I rarely remember the exact words of my negative self-talk, but I definitely remember how they make me feel: Anxious, overwhelmed, not good enough, small, unworthy, average, unwanted. Because many athletes have that trait of being extremely hard on themselves- the tape in your brain has been playing the same words for years. It’s white noise; part of us. Sometimes we don’t even realize it’s playing, but we feel the consequences. Those of us that tend to over-analyze and ruminate in the parts of us or the performances that weren’t perfect have a nastier side of that tape that plays. Here’s the thing- thoughts FEEL inescapable. It’s the part about anxiety or perfectionism that wears away at us- But your freedom is easier than you think. You have a choice: To sit in the words on your tape or to DO something that will click you to the next channel; to shift your perspective and rewrite the lyrics. If we can gain that self awareness and start tuning into the constant way we talk to ou...