are. Take it in. Be present. Nothing more, nothing less.
• Reset: Say your one- or two-word reset word quietly to yourself. This will also serve as your tool to get back into a relaxed and focused state (For example: during a break in a competition, take a deep breath, say your Reset word, and get your mind back to where you want it.)