Happy Athlete

In today’s episode I speak with Caroline Fitzgerald. Caroline launched GOALS Sports in 2020 with the mission to make "the business case for women's sports”. 

Caroline tells us why women's sports is a largely untapped landscape for investment and growth, and the supporting role that GOALS Sports lends. 

Caroline talks about the 50-year anniversary of Title IX, how far it has come, where it is today, and where it needs to go. She also discusses the impact of the recent ghoulish Supreme Court decision to take away freedom from women and the impact it will have on women’s sports. 

Caroline’s Links

Today’s meditation is Positive Visualization.

I remember the rollercoaster ride of emotions of confidence and self doubt when I used to play. Up, down. Up, down. It seemed like it was non-stop. No athlete is alone in this battle.

When our minds are filled with negative thoughts, we experience anxiety and tension that can affect our game and our entire well-being.

This meditation will help you fight that negative voice in your heads as we focus only on positive images that will enhance your performance. This visualization practice will help relax your body and mind which will lead to optimal performance.

See the highlights you want to see! See it and believe it. See it and do it.

Have a cushion or blanket ready.

Sean's Links

In this entertaining and thought-provoking episode, I speak with my friend Bryan Kest. Bryan coined the term “Power Yoga” and was one of the early influencers in making yoga more accessible. Bryan opened one of the first yoga studios in the country, the iconic Santa Monica Power Yoga Studio in 1995. 

In Bryan’s straight-shooting way, he shares his philosophy and insights from teaching and practicing yoga for over 40 years. Bryan talks about gentleness, moderation, taking care of our bodies and minds, and more.

Bryan’s Links

Meditation Monday. Today’s meditation is to help manage perfectionism.

Perfectionism is something I struggled with at points in my life especially when I was playing football. Quite often I felt like a failure. Not quite good enough.

There can be some positives to perfectionism. It can help us achieve goals and accomplishments. However, sometimes when things don’t go the way we want them to, it can result in feelings of stress and failure.

A recent study found that meditation is an effective way to help perfectionists deal with negative thoughts and recover from failure. The study was done with college students who deal with a lot of stress and battle perfectionism. In the study, they practiced a non-judgement mindfulness meditation which helped improve their mood and recover from stress.

That’s what we will practice today. A non-judgement mediation. And you don't have to be a college student to do it. It's for everyone.

This meditation, practiced regularly, can help you shift your mindset. Instead of searching for the things that didn’t work out that you think you need to fix, over time you will cultivate positive affirmations. They will allow you to:

● Experience self-compassion and non-judgement.

● Remind yourself to not take everything so seriously.

● Perhaps even celebrate your accomplishments.

Let's begin. Grab a cushion and let’s begin. Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down.

Sean's Links

Today we speak with former professional snowboarder, Megan Pischke. 

In this episode, Megan talks about how her breast cancer battle has changed her perspective on life. She shares the tools that helped her through those years and what she does today to find gratitude in every moment. 

Megan is one of the pioneers of female snowboarding. Megan competed in the Winter X-Games every year from 1997-2004. 

For almost 25 years, Megan has dedicated herself to Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC)

She provides breast cancer survivors with scholarships to her women's wellness experiences rooted in snowboarding, surfing, and yoga with a focus on meditation, nutrition and other tools for prevention. 

In 2012, Megan was diagnosed with breast cancer and describes this part of her journey as "a gift." Living life as grateful and appreciative as she always has is a big part of her healing. 

Her story was chronicled in an award winning documentary film, Chasing Sunshine. 

Megan’s Links