Tennis and Positive Thinking

I have been playing tennis on and off for several years and it has often been a significant part of my life.  Lately I have been reflecting on how much the game of tennis is connected to mental focus and positive thinking. Tennis is unique in the sense that the game can change at any time. Players can completely reverse the game and comeback to win from a score of "0". There are typically no time-limits so games can last for hours, requiring stamina and mental focus when the player is exhausted mentally and physically. In fact, one of the longest professional tennis matches lasted over 11 hours!

When I play singles, the whole game is up to me. I cannot blame someone else for missing a shot or take a break to let a teammate play for me. I have to stay focused.  This requires a lot of mental stamina and I find myself having to practice the same skills I teach my clients.

There are times when I want to give up. There are times I want to yell and smash my tennis racket on the ground in frustration and anger. Sometimes I want to cry. Often I struggle with negative thoughts and wonder why I even play at all. I have to work through these negative thoughts and practice positive thinking. 

I remind myself to focus on one point at a time. One moment at a time. Don't go too far ahead and don't focus on the past.  Stay present and play each point as a fresh start.  Don't focus on the score, whether I'm ahead or behind because either way it can change. Focus on the current moment. This is one of the things I love about tennis.  I am practicing mindfulness and working through my negative thoughts- two things I try to teach my clients. There are moments in everyday life where we can challenge ourselves and build resiliency and mental stamina. One of my ways is through tennis - ask yourself, what are yours?