Here's How To Stay Mentally Grounded Before A Tournament

Being a competitive athlete in cricket can be stressful. It involves fine attention to detail. You want to impress your fellow players as well as the audience with your performance. When you’re preparing for a tournament, stressors will arise. It’s okay to be anxious and excited about the event. These are both emotions you may experience before playing a big match. Here are some techniques you can use to stay calm before a game.

Develop a self-care routine

When you’re not playing, it’s crucial to have a self-care routine. Maybe that means meeting a friend for coffee. It could be taking a bath and relaxing. Think about what makes you feel grounded and happy, and do those activities. When you’re practicing regular self-care, it will prepare you for doing what you have to do in your daily life, including playing cricket. Make a list of five things that you enjoy. Make sure that you do one of the activities once a week. It could be meditation or talking on the phone with a good friend. Practicing regular self-care can help you prepare for a cricket tournament.

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Talking strategy

People who play cricket typically understand each other. Maybe you have a fellow player who gets how significant games are. You can discuss strategies you want to use in the tournament. It can help to express your feelings about the upcoming match. You may not be aware of what’s affecting you until you let it out. Let your fellow player know what you’re looking forward to and what makes you anxious. You would be surprised how much you have in common. They get what you’re going through in a different way than friends and family understand it. When you strategize for the big tournament, you’ll feel more prepared. If you’re anxious, it could be that you feel like you’re not sure what to expect, and it can help when you talk about it with someone who knows the sport.

Journaling

Some players benefit from journaling. It helps them express their emotion. You can write down how you feel about the upcoming cricket game. You may not be certain about your feelings until you see them on paper. You can read them back to yourself aloud or in your head; you’ll be surprised at what you notice about your feelings. It can help to gain clarity on your emotions, and you will feel more grounded. If you have a therapist, you can bring your journal to them and talk about what you’ve discovered.

Meditation

Mindfulness meditation is an excellent way to ground yourself. There are many different things to worry about, and it can be challenging to be flooded with thoughts. That’s why it helps to take a break and meditate. It’s time to let go of those concerns and focus on what’s important. You know what’s in front of you and what you need to do to succeed at this tournament. Mindfulness meditation can help you focus and stick to your goals before a game takes 10 to 20 minutes to close your eyes and take five deep breaths. You don’t have to practice a long meditation to make it worth your while. Make sure that you take time for yourself to prepare for the game, and part of that means clearing your mind. Meditating will let you release worries in any other stressors that you’re dealing with in your life besides the tournament. Mindfulness is an excellent tool for you to learn to let go of your stress.

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Therapy and sports

There are unique stressors that athletes face. You can discuss those triggers with a therapist. Online counselling is an ideal place to talk about your problems. Whether they’re related to sports or any other stressors in your life, online counsellors care about your well-being. Consider seeing an online therapist talk about your feelings. Therapy will help you prepare for the cricket tournament and support you in other areas of your life.

Image Credit: IPL

This piece was published first on Female Cricket. SheThePeople has carried this story with minor editorial changes. The views expressed are the author's own.