Slam, Snap, Crap – Injured…

As athletes, most of us have encountered an injury that sidelines us.  It is a tough pill to swallow, one that can leave you feeling miserable, overwhelmed, depressed and just pissed off.
 
Most of us will encounter an injury at some point during our athletic career.  How you handle this setback and your recovery is entirely up to you and within your control.   

​Shit happens…. what are you going to do about it?
 
A couple of years ago, after shattering my ankle in a mountain bike ride, one that required surgery and 7 months on crutches, I was left with two choices.  Crawl under a rock or treat my recovery like I treated my athletic career.  This was great advice given to me by Robyn Pickering.  She said, “Michelle, put the same dedication and commitment to your healing as you do to your sport.”  It was brilliant advice, advice that I have shared with many of my athletes.

Commit to Healing

So, what does it look like exactly to commit to your healing?

1.  Separate your personal identity from your athletic identity.  Recognize that you are more than your sport and talent on the field.  This is merely one aspect of your persona.  Being injured does not take away from the fact that you are motivated, intelligent, gifted in other areas of your life.  By focusing on these your attitude will help your healing process.    
2. Use the qualities that you developed in your sport to apply to your healing.  Use your tools of  visualization and imagery to facilitate a speedy recovery
3. During recovery is a great time to focus on your mental training strategies and developing a solid head game.  Practice relaxation through meditation, watch YouTube motivational videos, and/or develop your pregame process. There are many facets of your mental game that you can work on so that when you are all healed up you can get back to your sport and be unstoppable.  

High performing athletes see the opportunities in every situation, resilience is a learned skill but once mastered allows you to bounce back with velocity.
 
Happy Healing.