"Mental toughness is the ability to resist, manage and overcome doubts, worries, concerns and circumstances that prevent you from succeeding, or excelling at a task or towards an objective or a performance outcome that you set out to achieve."
This definition of mental toughness I found online hits me in so many ways. As a high school student-athlete, it was easy to count on my parents to tell me my practice times and get me where I needed to be. When I began to drive, I simply stayed after school and waited for my practices to begin. I did some homework, messed around with my friends, sometimes I took a nap or got some food. It was the same routine every single day. I would then come home and throw my laundry to my mom for her to do for the next day and the cycle continued. Balancing school, friends, and sports wasn't too hard in high school because I had so many other people watching my schedule for me and reminding me when I needed to be where. It was a pretty simple routine; school, practice, home.
Mental toughness was only important for game time situations. I never really worried about being "tough" while my mom was making me dinner and my dad was throwing my load into the washing machine. Living at home was living pretty lavishly. When I went away to college, my whole perspective changed. Everyone always told me how much different it would be, and how much more time management I would need to have and blah blah blah... I thought I knew what I was getting into. However, it has been a lot more difficult than I ever thought. Being a student-athlete is a huge time commitment and staying mentally tough is so important for me. Between classes, eating, softball, laundry, study tables, working, God, friends, sleep, football games, exercising, and homework, it's a lot to juggle. I have learned very quickly how to be independent and find a time for everything that needs to be done. I have the most amazing teammates and coaches, as well as parents back home, that are supporting me and helping me with it all, but at the end of the day it's up to me to manage my time and schedule. It definitely hasn't been easy so far, and it probably won't ever be easy, but it is definitely forcing me to grow up quickly which is teaching me a lot. Through all the chaos going on, I know mental toughness is so important. I need to remember that I'm not alone, and that I can push through, not matter how many times I doubt or question myself.
Another super important thing that I need to remind myself is how important it is to set time aside for myself and to take a moment every once in awhile to breathe. Life gets crazy sometimes, and it's hard to remember to just relax for a minute. I need to remind myself to step away and call my mom to talk, or listen to music in my bed for 30 minutes. It's not going to kill me to step away from schoolwork every once in awhile to take time for self-reflection.
All of these things are things that I'm sure all college freshmen struggle with, especially within the first month, but I know I will get a hang of it and become more comfortable with everything. I need to stay mentally tough and positive and work hard in everything I do.
This is so true on so many levels! You take a lot of things for granted in high school and living with your parents, but there is nothing like the independence of college. I actually helped the basketball team here at ONU one semester, but could not continue it due to the time commitment. Mental Toughness is a great attribute to have and for those that have a lot of it I envy them. It sounds like you are having a good time though and I hope ONU treats you as well as it has treated me!
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you are talking about. Being a athlete in college is so much harder than being an athlete in high school. I think that you are right being mental tough. That's what going to keep you going. Also, you are so right about your coaches and teammates! They are awesome!! Go luck this year Hannah!
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