by Henry Gould – Sept 20th, 2019

Positive thinking is more than just a catch phrase. Often times we doubt ourselves and our abilities, and we give up before we’ve really, truly pushed ourselves, or before we’ve exercised all potential options in front of us to achieve a goal. Whether this is at work, at home or at play, having a particular mindset established when you hope to complete a goal is a huge factor in whether you do it or not.

I’ll give a personal example: in the last 12 months I’ve been training every week with Ilan, Shawzo (and occasionally the godfather, Jeremy Martin @ Loaded Athletics) learning the ropes of olympic weightlifting. Outside of my 10+ years playing rugby, olympic weightlifting is the hardest physical activity I’ve ever done. Not only is it physically demanding, it is incredibly mentally demanding. For each lift (i.e. clean and jerk) you are working within a small threshold of the maximum weight you can physically lift, all the while thinking about correct form, posture, and above all else, trying not to drop 100kgs on your head.

Countless times Ilan or Shawzo has loaded the bar with a heavy amount of weight, and I fail. Usually, it’s because there was a creeping sense of doubt in my mind that I couldn’t do it. But, more often than not I will try again, and once I’ve taken a moment to regroup – perhaps also getting some encouraging words – I will eventually make the lift. I didn’t get stronger in between each lift, I just had to focus, think through everything, and trust that I could do it.

The power of positive thinking can transfer to any aspect of life, but is particularly interesting with physical pursuits. After all, professional athletes constantly rely on sports psychologists to help them get in a strong head space before a game or competition. Self doubt can be one of the most negative influences on an athlete, whereas positive thinking and visualization of winning can be the most powerful.

Below is an article about the Canadian World Junior Team, and the sport psychologist who worked with the team the entire tournament enroute to their Gold Medal win.

CBC: “How the mental skills needed to win hockey gold are used for all athletes”

We were also lucky enough to receive a great piece on the Power of Positive Belief (and the inspiration for this blog) by longtime Yard Athletics client and resident psychologist, Dr. Debbie Samsom. Debbie is running a marathon in a few weeks, and felt inspired to pen the below from her longtime hero, Terry Fox, whose annual run we celebrated on Sept 15th, 2019.

“The Terry Fox Run is happening all over the world this Sunday. This run has been an annual event since 1981, the year Terry died. That 1981 run was the first 10K I ever completed. I have been running ever since.

Terry is my hero. Every year as the Terry Fox Run approaches, I reflect upon his incredible fortitude, grit, and indomitable spirit. He ran a marathon a day for 143 days, with a prosthetic leg and in constant pain. He only stopped when cancer spread to his lungs, ultimately resulting in his death. How did he do it?  He achieved this because he believed he could. Simple as that. Belief is the most powerful tool that we have to help us accomplish our goals – physical or otherwise. 

I am running a marathon in a couple of weeks. I know it’s going to hurt (it always does). I know that with about 10K to go, negative thoughts will start entering my brain, telling me to stop running (Who cares if I walk? Why continue to suffer? ) I will fight these thoughts, and Terry will help me. It’s just one measly marathon. If Terry can do 143, I CAN DO THIS.  

So what do you believe you can achieve?  Not because it’s easy, or comes naturally to you, but because you are willing to dig deep and give it everything you’ve got.”  

“I just wish people would realize that anything is possible if you try; dreams are made possible if you try” – Terry Fox

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By Dr. Debbie Samsom – Jan 14th, 2019

So, winter is definitely upon us. Holiday festivities are over, days are short, and the rain seems endless. This is the time of year when many of us can feel blue, down in the dumps, or outright depressed. Good thing there are ways to prevent this, so we can cruise into spring with smiles on our faces.

There is a lot of research out there on how to be happy. This literature has been nicely summarized by Nic Marks, a British researcher, who distilled all the evidence around happiness into 5 key factors, referred to as the 5 Ways to Well Being. These ways are: Connect, Be Physically Active, Take Notice,
Keep Learning, and Give.

Connect – We are, by nature, social beings. Connecting with friends and family is THE most important way to well-being. Last week’s Yard post offers great suggestions for ways to connect, with the added bonus of leaving out the alcohol.

Be Physically Active – Physical activity is great for both our physical and emotional health. The fastest way out of a bad mood is to do something active. Avoid an “all or nothing” approach to activity. A 30- minute workout or walk will do the trick. It doesn’t have to be huge – just get off the couch!

Take Notice – This is about being engaged in both our inner and outer world. It includes concepts such as mindfulness, which is about focusing our awareness on the present moment, slowing things down, and paying attention to and accepting our thoughts and feelings. Taking notice is also about appreciating the beauty of our surroundings. We are so lucky to live on the west coast, where we can hike, cycle, and walk the beaches all year round. Even though it’s January, the earth is beginning to awaken; plants and bulbs are sprouting. Take notice of the natural beauty that surrounds you.

Keep Learning – Most of us have a natural desire to learn and improve ourselves. When it comes to our professional lives, we can feel bored, stale or unsatisfied if we are not learning new things. So at work, look for opportunities to gain knowledge and build skills. If this is not available to you (or even if it is), consider learning opportunities outside of work. What sparks your interest? What will give you a greater sense of purpose?

Give – When we have empathy and do kind things for others, it boosts our mental health. There is plenty of research to support this. In one study, people were given random amounts of money between $10 and $100. Half were told to spend it on themselves, and the other half were told to spend on someone else. The results showed that the amount didn’t make much difference to their feelings of happiness. What did matter was whether they spent it on themselves or someone else. Turns out that “generosity therapy” is much more impactful than “retail therapy”. But giving doesn’t have to be monetary or material. Actively helping others in need is a great happiness promotor. Bottom line: we feel good when we give to others.

These 5 ways to well-being are not new concepts. It’s just that we can now point to a large body of research that supports them. Further, they are most powerful if you find ways to get them to work synergistically together. Not only will engaging in the 5 ways get you through the winter – it will also set you up for great mental health all year round.

• Dr. Debbie Samsom is a psychologist and #YardHard enthusiast, who currently serves as President of the Back in Motion Rehab Clinic in Surrey BC

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