Unleash Your Inner Champion

It is in you.

Whether you realize it or not, you have an inherent ability that unleashes when the moment calls for greatness. Of course, you might not throw like Tom Brady or have the same tale of bravery and advocacy as Malala Yousafzai, and you may not get the accolades and reverences from a sea of fans like Beyoncé or some Marvel hero, but you are a champion in your own right.

Take today, for instance. Maybe you were able to get all of your kids out of bed and out the door WITH backpacks and lunches packed in time for the bus. Champion.

Or maybe you pulled an all-nighter and passed that final exam. Champion.

Maybe you rocked a presentation at work or were able to get a moody coworker to lighten up and laugh. Champion.

Those small winning moments take a bit of the triumphant spirit in their own right. You may not realize it as you’re powering through your day-to-day but, each action that leads to a positive next step…that my friend, takes a champion.

So how do you continue to unleash your inner champion? Better yet, how do you strengthen your champion-ness?

Tips for Reaching Your Top Champion Game

1.      Fail.

Not on purpose, of course. But when you give your all and things don’t come out rosy and perfect, the way that you channel that experience can actually strengthen your ability to succeed. You may have heard of Carol Dweck and the idea of fixed versus growth mindset? This pretty much is the same idea. When you allow yourself to reflect on what went wrong and use that to do better next time, you cannot help but strengthen not only your mental health, but also your abilities.

2.      Be one with nature.

Go out and take a mindful nature walk. Get outdoors and enjoy some sunshine. Studies have shown that spending more time in nature and natural settings actually increases your ability to think flexibly, to bounce back, and to be more mentally strong overall.

3.      Chill out & Roll with it.

Take a breath. Self-care. You can’t expect yourself to succeed all the time and you cannot expect your body and mind to move at warp speed without taking the time to nurture and rest. Even our phones need a recharge and our cars need to fuel up! If technology can’t go full throttle 24/7, how can you expect you in all of your human glory to?

4.      Surround yourself with positive.

Take a quick social inventory to be sure the people you surround yourself with are lifting you up. That does not mean that they are constantly praising you and telling you that every move you make is perfect. It just means be certain that you spend your time with friends and loved ones who appreciate your strengths and flaws, who generally have positive things to say about others (no gossip, negative remarks, unhealthy criticism, etc.), and who are willing to give you healthy and beneficial thoughts on how to grow.

5.      Take action.

Set S.M.A.R.T.goals. Take responsibility and ownership in moving forward down the path that you’d like to go. Champions consider the end goal, come up with a plan of action, and take initiative.

6.      Laugh.

Don’t take life too seriously and don’t take it personally when things don’t go as planned or when people don’t act as planned. Live in the moment and let it go. Look at things in an objective light.

Here’s what it is. Here’s what I can do about it.

Don’t let your thoughts run away with you and carry you to places that lead down an unsavory rabbit hole. Instead, see things for what they are and recognize that there are some things you cannot change. Why get worked up and upset when you can laugh?

7.      Embrace the flaws.

You aren’t always going to feel joy and success. Part of the beauty in life is learning to embrace the less-than-desired experiences and emotions. We all run into these bumps in the road. They just make the good moments all the more better. We are not perfect and should not feel the need to strive for nothing but perfectionism. Be kind to yourself and be happy with all that is you.

8.      Keep the big picture in mind.

What is it that you truly want and need in life? Are these needs being met?

9.      Know and Love yourself.

Take time to reflect at the end of the day. What went well? What can be done better tomorrow? What is it about you specifically that led to something good today? Practice self-exploration and love yourself in order to benefit fully from these daily reflective practices.

10.  Be Grateful.

For every small victory that you have accomplished and for every person, place, & thing, that contributed to said victory. When we take a moment to appreciate the good and to acknowledge all that is positive in the world, we are more likely to increase our motivation and ability to keep fighting the good fight!

Keep these 10 tips in mind, strike a power pose each morning, and you’ll be on your way to becoming the ultimate champion of your life!

What small victories have you accomplished lately?

KJM Counseling

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