Last week, I took part in a week-long immersion to develop my skills as a triathlete.
Yes - that crazy sport that is really 3 hard sports, put together for varying lengths of distance.
It was an immersion as in swimming, biking and running my butt off all week. To top it off, there was a "mandatory" ice bath on Saturday the last big practice day. Ice baths are known for reducing inflammation in sore muscles, and also boost immunity.
As you can see in the photo, I was really looking forward to it. 🥶
That's the dis-empowering story I was telling myself and it dumped A LOT of self-doubt into my head: I am an athlete but I don't regularly train in these 3 triathlon sports because I spend a lot of my time rowing instead.
For the few weeks leading into the event, my critic brain kick into high gear daily:
😱 Am I in shape enough?
😱 What if I am still sick with COVID (I had covid a month before)
😱What if I (insert excuse-of-the-moment) e.g. pass out/get injured/don’t have any fun
Right then and there, my self-doubt got the best of me.
Each time I had one of these negative thoughts I was tested to choose between these old stories I was telling myself, or to orient to my new story.
That I was enough and that all these doubts were just that - thought bubbles that didn’t have any weight other than what I directed towards them.
All in all, to do this, there are 3 steps that helped me feel confident, calm, and ready for whatever came my way. The next thing outside your comfort zone, I invite you to apply these 3 steps.
Step 1). Catch the negative thought and shift it.
I use what my TASER technique I wrote about in Pause the book - to catch a negative thought and then “zap” it out of existence and shift into a new space.
T - tune in
A - acknowledge that thought exists
S - shift the thought into something that is neutral or even positive that feels GOOD
E - express (say the new thought out loud, or to myself to anchor in new emotions and direction in where my thoughts can serve me.
R - Rinse & repeat again and again as needed.
Step 2). Make the call that whatever you are self-doubting, has already happened.
At camp, when I feared plunging into an ice bath, swimming where in Florida lakes (hello gators!), or doing a long ride I hadn’t done before, I imagined myself doing it.
I took a deep breath.
I paused to feel the joy I had coming with that experience knowing I did it!
Step 3) Don’t go it alone.
How much more fun would you have if you did those uncomfortable things with those who truly saw and supported you or even lift you up for your efforts? I was lucky to have coaching and guidance every step of the way from Full Circle Coaching - a fantastic holistic approach for triathlon training!
Whatever’s on your plate this week remember you can ask for help, get support, and express your feelings to move forward, and focus on the next little step.
That takes courage.
Know you are a vibrant, courageous soul who temporarily forgot your brilliance.
If it takes a week at triathlon camp, an plunging into an icy bath, or anything else that makes you uncomfortable.
✅ TASER or zap away those negative thoughts and express the moment you catch it.
✅ Decide that you are enough, and this too shall pass.
✅ Commit to get the support you need.
When these 3 things happen, you too will catch a glimmer of what’s possible and begin to tell yourself a new story that just doesn’t have room for the old stories of doubt, or whatever your thoughts are telling you.
After all, you don’t have to believe your thoughts.
Just believe in you.
XO Rachael
PS If you need help getting out of self-doubt, comment or DM me “TASER” and I will share my TASER e-toolkit your way!