
How to achieve Emotional Self-regulation
Emotional Self-Regulation means you can consciously influence how intensely you experience and express your emotions in different situations. In sport this is a necessary skill to master. Not only in regard to increasing intensity to climax for a peak performance to win but also for when it comes to de-escalating conflict in a game, competition or disagreement between teammates and officials. Having the ability to deescalate emotion is essential because failure to do so can lead to catastrophic and even game ending consequences.
Before I share one of the ways I like to help my athletes, I would also like to point out that struggling to reign in how you feel in certain situations can also be impacted by what you may have experienced in the past.
Your current behavior may actually be unconsciously triggered by repressed memories or experiences from other sporting events or from what other people may have done to you. You may be completely 100% not at fault but because this has not been addressed and is causing you crippling anxiety in stressful situations in performance. With the help of a sport psychologists, medical professional or alternative healer and with time, you can unpack these events. But you will may still continue to be triggered by them so lets find a short term solution....
As a passionate athlete who struggled with her emotions, often described as a “hot head” or “firecracker”, working with a professional was empowering. It gave me skills to conserve my energy and not give away my emotions.
You may have heard people say "breath" when you get stressed. This is always a great idea as it gives us more oxygen to the brain and helps you to think rationally and hopefully ( not always - see Mr Fox above) not say or do something stupid. I like to take this one step further with all my athletes and combine it with an action. Now depending on how fast paced your sport is you often do not have a lot of time, to process frustration, breath and do an action.
So let’s try this: Breath in….. but when you breath out – shout it out. Like HAAAAA!!!
Its loud, it’s a shock to those around you, it’s a wake up to yourself to snap out of the anger or mood and refocus. In a small way its a small scream and when we scream we release cortisol and emotional stress you may be holding as you exhale. It’s not a rude, word so you won’t get a fine, sent off, or upset anyone. You’ll reset. Think of it like State Interruption!
Don’t waste your energy. Channel you emotion back to into your sport and getting yourself where you or team wants to go!
Coach b