By Judy Xie ‘23
When Covid-19 effectively snaked its highly contagious self into every corner of the world, panic and fear festered in the hearts of many. By March, most of the population was homebound, following government-mandated quarantine procedures. With the closing of schools and athletic facilities, as well as the suspension of competition in sporting leagues, athletes and sports fans everywhere had their hopes for a spring season crushed. Here at St. Mark’s, many of us held onto hope that we would make a return to school by May or early June, but that quickly fell out of the realm of possibility as the seemingly unending pandemic raged on all through spring and into summer. As we approached the beginning of the 2020-2021, school year, the probability of a fall athletic season came into question.
In the end, it was determined that in-person athletics would begin on September 28th with the return to campus. However, many restrictions were put into place to promote safety in the midst of the pandemic. Interscholastic competition was suspended, and practices had to be conducted socially distanced and while wearing masks.
For many athletes, sports are a needed reprieval from the chaos of daily life. To me, sports have always been a constant in my life, even when I dealt with stress and pressures. Having a steady routine of practices and games or meets grounded me. Coping with the
uncertainty that has surrounded these past few months and the sudden changes to my schedule has been really tough and I know that many others are in a similar boat. Personally, I experienced a lot of self-doubt, lack of motivation, and frustration throughout the quarantine. It’s been a difficult process, but I’ve worked really hard to find ways to healthily deal with these unprecedented times and the negative impact that it has had on my mental health. If you’ve also found yourself struggling mentally or feeling frustrated with yourslf, then I think that these tips could benefit you greatly.
Forgive yourself.
Remember that it’s ok not to be perfect. It’s ok if your skills are rusty or you had a rough practice, skipped a workout, aren’t as physically fit as you used to be. It’s important to be able to forgive yourself and work on making changes so that you can do better in the future.
Develop a routine.
I’ve found that having a fairly consistent routine improves my productivity and motivation tremendously. Even something as small as just eating breakfast everyday at a certain time can go a long way.
Find the positives.
It can be really easy to get caught up in a negative mindset. Trying to see the positive aspects of situations is very beneficial for your mental health. Another method is to find little things in life that bring you joy or you are greatful for.
Set smaller goals.
I have found that I have a tendency to set ambitious goals- which can be great at times, but can also be overwhelming. Setting smaller, more easily and quickly attainable goals has helped me to stay motivated because I see progress faster.
Stay present.
I often find myself dwelling on the past or worrying too much about the future. This be stressful and frustrating, which is why I like to remind myself to be present in the moment. Think about who you are in the present and what you can do in the now to reach your goals.
Take it easy.
If you’re like me, you may put a lot of unnecessary pressure on yourself. It’s important to remember that you don’t need to be perfect all of the time. Always take breaks and rest if you feel that you need it.
Focus on yourself.
Comparison is deadly. Especially in a competitive athletic environment, it’s easy to begin comparing yourself to others. However, other people aren’t going to be at the same place as you and it can lead to feeling down on yourself.