White Bears and Gymnasts’ Fears

On the count of three, don’t think of white bears. How did that work out for you? You thought of white bears, didn’t you? Don’t worry. It’s inevitable. The mere act of trying not to think of white bears causes you to think of them. And, if you are stressed out, tired or distracted, the […]

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Is Pushing Kids Until They Cry Just a Part of Gymnastics?

Looking around a gymnastics forum for inspiration for a topic of a blog post, I came across a parent thread called: Pushing kids until they cry? Just a part of gymnastics? Immediately I thought: Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner. Is pushing kids until they cry just a part of gymnastics? Here is the […]

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It’s The Coaches Turn: “I Know That You Think You are Difficult to Coach” and Nine Other Things Coaches Want to Say to Their Fearful Gymnasts

Earlier this week I posted a blog written from the perspective of fearful gymnasts to their coaches, “I Know That I am Difficult to Coach” and Nine Other Things Fearful Gymnasts Want to Tell Their Coaches.” The response was overwhelming. Former gymnasts wrote telling me how fear drove them from the sport they loved. Coaches […]

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“I Know I am Difficult to Coach” and Nine Other Things that Fearful Gymnasts Want to Their Coaches to Know

I know that I am difficult to coach. My fear makes it hard to coach me, I understand this. It makes my progress slower. It makes you feel like a less effective coach. It makes me feel like a less accomplished athlete. I worry that you don’t like me. I know that my fear is […]

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Conquer Fear with These Five Words

Something almost no one knows about me is… …that I am incredibly shy. Public speaking terrifies me. Making phone calls is difficult and leaves me feeling exhausted. I don’t even like making doctors’ appointments and am relieved when things that ordinarily require speaking to someone can be done online. My base personality skews strongly toward being […]

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