Meditation is one of the best ways to better your mental state, energy, and life in general. It changes your brain chemistry and is mostly known to help with focus. While meditation doesn’t get rid of all your thoughts, it reduces the amount you have by increasing space between them. It creates new neural pathways, and improves concentration on positive thoughts in the brain. Meditation can be used in sports to enhance performance, and reduce anxiety. It increases awareness of thoughts, which helps you recognize bad ones, and then consciously decide not to pay attention to them. This awareness helps you be more connected to your body, which is especially useful in sports.
There is a common misconception that meditation can only be used for relaxation, however it is mostly used for the opposite. For example, with athletes, they can work to be more focused during moments of competition, and can overcome obstacles such as procrastination and lack of motivation. Meditation balances both the mental and physical states of mind, which overall helps with concentration to lead to better reflexes.
Meditation can also be used to de-stress your mind, and relax your body. While meditating, you can focus on positive thoughts or practice visualization, which is very helpful for athletes. Visualization is when you picture yourself achieving your goals, or succeeding in something. This activates the same neural pathway that would be activated if it happened in real life. This activation boosts confidence, and makes the brain believe you have gotten what you wished for. Confidence is key for better performances and competitive nature. The effects of this are helpful for reducing anxiety, as more positive and confident thoughts begin to take over the negative ones. Meditation can also help with mental clarity, which can be used to learn acceptance of an outcome such as wins and losses.
To meditate, it's better to begin in a quiet space, where you feel comfortable. It's important to be comfortable so that your mind doesn’t wander to negative feelings of discomfort. Next it's important to close your eyes, so that you can eliminate the distractions from sight. While meditating, it's best to focus on your breathing. This can be done by counting how long you inhale and exhale, or just listening to yourself breathe. This mindful breathing helps you focus on the present, and not fill your mind with any worries or distractions. It's best to start meditating for a shorter period of time, and gradually do it for longer. This way, you will be used to focusing all your energy on one thing, and it will make the process easier.
Overall meditation is a key factor for success for many athletes, as it has various benefits for the mind and body. 3 of these benefits include increased awareness, focus, and a healthier mind space. Awareness is achieved by only paying attention to the present moment, and can be used a lot in sports. For instance it helps you recognize when you have negative thoughts, decide to focus on positive thoughts, and control your reactions to situations. Focus has similar effects, as it also helps you get “in the zone” . Improved focus helps athletes perform better, as they pay all their attention to whatever is happening in the moment, usually their actions in the sport. Finally, a healthy mindset helps athletes stay motivated and positive when it comes to obstacles. They can enjoy their sport more and overall lead a healthier and well-nourished life.
