The thought (I am going to fail this skill)
Led to a feeling (worry)
Which in turn led to an action (skipping the next go or saying you were unwell).
This example shows us that there is a connection between our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
It can be helpful to break down our experiences according to these 3 areas to help us understand what is happening...
Understanding our thoughts can help us recognise what triggers us and patterns so we can build coping skills to cope with them in the future.
Feelings may appear to be simple to recognise and name, yet they are frequently accompanied by underlying emotions.
E.g. feeling frustrated over not being selected for a squad has an underlying feeling of being hurt and facing self-doubts. This will result in a completely different reaction, and identifying the underlying emotion is crucial in helping us work through it.
Some tips to help you with this process...
Validate your emotions - You can improve your relationship with your feelings and emotions by learning to accept and validate them. They are a natural part of being human.
Reframe your thinking - Can you change these 4 examples in to more helpful thoughts?
I am not good at anything
Everything in my life is wrong
People are against me
Others are better than me
Trying new behaviours - Changing behaviour can interrupt the negative cycle. You can ask your coach for specific feedback and things you can do to improve.
This content has been developed as part of our #itsmyjourney project with Valleys Gymnastics Academy.
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