Athletes and Self-Compassion: A Better Alternative to Beating Yourself Up

Athletes and self-compassion How many times in the past 48 hours have you beat yourself up over something? “I’m not motivated. I should be doing more.” “I haven’t done anything with this time in quarantine.” “I’m worthless.” “I’m letting people down.” (Read below for the full story

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What to Do When You Can’t Outrun the Stress of Injury

We’ll start this blog with serious stuff then talk about practical solutions for overcoming the stress of injury. When we can’t move, work out, or train how we wish, we come unglued…simple as that. Consider this blog your glue. Maybe your boss exasperates you. Or maybe you’ve

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Part 2–Struggling Versus Suffering: How to Suffer Less

NOTE: If you haven’t read part 1, please check it out before you read part 2. Otherwise, you won’t have the necessary background for part 2, where I talk about how to suffer less. Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke, co-hosts of one of my favorite

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Part 1–Struggling Versus Suffering: Perspectives

“If you want to make someone unhappy, tell them they’ve never suffered,” said Dr. Bob Duke at the beginning of his weekly podcast, 2 Guys on Your Head. He and Dr. Art Markman conjure up the Car Talk guys, Click and Clack, only they discourse about psychology

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Every Injured Athlete’s Linchpin: A Guide to EMDR in Plain English

Introduction I’m sharing a personal vignette in this blog because so many of you share similar struggles. I want you to feel unashamed and know you’re not alone. I want you to know there’s an infinitely effective tool to help. It’s called EMDR, and we’ll talk all

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The Mental Side of Injury: What to Do When Your Recovery Isn’t Going So Swimmingly

Let’s talk about the oft-forgotten and ignored mental side of injury recovery. “How are you feeling after yesterday?” my friend Todd asked me as we walked down the steps toward the pool. “I feel good,” I replied. “Aren’t your shoulders sore?” he asked. “Not at all,” I

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The Bleak Truth About How Refusing to Ask for Help is Killing Us a Little Every Day

Benjamin Franklin said, “…nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Clearly, Ben forgot “needing help.” Without exception, nobody escapes needing help in their life. Yet, also without exception, nobody wants to ask for help. We’d rather pluck our nose hairs than ask for

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Musings From a Boot: Lessons I’ve Been Reminded of Through Injury

When she was in the boot, I asked her is she’d write a guest blog post for me on her injury lessons. When I read her words, I though, “I wish someone had told me this stuff when I was spectacularly flailing through my first injury recovery.”

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What Overcoming Your Injuries Looks Like: Inspiration from a Cyclocross National Champion

The weather forecast in Austin for January 8, 2015, was grim by anyone’s standards, especially for a bike race. At the start time for the wisest women’s age categories (60-64, 65-69, 70-74, and 75+) at US Masters Cyclocross Nationals the predicted temperature was a frigid 28 degrees–with

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From One Athlete to Another: His Injury Advice Stands to Make Your Recovery Easier and Faster

In the fall of 2013, Austin-American Statesman journalist Pam LeBlanc wrote a story about my injury and creation of Injured Athlete’s Toolbox. Shortly after the article’s publication, I hosted one of my regular seminars for injured athletes. We answer each other’s questions; we help each other navigate

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