What happens if you embark on a raft trip down a river with slow shallow waters, but instead of the leisure trip you'd hoped for your map shows that you will encounter unavoidable rapids and turns.? How will you make sure you can safely cross the rough waters and handle any unexpected problems that come your way?
Perhaps you will enlist the support of more experienced rafters as you plan your route or rely on the companionship of trusted friends along the way. Maybe you'll pack an extra life jacket or consider using a stronger raft. With the right tools and supports in place, one thing is sure - you will not only make it through the challenge of your river adventure, you will also emerge a more confident and courageous rafter.
Now you may be thinking ‘what the heck does rafting and rivers have to do with life let alone golfing??
In both scenarios we know that finding help, resources and coping mechanisms make these challenges much more manageable and fun!
So Let’s break it down.
Resilience is defined by one’s ability to endure hardship and being able to adapt in the face of adversity. In life these hardships are typically more intense; illness, injury, finances, relationships, struggles etc. Everyone deals with these differently but it’s how you deal with them that define your resilience.
In golf these challenges are not as intense; sandtraps, water hazards, narrow fairways, etc. However, as any golfer knows they are still very relevant and require resilience to overcome.
How can you start to gain more resilience in your golf game and life?
Being able to bring your mind and body to a calm state will always make decision making an easier time. If we dwell on the past and worry about things outside of our control we will lose sight of the true mission or goal and allow stress and other factors to affect us.
Always think ‘what can I do now’ instead of ‘what could I have done better’. The past is in the past, and the only thing you can control is the future! This can be made better by being proactive; get a golf coach, talk to a therapist or confidant that can guide you beforehand and tell you what to do before it happens.
Practice wellness in every sense of the word; eat well, exercise and meditate.
A healthy body is a healthy mind and your mind will work much more efficiently when it’s well nourished and exercised. Meditation has been shown to increase decision making, lower stress levels and improve sleep. All of which will help you improve resiliency and problem solving.
Think positive thoughts. The power of positive thinking can be a game changer if you’re someone like me that’s slightly more pessimistic in certain situations. Positive thinking is an ‘easier said than done’ type of mind frame but will help you in the long run if you can channel it in the right scenario.
Resilience isn’t built in a day, the same way that nothing good ever comes easily, it will be an uphill battle at times and that’s ok because you’re building toward your resilience!
Stay healthy, stay strong, stay resilient!
Coach Cam
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