But then I had a little epiphany and realized I should just write about what I’m actually doing at this very moment – I’m currently sitting in a hunting tent out in the woods, watching for deer! It’s fairly quiet out here, and with the exception of the engines of a couple trucks on the nearby highway, mostly what I hear are the birds, insects and squirrels.

 I realize not everyone has outdoor hobbies, but getting out into the woods is a big part of my self-care, relaxation and meditation. Previously, I thought this was all about the hunt and the sport, but the more I’m out here, the more I realize it is about detaching from everything and taking a moment to reflect. (If you’ve never gone out to a deer blind for a couple hours, I encourage you to try it at least once – I’m betting you’ll learn something about life or yourself.)

 My time in deer blinds/stands has allowed time for me to learn how to apply my mental conditioning skills such as positive self-talk, confidence, concentration, and most importantly optimal arousal. Breathing and focus are essential while hunting! Plus, I love the challenge of being out in the woods and having to rely on survival skills – these experiences are very different from what I grew up doing in Detroit (that was a different set of survival skills, to say the least)

What I probably enjoy most when I’m out here is the constant opportunities to learn something new. Having a growth mindset says that we can learn new things and have new experiences that contribute to our overall well-being. There’s just something about nature – a long walk on a trail or, like I am now, sitting in a tent… you learn things about yourself and you get a chance to evaluate the way you operate within the world.

While I originally set out with the goal of promoting all the sport performance benefits of my mental conditioning course that’s coming out soon, being out here allowed me to evaluate how I use my own mental conditioning and understand that as long as we’re living, breathing, and thinking in this life, there’s a need for those skills. And it’s not just in sport – mental conditioning is for life.