(SVASport , 2021)
Mindfulness is a practice that can help cultivate resilience as you develop the ability to be in the present moment, observing and even befriending your own experiences.
Mindfulness has been practiced for thousands of years and nowadays modern neuroscience is demonstrating the tremendous benefits mindfulness has on brain function, immune system response, stress and pain management, and even the aging process! (Dinoffer, 2020)
Mindfulness is a practice that focuses on being here and now, presence and how you view stress; very closely related to the Growth Mindset/Fixed Mindset paradigms. Mindfulness can help you stay in the Growth Mindset and recognize when you need to reset from a fix mindset thought pattern.
Not so different from a tennis match, is it? What do you do when you double fault on set point? Or choke on that fore hand at 5-all in the tie-breaker? The beauty of these practices is that you can work on them now and be ready to rock and roll when you and your students get back out on the court! (Dinoffer, 2020)
Basically, mindfulness helps players by looking at their game more objectively by activating specific brain regions (see figure below and chart at conclusion). Moreover, the practice might improve stress response perception by inhibiting connections between memory and fear processing brain centers. (SVASport, 2021)
Rather than be intimidated by failure, a player who practices mindfulness might gently acknowledge the failure and move on. Decreased fear perception might also allow the player to better incorporate successful adjustments because, well, they aren’t afraid of trying something new. (SVASport, 2021)
To incorporate mindfulness into your day, the first step is to just be conscious of your breath. Every conscious breath is a meditation (McDonald, Darnell, 2018). When you feel aroused, pause, take a breath, hold it, and release. We just RESET.
For further self study www.sva-sport.com or
Kalindi Dinoffer. Resilience and Connection in Uncertain Times (July/August 2020 PTR Tennis Pro/Pro Tennis)
