Neuro-Plasticity and Performance Maximizing Your Mental Fitness

Services Building self-confidence Discovering and utilizing your strengths Coping with adversity Managing anxiety Personal leadership High performance strategies Peaking under pressure Mental toughness/GRIT Going beyond perceived limitations Team building

Experiential Activity What brings you joy? 

Focused Attention When we remember a joyful occasion we are more prone to be playful and creative in the present moment. We are also more likely to be courageous and in our wise-mind.

Can We Change our Brain? http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/consc20140731

Neuroplasticity The mind -energy and information flow from the brain- is created by the brain. Our brains learn mostly by what we attend to. What we attend to – how we intentionally direct the flow of energy and information – alters our brains chemistry. The brains energy/information flow therefore changes our mind…which changes our brain!

Neurons As a result of any mental activity our neurons begin to make connections. The longer we attend to a thought or an experience the deeper those connections become…and the more likely we are to experience them again.

Why is This Important? Sense of optimism and hope Performance! We Can Impact the following… Stress Levels Kinesthetic Awareness Personality Tendencies Interpretations of what happens to us…or what is said to us Sense of optimism and hope Performance!

Mind-Body Integration The more we can integrate the positive aspects of our experiences into our mental awareness the more frequently our neurons will fire positively…and the more likely they will fire positively in the future.

Mind-Body Integration We can therefore better manage Our stress level (emotional vs. calm) How we move on the court, field, pool, rink, etc… How we interpret obstacles How we manage relationships Our ability to focus (distractible vs. mindful)

Success Strategies to Change Your Brain Personal Growth Reinforce and internalize every positive experience, no matter how small Growth Mindset Gratitude Label your feelings Know your strengths! Intentionally call up your strengths and focus on how good it feels to feel strong, confident, powerful, lighthearted, untouchable, etc… Human touch – “Don’t text, touch!”

Success Strategies to Change Your Brain Peak Performance Engage a powerful, relaxed muscle memory Connect your nervous system to your competitive environment Recall, vividly, the best performance you ever had. Connect your emotions to that memory. Establish Your Presence Set your intentions: place attention on the intention  make “good enough” decisions

Connect! Thoughts…intentions…emotions…arousal… with your movement…and your movement with your thoughts, intentions, emotions, & arousal TOP Down/BOTTOM up approach Belly Breath/Centering Guided Imagery (paint can/hose/eraser/light EMDR Biofeedback Act As If Name the emotion Mountain Meditation Hypnosis (past/future) Change your posture

Positive Psychology Experiential activity You At Your Best Imagine Your Best Possible Self Three Good Things Growth Mindset Hypnosis (success imagery/ego-strength/anxiety) Act As If Carry Yourself Like a Champion (doorways) Intentionally call up your Strengths journal, visualize, verbalize

Consistency! When done consistently over time you will literally change your brain and begin to feel more alive and centered resulting in greater feelings of fun, happiness, creativity, courage, and wisdom…which will manifest you at your best! Discussion/Coaching Questions

ACSI-2: Survey of Athletic Experiences Smith, Schultz, Smoll, and Pitacek, (1995) Coping with adversity I maintain emotional control no matter how things are going for me When things are going badly I tell myself to keep calm and this works for me When I feel myself getting too tense I can quickly relax my body and calm myself Peaking Under Pressure To me pressure situations are challenges that I welcome The more pressure there is during a competition the more I enjoy it I tend to perform better under pressure because I think more clearly Confidence and Achievement Motivation I feel confident that I will perform well I get the most out of my talent and skills

ACSI-2: Survey of the Athletic Experience Smith et al., (1995) Goal Setting/Mental Preparation On a daily or weekly basis I set very specific goals for myself that guide what I do I set my own performance goals for each practice I have my own game plan worked out in my head long before the competition begins Concentration I handle unexpected situations in my sport very well When competing I can block out distractions It is easy for me to direct my attention and focus Managing Anxiety I worry about making mistakes in competition I put a lot of pressure on myself by worrying about how I will perform