September is when many of us get our fresh start. Whether it is heading into a new school year or hockey season, any transition will come with some stress, anxiety and jitters. Those feelings are normal, but navigating through them can still be challenging.
Here are five important steps for starting the year strong and finding consistency amongst the new and unknown.
1. Establish Routines
There are many things that you will not be able to control in life. To find success, you will have to learn how to roll with the punches. Routines, however, are powerful tools that allow you to regain some control and confidence by helping you find familiarity in what sometimes can feel like chaos.
Experiencing the same steps of preparation before you head onto the ice reminds you that everything isn’t all new and different. It is the same game, same puck and same task. As you go through the same process to prepare yourself to play, your mind and body will begin to recognize the steps, and it will help you feel more confident and ready.
Schoolwork can start to feel overwhelming when balancing academics and your athletic schedule. Beginning the year with routines to help organize your day-to-day schedule and class assignments can help you stay on top of your work, rather than playing catch up later.
The structure a routine provides helps you dial in and focus when you need to get work done.
2. Get Outside of Your Comfort Zone
It can be tempting to stay in your comfort zone and avoid as many new and intimidating things as possible with all the natural changes that come with a new year.
Playing it safe may feel like a smart decision, but it is only going to limit your success in the long run. The only way to increase your comfort zone is to step outside of it.
If we can embrace the discomfort that comes with the fear of entering the unknown, over time the unknown suddenly becomes familiar. That new team, league or intimidating coach that once caused us anxiety is just a regular part of our day. To exit our comfort zones and experience growth, it requires us to let go of our egos, be ok with mistakes and leave any criticism or judgment in the past.
You need to have the courage to be uncomfortable and be bad at something before you get the privilege of being great.
Challenging yourself in the classroom by stepping outside of your comfort zone may not result in perfect grades all the time, but it will allow you the opportunity to learn more. Taking different classes allows you the opportunity to discover interests you never knew you had before or develop new skills.
3. Ask Questions
Everyone is adjusting to some level of change this fall—new systems, new coaches, new teachers, etc.
Asking questions not only provides clarity and insight as you navigate all these changes, but it helps you stay mentally and physically engaged.
There is often a strong correlation between silence and self-doubt for many athletes. The quieter an athlete gets, the more they get lost in their own negative thoughts. Asking questions can help shift our focus away from a problem and towards a solution. The key to asking questions is all about approaching things with curiosity rather than criticism.
Raising your hand in class can sometimes be scary too. It is natural to think you will be judged for not understanding something. However, if you don’t ask questions, you only have yourself to blame for not understanding your schoolwork better.
Lean into the desire to learn more and avoid the temptation to act like you know it all from the very start.
4. Be Present
Everyone enters the new year with hopes and expectations. As we look forward to graduation and playoffs, we work hard each day to get one step closer to our goal. Sometimes we can be so mesmerized by the end-goal that we forget to pay attention to the current moment. Not only does this take us away from enjoying things, but it distracts us and impedes our ability to perform in the present.
One major goal for athletes is to win. To do so, many coaches emphasize the acronym: What’s Important Now? The end of the season will come whether your team is the champion or not. However, working hard today sets everyone up for a strong finish. Although the day-to-day grind may not be as exciting as playoffs, it is the small details that go into creating big moments.
At the start of a school year, it may be overwhelming to think about all the work that lies ahead. When that big picture feels like too much, zoom into the moment and identify what you can do today. It would be impossible to attempt a final exam before reading the first chapter. You will be able to cross things off your to do list one by one and add things to your toolbox of knowledge, insight and skills.
5. Find Balance
It can be tempting to do it all. We all feel invincible and reenergized at the start of the season and school year. However, we can only give it our all if we find time to replenish our mind and body. Otherwise, there won’t be much left in the tank for us to give.
Knowing your limits of how much you can give or do requires honest self-reflection and assessment as you navigate the many demands you will be facing throughout the year. More importantly, doing things to replenish oneself that have no purpose or goal other than joy and pleasure is a critical part for long term success.
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New seasons come with many fears, doubts and hesitations. Those feelings are all natural at the start of something new. However, there is also excitement, opportunities and possibilities. We can’t have all that potential without the less desirable discomfort as well.
Finding some familiarity and confidence with routines, embracing opportunities to expand your comfort zone, asking questions to gain more clarity, being present and finding balance as you navigate the new season will help you find your stride and reach new heights this year.