You know the feeling.
You see the ball (and you hit the ball).
You feel hot as you release your shot.
You sprint forward, and the world feels slow.
You are tuned in. Locked in.
You are feeling the flow. You are being mindful.
Mindfulness has been around for thousands of years – Buddha preached its importance – but researchers are now gathering evidence of its benefits.
The American Psychological Association describes mindfulness as:
awareness of one's internal states and surroundings. Mindfulness can help people avoid destructive or automatic habits and responses by learning to observe their thoughts, emotions, and other present-moment experiences without judging or reacting to them.
For example, picture yourself as a basketball player. You’re standing on the free-throw line, and the opponent’s fans are behind the basket, waving their arms and screaming, trying their best to distract you from scoring.
When you are mindful, you are focused 100% on you and the shot. You can hear your breathing. You feel the ball in your hands. All the distractions disappear, and your mind is calm.
It’s about focus and experiencing a moment for what it is—the present. You are not worrying about the past (“I haven’t been shooting well!”) or the future (“If I miss, we will lose!”).
Mindfulness is a great tool for athletes. It helps you focus, and remain calm and balanced. According to researchers, mindfulness can even help athletes avoid choking in high-pressure moments. Another study suggested mindfulness helps to alleviate worry and improve sport performance. It could also help your mental health.
How do you practice it? There are many ways.
For example, try this:
Relax your body.
Breathe in.
Hold.
Breathe out.
That’s one way. You can also check out the Mayo Clinic for tips, as well as Calm’s online tool to help focus your breathing.